U23 World League

Phoenix Field
Spectators: 7520 (Terracing: 5641, Seating: 1729, VIP seats: 150) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Klodian Nika got the match started through his kick off. Klodian Nika scored 0-1 in the 3rd match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Isac Spirea, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. When Cazimir Ceaușu fell near the penalty area in the 6th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Phoenix Strikers's protests and gave Cazimir Ceaușu a yellow card for diving instead. Cazimir Ceaușu kicked well hit freekick during the 6th minute of the match. Anton Păun recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 8th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. In the 11th minute, Cazimir Ceaușu ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Nafiz Eminaj was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-1. Nafiz Eminaj took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Denis Brânzaș, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Horaţiu Dinulescu succeeded to score despite a near miss that spronge from right pole into the goal to 2-2 in the 23rd playminute. The KF Ballistet fans' excitement grew in the 29th match minute when KF Ballistet's Skifter Imeraj looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 2-3 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. If Skifter Imeraj had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 32nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Skifter Imeraj received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 34th minute. Isac Spirea tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 36th minute, Skifter Imeraj left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The KF Ballistet fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-4. After 40 played minutes Phoenix Strikers got a freekick which was hit by Cazimir Ceaușu. The supporters of KF Ballistet booed when Phoenix Strikers was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 44 match minutes in a wonderful position. Denis Brânzaș didn't get a good kick on the ball. Nafiz Eminaj showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Cazimir Ceaușu in the 47th minute of the match. Disappointed in the 2-4 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Horaţiu Dinulescu made a kick off. Gheorghe Dorineanu kicked well hit freekick during the 53rd minute of the match. When the match had gone on for 58 minutes, Klodian Nika took a quick shot and it went in 2-5 without a chance for Isac Spirea to make any attempt to save it. Nafiz Eminaj showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Denis Brânzaș in the 62nd minute of the match. Jetmir Xeci kicked well hit freekick during the 64th minute of the match. In the 68th minute Klodian Nika shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Isac Spirea saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 2-6 became the score in the 69th minute when Skifter Imeraj elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. The referee felt a red card was in order, 72 minutes into the game, when Perikli Thaçi put in a rough tackle. In the 76th minute Horaţiu Dinulescu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nafiz Eminaj saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 76 minutes, Jetmir Xeci mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the KF Ballistet and the Phoenix Strikers players grew even worse after the yellow card. Jetmir Xeci kicked well hit freekick during the 76th minute of the match. KF Ballistet's Nafiz Eminaj played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Horaţiu Dinulescu in the 78th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Horaţiu Dinulescu in the 80th minute of play forced KF Ballistet's goalkeeper Nafiz Eminaj to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Nafiz Eminaj came out of the goal in the 81st minute to try and stop a shot by Phoenix Strikers's Anton Păun. But to his dismay, Anton Păun quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-6. Anton Păun received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 84th minute. Nafiz Eminaj tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After a rather tough play, Phoenix Strikers's Denis Brânzaș got a free kick in the 90th minute. 96 minutes into the game, Valentin Kula was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. KF Ballistet's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Phoenix Strikers the free kick. After a rather tough play, KF Ballistet's Valentin Kula got a free kick in the 96th minute. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched KF Ballistet eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.