U23 World League

Stadium SK Mons
Spectators: 7692 (Terracing: 5770, Seating: 1769, VIP seats: 153) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Cornel Ulici got the match started through his kick off. Leonel Brochado hit a great freekick 7 minutes into the match. The supporters of SK Mons booed when Sabadim Harammes PRD was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 11 match minutes in a wonderful position. André Curado didn't get a good kick on the ball. Peng Xu shot from long distance in the 11th minute, but Alfredo Manso was prepared and stopped the ball at the left post. A collision led to Sabadim Harammes PRD getting a freekick after 13 minutes play. Hipólito Guerra hit a great ball. Peng Xu struck a weak shot in the 14th minute. Alfredo Manso didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for SK Mons. Hipólito Guerra's late challenge caught a SK Mons's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Hipólito Guerra helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Sabadim Harammes PRD getting a freekick after 18 minutes play. Hipólito Guerra hit a great ball. The audience cheered loudly when Peng Xu's long shot in the 19th minute became 1-0 when the ball went to the left of and passed Alfredo Manso. 23 minutes into the game, Sabadim Harammes PRD's Leandro Marega nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Alex Pihl made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-1. Leif Olofsson received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 26th minute. Alfredo Manso tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. When Ruben Smidts came up free with the goalie in the 29th minute, the SK Mons fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Ruben Smidts couldn't finish the play. Cornel Ulici sent away a hard shot on goal in the 31st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 36th minute, Sergio Deman hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 37th minute of the match Rodolfo Candeias shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Alex Pihl showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. SK Mons's Alex Pihl played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joaquim Corte-Real in the 44th minute of play. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

The wind increased when Leandro Marega made the kick off in the second half. The supporters of Sabadim Harammes PRD booed when SK Mons was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 56 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ruben Smidts didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 58th minute Cornel Ulici shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Alfredo Manso saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After having played for 63 minutes, Leonel Brochado managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Sabadim Harammes PRD's supporters crossed their fingers, but Leonel Brochado was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Alfredo Manso made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ruben Smidts in the 68th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Joaquim Corte-Real in the 71st minute of play forced SK Mons's goalkeeper Alex Pihl to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Diamantino Britto kicked well hit freekick during the 73rd minute of the match. In the 78th minute, Ulisses Sá hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 80th minute of the match, Alcino França tried to roll the ball into the goal by the right post, but Alex Pihl saw his intentions and got control of the ball before it passed the line. Alex Pihl was out of position in the 82 minute of play, and Joaquim Corte-Real capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Joaquim Corte-Real really showed his touch with that goal: 1-2. Alex Pihl made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Joaquim Corte-Real in the 84th minute of play. 95 minutes into the game, Alcino França recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Alex Pihl. Alcino França showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 1-3. The SK Mons fans had already started to leave before the final whistle blew. Sabadim Harammes PRD were clearly better and deserved to take the win.