U23 World League

Leonardo Nayely
Spectators: 7506 (Terracing: 5630, Seating: 1726, VIP seats: 150) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Juan Bautista kicked off to start the match. Uptown Otters were awarded a corner in the 4th minute after Los Hornos's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Liviu Zubaşcu took the corner. After taking down the ball on Uptown Otters's corner Liviu Zubaşcu fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Epifanio Laurendi quite easily take care of the ball. After 5 minutes Los Hornos's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Liviu Zubaşcu who took care of the corner kick. Rolando Tearle made a great header on Uptown Otters's corner, it was just that Los Hornos's Epifanio Laurendi managed to reach the ball for a save. 8 minutes into the match, Uptown Otters's goal looked a bit too open when Julián Alvarez came free, but Aimilios Manolas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 12th match minute, Uptown Otters was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Liviu Zubaşcu to maneuver through the defense. 14 minutes into the match, Uptown Otters's goal looked a bit too open when Julián Alvarez came free, but Aimilios Manolas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 14th minute Julián Alvarez shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Aimilios Manolas saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Julián Alvarez in the 15th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Aimilios Manolas saved Uptown Otters from getting behind. Rolando Tearle's late challenge caught a Los Hornos's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Rolando Tearle helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of Los Hornos booed when Uptown Otters was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 16 match minutes in a wonderful position. Rolando Tearle didn't get a good kick on the ball. Aimilios Manolas showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Julián Alvarez, who was totally free with the ball in the 17th minute. Epifanio Laurendi didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Liviu Zubaşcu went, in the 21st minute, to the upper right corner, 0-1 was the resulting score. After 35 played minutes Los Hornos got a freekick which was hit by Florentino Millano. If Liviu Zubaşcu had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 39th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. When Los Hornos's Julián Alvarez in the 41st minute got a chance for a shot 41st didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Uptown Otters's goalie prevented a goal. In the 42ndth minute of the game Julián Alvarez who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Uptown Otters's Aimilios Manolas was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Julián Alvarez in the 44th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Aimilios Manolas saved Uptown Otters from getting behind. The supporters of Uptown Otters booed when Los Hornos was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 47 match minutes in a wonderful position. Emiliano Jeraldo didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 48th minute, Liviu Zubaşcu got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. The Los Hornos players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Uptown Otters were winning 0-1.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Liviu Zubaşcu to strike the kick off in the second half. 54 minutes into the match, Julián Alvarez notched a goal, 1-1, to the right of Uptown Otters's Aimilios Manolas. Aimilios Manolas was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. In the 60th match minute, Los Hornos was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Ignacio Ebardo to maneuver through the defense. In the 62nd minute, Ignacio Ebardo hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After 63 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for Los Hornos! The referee gave Uptown Otters a penalty, 64 minutes into the game. The penalty shot was made by Liviu Zubaşcu, who made a well placed shot into the net to the right of Los Hornos's Epifanio Laurendi. 1-2. Los Hornos's Pedro Pierres was substituted for Florentino Millano. Los Hornos made a substitution. Aureliano Oroitz replaced Julián Alvarez. With his leg Epifanio Laurendi managed to avoid a goal in the 69thth minute, when Uptown Otters's Fabian Kaszubowski fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. The audience was convinced that Liviu Zubaşcu's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Epifanio Laurendi was relentless in the 74th minute of the game. When Liviu Zubaşcu got free in front of the goal in the 74th minute he wasn't very focused and chipped the ball just over the goal. Epifanio Laurendi was delighted since he was out of position and the ball would have got in if it had gone under the crossbar. In the 78th match minute, Uptown Otters was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Martin Pădureanu to maneuver through the defense. Staffan Bergman received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 84th minute. Epifanio Laurendi tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. When Staffan Bergman came up free with the goalie in the 86th minute, the Uptown Otters 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 Staffan Bergman couldn't finish the play. After a rather tough play, Los Hornos's Leandro Guib got a free kick in the 90th minute. Aimilios Manolas showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Pedro Pierres in the 94th minute of the match. After 96 minutes of play, Los Hornos's Pedro Pierres made it 2-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Aimilios Manolas was left in no man's land by his defense there! Jeers came from both ends of the stadium when the final whistle went. Neither team had looked impressive and the draw seeemd a fair result.