Although English ranked much higher than Eritrea in the standings coming into this game, the fact that Eritrea was coming off a 9-2 win over Taxandria a week earlier would seem to indicate that Eritrea strikers knew how to find the mesh.  One might have expected a closer contest, but this time around it was just not the case.  Within one minute of play it was English's top striker, Mario Fernandez # 9 scoring with a fine shot taken from within the 18 yard box that found the bottom right corner of the Eritrea goal.  Subsequent to this English worked the ball up field, usually through a series of short passing plays in order to challenge the Eritrea defenders and make shots on goal.   Eritrea often responded with a display of some fine ball handling ability and fair tackles in driving forward into their offensive zone, but somehow the strikers in powder blue and white just couldn't muster the offensive punch necessary to break past the English defenders, who always seemed to make sure that they had them outnumbered as they approached the line.  At 15 minutes it was again English's # 9 Mario Fernandez finding the mark on an excellent individual effort as he drove in from at least 35 yards out while engaged in a one on one contest with an Eritrea defender.  He blew past his opponent as he entered the box area and placed an accurate rolling shot into the right side of the mesh that gave the Eritrea keeper no chance.  At this early point in the game it was 2-nil English.  Eritrea responded with some sporadic pressure on the English defenses but the English keeper was always well up to the task.  English maintained their forward drives and at 34 minutes it was # 14 Matt Carder finding the mark on a well-placed long distance shot taken from the far left side of the field that sailed into the top right corner of the Eritrea goal untouched.  The first half would end 3-0 favouring English.
Despite being down by three goals, Eritrea came out with renewed intensity and spirit in the second half.  As was the case in the first half, the team in powder blue experienced a fair amount of success in moving the ball forward through the midfield and into their offensive zone.  Unfortunately for them however the English defenders appeared more than ready to quash their attempted scoring drives and anything that did get through was easily handled and cleared by their keeper.   English responded with some forceful ball movement of their own, which often had Eritrea scrambling in response.  English began putting some real pressure on the Eritrea goal as early as the 55 minute mark, and at 66 minutes they scored again.  This time it was # 8 Kyle Elliott on a quickly released shot taken from well within 18 yards right out in front that found the bottom right corner.  At 4-nil this would be the end of the scoring in this game but both sides kept on in similar fashion for the remaining time.  To the delight of all those on the sidelines the game featured few fouls and whistles and no cards, as the play was fairly gentlemanly throughout the match.  At ninety minutes it would be English with the shutout and the three points awarded.  JHS