U23 World League

Phoenix Field
Spectators: 7503 (Terracing: 5628, Seating: 1726, VIP seats: 149) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Marín Mason started the match with the kick off. Abner Dohrmann showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Denis Brânzaș in the 2nd minute of the match. A collision led to Torreoncito getting a freekick after 5 minutes play. Bonifacio Montenegro hit a great ball. In the 12th minute, Cazimir Ceaușu left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Phoenix Strikers fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-0. A collision led to Phoenix Strikers getting a freekick after 15 minutes play. Cazimir Ceaușu hit a great ball. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Juan Antonio Vives in the 19th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Isac Spirea saved Phoenix Strikers from getting behind. Juan Antonio Vives received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 21st minute. Isac Spirea tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The supporters of Torreoncito booed when Phoenix Strikers was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 23 match minutes in a wonderful position. Nistor Curcă didn't get a good kick on the ball. 27 minutes into the match, Juan Antonio Vives notched a goal, 1-1, to the right of Phoenix Strikers's Isac Spirea. Isac Spirea was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. A collision led to Phoenix Strikers getting a freekick after 30 minutes play. Cazimir Ceaușu hit a great ball. 32 minutes into the match, Juan Antonio Vives had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Isac Spirea. Phoenix Strikers's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Juan Antonio Vives was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-2. In the 37th minute Anton Păun shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Abner Dohrmann saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Torreoncito's Bonifacio Montenegro pulled a muscle in his leg after 43 minutes and couldn't finish the game. Cazimir Ceaușu's late challenge caught a Torreoncito's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Cazimir Ceaușu helped the player get up and apologised. In the 45th match minute, Phoenix Strikers was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cazimir Ceaușu to maneuver through the defense. After the first half Torreoncito were leading 1-2. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Horaţiu Dinulescu was the one to do the kick off. Anton Păun hit a great freekick 51 minutes into the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Denis Brânzaș in the 57th minute of play forced Torreoncito's goalkeeper Abner Dohrmann to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After a rather tough play, Phoenix Strikers's Denis Brânzaș got a free kick in the 58th minute. Abner Dohrmann showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Horaţiu Dinulescu in the 64th minute of the match. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Donato Arellano during the 64th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Donato Arellano kicked well hit freekick during the 64th minute of the match. The supporters of Phoenix Strikers booed when Torreoncito was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 65 match minutes in a wonderful position. Gilberto Faure didn't get a good kick on the ball. Abner Dohrmann took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Anton Păun, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. When Marín Mason came up free with the goalie in the 72nd minute, the Torreoncito 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 Marín Mason couldn't finish the play. 74 minutes into the match, Torreoncito's goal looked a bit too open when Denis Brânzaș came free, but Abner Dohrmann reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. A collision led to Torreoncito getting a freekick after 80 minutes play. Félix Quezada hit a great ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Horaţiu Dinulescu in the 81st minute of play forced Torreoncito's goalkeeper Abner Dohrmann to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Félix Quezada during the 82nd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 82nd minute, Félix Quezada hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Abner Dohrmann showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Horaţiu Dinulescu in the 91st minute of the match. In the 91st minute Horaţiu Dinulescu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Abner Dohrmann saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The referee blew his whistle, and the match came to a close. The players exchanged shirts and headed down the tunnel. The Phoenix Strikers fans cheered their team off the field, for while Torreoncito had put up a good fight, they were unable to come out of the game with any points to show for their effort.