World League

Azadi Stadium
Spectators: 7597 (Terracing: 5699, Seating: 1747, VIP seats: 151) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Harm de Freitas started the match with the kick off. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Arden Poulin in the 4th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Matei Răducu saved MarquinhosEC from getting behind. When the match clock showed 7 minutes, the score became 0-1 when Harm de Freitas sped through Persepolis F.C.'s defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Santos Perez. In the 10th minute Harm de Freitas shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Santos Perez saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Matei Răducu showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Arden Poulin, who was totally free with the ball in the 12th minute. In the 13th minute, Harm de Freitas got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. MarquinhosEC's Matei Răducu proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 18th minute of the match, managed to save MarquinhosEC from getting a goal against them. Matei Răducu made an important save on a dangerous shot by Avery Merrill in the 19th minute. After 22 minutes of play, MarquinhosEC's Alessandro do Valle made it 0-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Santos Perez was left in no man's land by his defense there! Santos Perez stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Alessandro do Valle's shot from short distance in the 25th minute. Santos Perez took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Fausto Di Blasio, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Avery Merrill could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 28th minute of the match, but Matei Răducu made a huge save. An unexpectedly hard shot by Harm de Freitas in the 29th minute of play forced Persepolis F.C.'s goalkeeper Santos Perez to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Danny Craig could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 33rd minute of the match, but Matei Răducu made a huge save. Vágner Porto scored 1-3 in the 39th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Santos Perez, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. After the first half MarquinhosEC were leading 2-3. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Arden Poulin stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. A collision led to Persepolis F.C. getting a freekick after 53 minutes play. Gwidon Seliga hit a great ball. MarquinhosEC's Gabriel Martini shoveled away a really nice long shot in the 54th minute of play. The shot was stopped by Santos Perez but with some difficulty. Santos Perez made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Fausto Di Blasio in the 64th minute of play. In the 66th minute Arden Poulin shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Matei Răducu saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Harm de Freitas was extremely unlucky when he, in the 67th minute, took a shot that hit the right post and went out. MarquinhosEC made a substitution. Marco Tardelli replaced Harm de Freitas. MarquinhosEC's Matei Răducu played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Avery Merrill in the 71st minute of play. In the 73rdth minute of the game Marco Tardelli who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Persepolis F.C.'s Santos Perez was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. MarquinhosEC's Matei Răducu played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Danny Craig in the 75th minute of play. 79 minutes into the match, MarquinhosEC's goal looked a bit too open when Arden Poulin came free, but Matei Răducu reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Matei Răducu made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Avery Merrill in the 85th minute of play. When MarquinhosEC's Marco Tardelli in the 86th minute got a chance for a shot 86th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Persepolis F.C.'s goalie prevented a goal. 88 minutes into the game, Avery Merrill cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 3-3. Matei Răducu was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Marco Tardellis short, quick shot in the 93rdth minute got Santos Perez to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Marco Tardelli's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 93rdth minute, Santos Perez skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. In the 94th minute of the match MarquinhosEC got a corner. Persepolis F.C.'s goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Marco Tardelli ran over to the corner to take the kick. Both teams had looked equal from kick-off, and no-one was surprised when the match finally ended in a draw.