World League

Thunder Stadium
Spectators: 7495 (Terracing: 5622, Seating: 1724, VIP seats: 149) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Jeronimo Errapel started the match with the kick off. An unexpectedly hard shot by Wincenty Roman in the 2nd minute of play forced SOUTH THUNDER's goalkeeper Sebastian Xabier to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 4th minute K.F TIRANA were awarded a corner. Avram Iorgulescu went to the cornerflag to take it. The crowd rose to their feet as Jeronimo Errapel kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Branden Shelton. That made the score 1-0 in the 6 minute of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 10th minute, Kozma Poci managed to get in a good position for a shot. K.F TIRANA's supporters rose to their feet, but Kozma Poci was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Sebastian Xabier breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Jeronimo Errapel could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 12th minute of the match, but Branden Shelton made a huge save. In the 13th minute, Mao Zhen Xing hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Kozma Poci sent away a hard shot on goal in the 17th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 19 minutes into the match, Paco Cano had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Sebastian Xabier. SOUTH THUNDER's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Paco Cano was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-1. Branden Shelton made a fantastic save in the 23rd minute, when Jeronimo Errapel sent off a good shot on target. In the last second Branden Shelton throw himself and got hold of the ball when Jeronimo Errapel in the 23rdth minute from his position got away a shot towards the right post. After 25 minutes of play, SOUTH THUNDER's Jeronimo Errapel made it 3-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Branden Shelton was left in no man's land by his defense there! Avram Iorgulescu hit a great freekick 31 minutes into the match. Jeronimo Errapel received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 35th minute. Branden Shelton tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Kozma Poci in the 45th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Sebastian Xabier saved SOUTH THUNDER from getting behind. SOUTH THUNDER's Jeronimo Errapel managed to work through K.F TIRANA's defense and was going for an easy goal, but he hit the shot with his toe and the ball flew outside the goal. Jeronimo Errapel dejectedly held out his arms as if to ask why the ball hadn't gone in.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Paco Cano stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. In the 51st minute Conrado Emesto shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Branden Shelton saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Avram Iorgulescu hit a great freekick 52 minutes into the match. Branden Shelton made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Bonifacio Arias in the 56th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Bonifacio Arias in the 57th minute of play forced K.F TIRANA's goalkeeper Branden Shelton to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 57 minutes, Bonifacio Arias made it 4-2 with a short kick to the right side. K.F TIRANA's Branden Shelton tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. After having played for 59 minutes, Wincenty Roman managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. K.F TIRANA's supporters crossed their fingers, but Wincenty Roman was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. After 64 minutes K.F TIRANA's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Jeronimo Errapel who took care of the corner kick. Bonifacio Arias scored 5-2 in the 65th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Branden Shelton, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Sebastian Xabier was a little too slow when Wincenty Roman got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 68th minute. The score was now 5-3. Branden Shelton took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Conrado Emesto, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 75th match minute, SOUTH THUNDER was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Jeronimo Errapel to maneuver through the defense. Branden Shelton made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Augusto Procopio in the 77th minute of play. 83 minutes into the match, SOUTH THUNDER's goal looked a bit too open when Paco Cano came free, but Sebastian Xabier reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Wincenty Roman's shot straight on target was not completely harmless. The ball had pretty good speed, but Sebastian Xabier firmly grabbed it by the left post. Sebastian Xabier made an important save on a dangerous shot by Wincenty Roman in the 85th minute. K.F TIRANA's Branden Shelton played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Bonifacio Arias in the 87th minute of play. After taking down the ball on SOUTH THUNDER's corner Jeronimo Errapel fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Branden Shelton quite easily take care of the ball. After 91 minutes, Marsel Spaha mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the K.F TIRANA and the SOUTH THUNDER players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 91st minute, Marsel Spaha hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Branden Shelton made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Bonifacio Arias in the 92nd minute of play. The corner went over the outstretched arms of K.F TIRANA's goalie and right to Santiago Bautista. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. K.F TIRANA's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal.