U18 World League

Aaron Jerrald
Spectators: 7693 (Terracing: 5771, Seating: 1769, VIP seats: 153) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Eldon Mills started the match with the kick off. If Pedro Cresconio had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 2nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After 4 minutes, Felipe Jacques mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Recolta Alamor and the Los Delfines players grew even worse after the yellow card. Felipe Jacques hit a great freekick 4 minutes into the match. After 7 played minutes Los Delfines got a freekick which was hit by Serafino Firman. Freddie Downs fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 10th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Samuel Egun having to interfere. 12 minutes into the match, Eldon Mills notched a goal, 0-1, to the right of Los Delfines's Samuel Egun. Samuel Egun was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. After 15 played minutes Los Delfines got a freekick which was hit by Modesto Baladi. Samuel Egun showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Freddie Downs in the 20th minute of the match. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Roque Senio during the 23rd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Armando Arroyo's late challenge caught a Los Delfines's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Armando Arroyo helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Recolta Alamor getting a freekick after 26 minutes play. Armando Arroyo hit a great ball. If Pedro Cresconio had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 34th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Pedro Cresconio sent away a hard shot on goal in the 35th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Samuel Egun showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from German Whitley in the 41st minute of the match. After the first half Recolta Alamor were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The wind increased when Tomás Domeka made the kick off in the second half. After 50 minutes, Tomás Domeka mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Los Delfines and the Recolta Alamor players grew even worse after the yellow card. An unexpectedly hard shot by Roque Senio in the 55th minute of play forced Recolta Alamor's goalkeeper Kerry Barajas to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 55th minute, Roque Senio left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Los Delfines fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-1. In the 65th minute German Whitley shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Samuel Egun saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 71st minute, Eldon Mills left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Recolta Alamor fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-3. 77 minutes into the match, Los Delfines's goalkeeper Samuel Egun had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Eldon Mills. Samuel Egun came out of the goal in the 80th minute to try and stop a shot by Recolta Alamor's Eldon Mills. But to his dismay, Eldon Mills quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-4. Kerry Barajas came out of the goal in the 86th minute to try and stop a shot by Los Delfines's Roque Senio. But to his dismay, Roque Senio quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-4. 89 minutes into the game, Los Delfines's Roque Senio nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Kerry Barajas made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 3-4. Recolta Alamor's players went to the stands to thank the travelling support. The fan's backing had helped spurr the team on to a fine performance that won them the match.