U21 World League

Vila Belmiro
Spectators: 7536 (Terracing: 5653, Seating: 1733, VIP seats: 150) Clapham Comets F.C.'s Andrew Thomas started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Sebastian Cross showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jamar Burton, who was totally free with the ball in the 2nd minute. Brad Symons received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 4th minute. Jim Mitchell tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Andrew Thomas in the 6th minute of play forced Santos FC's goalkeeper Jim Mitchell to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The referee felt a red card was in order, 7 minutes into the game, when Shaun Purkiss put in a rough tackle. In the 13th minute Sammy Le Tissier shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jim Mitchell saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Brad Symons received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 17th minute. Jim Mitchell tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 20 minutes into the game, Clapham Comets F.C.'s Brad Symons nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Jim Mitchell made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 0-1. Clapham Comets F.C.'s Brad Symons got a good chance for a goal in the 27th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Iain Ely's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Jim Mitchell read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 29th minute of play. After 30 minutes Santos FC's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Andrew Thomas who took care of the corner kick. The corner ended in Andrew Thomas almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Santos FC's Jim Mitchell did a great save. After some fancy dribbling in the 34th minute, Sammy Le Tissier managed to get in a good position for a shot. Clapham Comets F.C.'s supporters rose to their feet, but Sammy Le Tissier was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Jim Mitchell breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. 40 minutes into the match, Clapham Comets F.C.'s goalkeeper Sebastian Cross had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Rusty Little. Sammy Le Tissier fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 43rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jim Mitchell having to interfere. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 0-2.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Jamar Burton to make the kick off. Jim Mitchell was a little too slow when Brad Symons got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 50th minute. The score was now 0-3. Jim Mitchell made an important save on a dangerous shot by Iain Ely in the 53rd minute. Iain Ely's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Jim Mitchell read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 55th minute of play. Clapham Comets F.C. were awarded a corner in the 56th minute after Santos FC's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Andrew Thomas took the corner. In the 60th minute, Darrell Nava hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Jim Mitchell took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Brad Symons, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Sammy Le Tissier sent away a hard shot on goal in the 69th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 71 minutes into the match, Clapham Comets F.C.'s Brad Symons sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Jim Mitchell narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 75th minute, Pedro Finn hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Santos FC's Jim Mitchell played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Sammy Le Tissier in the 78th minute of play. After 78 minutes of play, Clapham Comets F.C.'s Sammy Le Tissier made it 0-4 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Jim Mitchell was left in no man's land by his defense there! Jim Mitchell didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Mick Bartrup went, in the 82nd minute, to the upper right corner, 0-5 was the resulting score. The crowd rose to their feet as Brad Symons kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Jim Mitchell. That made the score 0-6 in the 86 minute of play. If Sammy Le Tissier had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 90th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. When the match had gone on for 91 minutes, Brad Symons took a quick shot and it went in 0-7 without a chance for Jim Mitchell to make any attempt to save it.