National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) U21 Venezuela's Bizen Eguia started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. A collision led to U21 Venezuela getting a freekick after 3 minutes play. Boni Alba hit a great ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Mauricio Contreras in the 3rd minute of play forced U21 Venezuela's goalkeeper Dorio Laje to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After a rather tough play, U21 Costa Rica's Luis Marin got a free kick in the 4th minute. Dorio Laje showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jorge Padilla, who was totally free with the ball in the 6th minute. With a little luck, U21 Costa Rica's Olger Azofeifa got control of the ball when Ximun Zaldos tried to sneak it across the goal line. Olger Azofeifa made an important save on a dangerous shot by Lucio Oquendo in the 19th minute. In the 23rd minute, Lucio Oquendo ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Olger Azofeifa was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-0. U21 Costa Rica's Jorge Padilla got a good chance for a goal in the 35th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. U21 Costa Rica's Olger Azofeifa proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 42nd minute of the match, managed to save U21 Costa Rica from getting a goal against them. In the 45th match minute, U21 Venezuela was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Boni Alba to maneuver through the defense. The audience held their breath when Mauricio Contreras in the 46th minute of the game managed to trick the opponents defenses and fired away a shot outside the goal on the Dorio Laje's left hand side. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 1-0.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Jorge Padilla to make the kick off. Dorio Laje showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jorge Padilla in the 54th minute of the match. Olger Azofeifa showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Bizen Eguia in the 57th minute of the match. 57 minutes into the match, Bizen Eguia notched a goal, 2-0, to the right of U21 Costa Rica's Olger Azofeifa. Olger Azofeifa was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Jorge Padilla received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 65th minute. Dorio Laje tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. U21 Venezuela's Roberto Pato was substituted for Bizen Eguia. 72 minutes into the match, U21 Venezuela's Ximun Zaldos sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Olger Azofeifa narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 81st minute Xandro Zubillaga shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Olger Azofeifa saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 82 minutes into the match, U21 Costa Rica's goal looked a bit too open when Roberto Pato came free, but Olger Azofeifa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Frascuelo Albarellos's late challenge caught a U21 Costa Rica's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Frascuelo Albarellos helped the player get up and apologised. Frascuelo Albarellos hit a great freekick 84 minutes into the match. U21 Costa Rica's Olger Azofeifa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Roberto Pato in the 87th minute of play. A hard shot 90 in the game by Jorge Padilla from a close distance when the talented Dorio Laje managed to make a qualified save. U21 Venezuela's players were relieved. U21 Venezuela's Dorio Laje played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Kerry Flöter in the 92nd minute of play. Dorio Laje made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Kerry Flöter in the 94th minute of play. In the 96th minute Xandro Zubillaga shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Olger Azofeifa saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. U21 Venezuela walked away with a well-earned victory that was much celebrated by the crowd.