U18 World League

Zagrebačka livada
Spectators: 7591 (Terracing: 5694, Seating: 1746, VIP seats: 151) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Matias Eli got the match started through his kick off. 3 minutes into the game, Sanjin Grubiša recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Maximino Afonso. Sanjin Grubiša showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 1-0. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Matias Eli in the 6th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Marcel Maroević saved ZG Hakleri from getting behind. Matias Eli took the ball and in the 8 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Marcel Maroević. Marcel Maroević dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 1-1. After 12 minutes of play, ZG Hakleri's Sanjin Grubiša made it 2-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Maximino Afonso was left in no man's land by his defense there! Fabio Jerico fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 16th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marcel Maroević having to interfere. 17 minutes into the match, ZG Hakleri's goal looked a bit too open when Matias Eli came free, but Marcel Maroević reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 20 minutes of play, Florida Gulf Coast's Jeremias Errapel made it 2-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Marcel Maroević was left in no man's land by his defense there! A collision led to ZG Hakleri getting a freekick after 26 minutes play. Rade Grdanovski hit a great ball. If Matias Eli had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 37th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 39 minutes into the game, Florida Gulf Coast's Matias Eli nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Marcel Maroević made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-3. The ZG Hakleri players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Florida Gulf Coast were winning 2-3.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Jasmin Stepanović made a kick off. In the 55th minute, Jasmin Stepanović left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The ZG Hakleri fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 3-3. Maximino Afonso showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jasmin Stepanović in the 59th minute of the match. 3-4 became the score in the 61st minute when Fabio Jerico elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. Marcel Maroević made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Matias Eli in the 73rd minute of play. Carlos Neto charged in rather forcefully in the 77th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Carlos Neto the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. In the 77th minute, Carlos Neto hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 83rd minute Matias Eli shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Marcel Maroević saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Marcel Maroević came out of the goal in the 86th minute to try and stop a shot by Florida Gulf Coast's Fabio Jerico. But to his dismay, Fabio Jerico quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-6. Matias Eli was extremely unlucky when he, in the 90th minute, took a shot that hit the right post and went out. In the 93rd minute, Fabio Jerico ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Marcel Maroević was frozen by the shot and now it was 3-7. The ZG Hakleri fans had already started to leave before the final whistle blew. Florida Gulf Coast were clearly better and deserved to take the win.