Challenge

Kato Pafos Arena
Spectators: 50 (Terracing: 38, Seating: 11, VIP seats: 1) Dionisio Dicastillo made the kick off and thus started the match. 3 minutes into the match, Mánthia's goal looked a bit too open when Andrew Murdock came free, but Koulis Mestas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 4th match minute, Mánthia was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Rahman Dilhan to maneuver through the defense. Andrew Murdock's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Koulis Mestas read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 7th minute of play. 9 minutes into the match, Themis Pantelakos dribbled the ball past the defender and swiftly kicked the ball to the left of Paul Leese, 1-0. In the 13th minute Andrew Murdock shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Koulis Mestas saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 15 minutes into the game, David Ward cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-1. Koulis Mestas was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. The audience was convinced that Andrew Murdock's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Koulis Mestas was relentless in the 18th minute of the game. Paul Leese made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Kaineus Giannacopulos in the 20th minute of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Dionisio Dicastillo got free with Paul Leese in the 22nd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Koulis Mestas didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Andrew Murdock went, in the 24th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-2 was the resulting score. A throw-in in the 28th minute of the game was made by Polybos Dalianis with Iphitos Gravari as target, who quickly passed the ball forward. An unexpectedly hard shot by Andrew Murdock in the 29th minute of play forced Mánthia's goalkeeper Koulis Mestas to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. A collision led to Mánthia getting a freekick after 33 minutes play. Polybos Dalianis hit a great ball. After 38 played minutes Mánthia got a freekick which was hit by Alkmaion Bourikas. Koulis Mestas made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Andrew Murdock in the 39th minute of play. Paul Leese was out of position in the 40 minute of play, and Iphitos Gravari capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Iphitos Gravari really showed his touch with that goal: 2-2. 45 minutes into the match, Andrew Murdock had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Koulis Mestas. Mánthia's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Andrew Murdock was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-3. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 2-3 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

Paul Leese came out of the goal in the 54th minute to try and stop a shot by Mánthia's Dionisio Dicastillo. But to his dismay, Dionisio Dicastillo quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-3. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Dionisio Dicastillo in the 56th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Paul Leese prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Koulis Mestas made an important save on a dangerous shot by Andrew Murdock in the 58th minute. With a little luck, Mánthia's Koulis Mestas got control of the ball when Andrew Murdock tried to sneak it across the goal line. Paul Leese took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Dionisio Dicastillo, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. de Beauvoir Scholars's Paul Leese played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Themis Pantelakos in the 65th minute of play. After 70 minutes of play, de Beauvoir Scholars's Andrew Murdock made it 3-4 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Koulis Mestas was left in no man's land by his defense there! Mánthia made a substitution. Anestis Katsambis replaced Themis Pantelakos. In the 76th minute, de Beauvoir Scholars's Andrew Murdock dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 3-5. Mánthia's Koulis Mestas proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 79th minute of the match, managed to save Mánthia from getting a goal against them. In the 81st minute the ball was on its way in behind Mánthia's goalkeeper Koulis Mestas, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. de Beauvoir Scholars's Paul Leese played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Dionisio Dicastillo in the 85th minute of play. Andrew Murdock could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 87th minute of the match, but Koulis Mestas made a huge save. 90 minutes into the game, one of Mánthia:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. The away crowd were delighted with the way their team had played and cheered loudly when the final whistle sounded. de Beauvoir Scholars walked away with the win, even though the match was close until the end.