U23 World League

Fernando Savino
Spectators: 7500 (Terracing: 5625, Seating: 1725, VIP seats: 150) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Matej Ťažký started the match with the kick off. When Denis Tandlich fell near the penalty area in the 4th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored FC Kukova's protests and gave Denis Tandlich a yellow card for diving instead. In the 4th minute, Denis Tandlich hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After 9 played minutes Kenya got a freekick which was hit by Jairo Dantel. Kacper Tobias took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Juraj Grenčík, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The audience thought a goal was coming when Ceferino Cresconio got free with Václav Židek in the 15th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. A collision led to FC Kukova getting a freekick after 16 minutes play. Denis Tandlich hit a great ball. After 19 minutes of play FC Kukova's Denis Tandlich was too eager in his attempt to stop his opponent and brought him down. With that he got his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. In the 20th minute, Denis Tandlich hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Václav Židek showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jairo Dantel in the 21st minute of the match. In the 21st minute, Jairo Dantel ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Václav Židek was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-0. Václav Židek showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jairo Dantel in the 24th minute of the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Ľubomír Pittner in the 25th minute of play forced Kenya's goalkeeper Kacper Tobias to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 26 minutes Kenya's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Richard Mihálek who took care of the corner kick. Ceferino Cresconio's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Václav Židek read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 31st minute of play. Ceferino Cresconio kicked well hit freekick during the 33rd minute of the match. In the 36th minute, Ceferino Cresconio ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Václav Židek was frozen by the shot and now it was 2-0. 43 minutes into the match, Kenya's goal looked a bit too open when Matej Ťažký came free, but Kacper Tobias reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Václav Židek made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Jairo Dantel in the 47th minute of play.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Ceferino Cresconio made a kick off. Matej Ťažký's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Kacper Tobias read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 52nd minute of play. After 53 minutes Kenya's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Richard Mihálek who took care of the corner kick. Václav Židek made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Jairo Dantel in the 59th minute of play. Róbert Hargaš's late challenge caught a Kenya's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Róbert Hargaš helped the player get up and apologised. 60 minutes into the game, one of FC Kukova:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. The referee gave Kenya a penalty, 62 minutes into the game. The penalty shot was made by Agustin Venceslao, who made a well placed shot into the net to the right of FC Kukova's Václav Židek. 3-0. Boris Trizna hit a great freekick 64 minutes into the match. 67 minutes into the game, Ceferino Cresconio cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 4-0. Václav Židek was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. 73 minutes into the match, FC Kukova's Ľubomír Pittner sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Kacper Tobias narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 76th minute Ceferino Cresconio shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Václav Židek saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 77 minutes, Michal Prokowski mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Kenya and the FC Kukova players grew even worse after the yellow card. After a rather tough play, Kenya's Michal Prokowski got a free kick in the 77th minute. Ceferino Cresconio took the ball and in the 81 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Václav Židek. Václav Židek dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 5-0. Václav Židek showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Ceferino Cresconio in the 85th minute of the match. Václav Židek showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jairo Dantel, who was totally free with the ball in the 87th minute. Jairo Dantel's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Václav Židek read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 90th minute of play. The corner went over the outstretched arms of FC Kukova's goalie and right to Esteban Poncio. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. FC Kukova's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. 93 minutes into the game, Ján Kolman was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. FC Kukova's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Kenya the free kick. Kenya's Gaspar Rivas was substituted for Ceferino Cresconio. The supporters of Kenya booed when FC Kukova was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 94 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ján Kolman didn't get a good kick on the ball. FC Kukova's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.