U18 World League

Kalahari Desert
Spectators: 7504 (Terracing: 5629, Seating: 1726, VIP seats: 149) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Fabio Rapa got the match started through his kick off. 3 minutes into the game, Arthur Teuma recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Artem Gordya. Arthur Teuma showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 1-0. Ivan Lysytsjkyi received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 9th minute. William Troisi tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 13 minutes of play, FC Vershina ESPN's Volodymyr Beletskyi made it 1-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. William Troisi was left in no man's land by his defense there! Antoine Miggiani fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 19th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Artem Gordya having to interfere. In the 22nd match minute, Meerkats FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Stephan Duca to maneuver through the defense. When Danylo Biloshapka came up free with the goalie in the 23rd minute, the FC Vershina ESPN 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 Danylo Biloshapka couldn't finish the play. The supporters of Meerkats FC booed when FC Vershina ESPN was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 31 match minutes in a wonderful position. Borys Turetskyi didn't get a good kick on the ball. Meerkats FC's Stephen Bonnici shoveled away a really nice long shot in the 32nd minute of play. The shot was stopped by Artem Gordya but with some difficulty. Ivan Lysytsjkyi might have been able to make a better finish in the 33rd minute when he tried to place a hard shot over William Troisi. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Ivan Lysytsjkyi ran back to his position shaking his head. William Troisi made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ivan Lysytsjkyi in the 33rd minute of play. If Ivan Lysytsjkyi had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 37th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After the first half FC Vershina ESPN were leading 1-2. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Ivan Lysytsjkyi stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Artem Gordya showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Fabio Rapa, who was totally free with the ball in the 58th minute. Danylo Biloshapka's late challenge caught a Meerkats FC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Danylo Biloshapka helped the player get up and apologised. After 59 played minutes FC Vershina ESPN got a freekick which was hit by Danylo Biloshapka. If Arthur Teuma had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 62nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After some fancy dribbling in the 63rd minute, Ivan Lysytsjkyi managed to get in a good position for a shot. FC Vershina ESPN's supporters rose to their feet, but Ivan Lysytsjkyi was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. William Troisi breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. 65 minutes in the game, Ivan Lysytsjkyi fired away an excellent shot, which passed to the side of the right post without William Troisi having to interfere. Artem Gordya stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Antoine Miggiani's shot from short distance in the 68th minute. In the 68th match minute, FC Vershina ESPN was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Leonid Vikaryuk to maneuver through the defense. In the 70th match minute, FC Vershina ESPN was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Danylo Biloshapka to maneuver through the defense. After 76 minutes of play FC Vershina ESPN's Danylo Biloshapka 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. After a rather tough play, FC Vershina ESPN's Danylo Biloshapka got a free kick in the 77th minute. Ivan Lysytsjkyi was extremely unlucky when he, in the 80th minute, took a shot that hit the right post and went out. Artem Gordya showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Fabio Rapa in the 82nd minute of the match. The supporters of FC Vershina ESPN booed when Meerkats FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 82 match minutes in a wonderful position. Timothy De Battista didn't get a good kick on the ball. William Troisi showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Ivan Lysytsjkyi in the 83rd minute of the match. In the 85th minute, Leonid Vikaryuk hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. FC Vershina ESPN's Artem Gordya played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Fabio Rapa in the 92nd minute of play. Artem Gordya made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Arthur Teuma in the 95th minute of play. The FC Vershina ESPN supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing FC Vershina ESPN would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.