U18 World League

CHAMPIONS STADIUM
Spectators: 7679 (Terracing: 5760, Seating: 1766, VIP seats: 153) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Wilson Morales started the match with the kick off. Club Deportes Santa Cruz's Virgilio Patiño proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 8th minute of the match, managed to save Club Deportes Santa Cruz from getting a goal against them. The supporters of Club Deportes Santa Cruz booed when Champions Iasi was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 11 match minutes in a wonderful position. Toader Răducanu didn't get a good kick on the ball. When Marin Petruescu fell near the penalty area in the 18th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Champions Iasi's protests and gave Marin Petruescu a yellow card for diving instead. Champions Iasi's Cristinel Alexe played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Wilson Morales in the 22nd minute of play. Cristinel Alexe didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Mercurio Pasos went, in the 24th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-1 was the resulting score. Mauricio Barasarte hit a great freekick 27 minutes into the match. In the 29th minute, Champions Iasi's Adam Ghimiș ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Virgilio Patiño. Virgilio Patiño yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 2-1. After a rather tough play, Champions Iasi's Marin Petruescu got a free kick in the 31st minute. 36 minutes into the match, Edelmiro Aizpuru notched a goal, 2-2, to the right of Champions Iasi's Cristinel Alexe. Cristinel Alexe was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Virgilio Patiño took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Radu Siniştean, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. A collision led to Club Deportes Santa Cruz getting a freekick after 47 minutes play. Wilson Morales hit a great ball. 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.

The wind increased when Adam Ghimiș made the kick off in the second half. Champions Iasi's Cristinel Alexe played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Edelmiro Aizpuru in the 54th minute of play. Leonard Cozma hit a great freekick 60 minutes into the match. Champions Iasi's defense didn't have a chance, in the 62nd minute, when Edelmiro Aizpuru scored to the left of an out of position Cristinel Alexe, making the score, 2-4. Marin Petruescu kicked well hit freekick during the 65th minute of the match. Wilson Morales recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 66th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Leoncio Mac Lean hit a great freekick 71 minutes into the match. Cristinel Alexe was out of position in the 76 minute of play, and Edelmiro Aizpuru capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Edelmiro Aizpuru really showed his touch with that goal: 2-5. After some careless play in the Club Deportes Santa Cruz defense, Marin Petruescu kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Virgilio Patiño. The Club Deportes Santa Cruz fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Virgilio Patiño should have stopped the shot. An unexpectedly hard shot by Edelmiro Aizpuru in the 83rd minute of play forced Champions Iasi's goalkeeper Cristinel Alexe to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 84th minute, Toader Răducanu hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 85th minute of the match Edelmiro Aizpuru sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Cristinel Alexe skillfully saved the ball. 88 minutes into the match, Club Deportes Santa Cruz's goal looked a bit too open when Marin Petruescu came free, but Virgilio Patiño reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Club Deportes Santa Cruz's supporters were very happy and cheered loudly because their team had won after a very close match.