IHEZIK.C.F 1 - 1 Redea (363557812)

2112 fans braved the pouring rain at Old Trafford. Vladimir Popov was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Arnaud Polderman and Tom Jacobsson. A 5-3-2 alignment was the formation of choice for IHEZIK.C.F. The following players took the field: Cid - Sánchez, Castellano, Alonso Soto, Balbastrada, Esmerode - Nieva, Bort, Disciullo - Borg, Pons.

Redea had chosen a strategic 3-4-3 formation. They fielded: Habegger - Päätalo, Wittek, Turut - Khudilaynen, Prossner, Bosse, Gutierrez - Zamperini, Dzelzis, Mainardi.

IHEZIK.C.F clearly had decided to counter-attack when they could. Redea clearly preferred using their ability to attack in the middle. One of many good crosses from F. Gutierrez on the wing was received and skillfully taken care of by N. Mainardi, who scored for Redea. 0 - 1 Central attacks were the recipe of the day for Redea, as they moved the ball from the wings to the middle with startling regularity. With 18 minutes gone, L. Disciullo suddenly found himself completely free on the right wing when a counterattack by IHEZIK.C.F caught their opponents by surprise. Only a great save by the opposing keeper prevented him from scoring. It was a bad day for the usually speedy F. Gutierrez. The mud seemed to slow him down. After 37 minutes, a well-worked counterattack by IHEZIK.C.F on the right presented an easy opportunity in front of the goal that was duly converted by I. Castellano to make it 1 - 1. It was 1 - 1 at the break. Redea claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 71 percent.

IHEZIK.C.F's defence sent a ball soaring up the middle on a beautiful counterattack with 62 minutes gone, but S. Borg's finish was met by the reaching hands of the keeper. IHEZIK.C.F mounted an inspired counterattack down the right wing after 74 minutes, but J. Sánchez was unable to convert from short range. Redea were determined to attack in the middle, even their wing attacks ended up centrally. 79 minutes into the game, Ş. Turut almost gave the visitors the lead, as he clipped a delicate lob over the keeper, but the ball glanced harmlessly off the crossbar. The boggy pitch disrupted the game, especially for technical players like M. Bosse. IHEZIK.C.F had a great opportunity to score following a counterattack after 84 minutes, but J. Sánchez's shot from the left sailed high over the bar. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Redea, with 68 percent of the ball.

IHEZIK.C.F's best player was J. Balbastrada. C. Bort on the other hand, had a terrible day. J. Päätalo performed admirably for Redea. I. Dzelzis was a disappointment, however. The match ends 1 - 1.