Schwalbe 3 - 2 stokey (379179286)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 3822 at De Bietenberg today. Mirosław Wydro was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Flavio Trenor and Jesús Sánchez. A 2-5-3 alignment was the formation of choice for Schwalbe. The following players had been chosen: Paštar - Öney, Schraaven - Julien, Simov, Lizardi, Güstrwo, Pinoniemi - Van Braeckevelt, Caprarelli, Düş.

stokey had chosen a strategic 4-5-1 formation. Starters: Bathers - Coulthard, Jung, Thackaray, Raymond - Silcott, Franchi, Huddlestone, Waterworth, Pinchen - Young.

5 minutes into the match, the referee signalled for a Schwalbe substitution. M. Sephooa came on for A. Caprarelli. J. Coulthard received some harsh words from his coach after he acted foolishly 12 minutes into the match, probably out of lack of experience, and almost let an opponent score. A lunatic dribble by L. Schraaven, in front of his own keeper, set up stokey's P. Pinchen for an embarrassingly easy strike after 15 minutes. 0 - 1! The crowd roared in delight as C. Julien finished off a spectacular series of passes through the middle to even the score for Schwalbe 26 minutes into the match. 1 - 1. 33 minutes in, Schwalbe's C. Julien received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Due to a severely mistimed tackle, J. Coulthard of stokey spent some time on the grass writhing in agony before he could get up and continue the game. stokey took the lead after 40 minutes making the score 1 - 2. N. Thackaray placed the ball out of reach for the home side's keeper after a fine move, coming in from the left. Some fine passing in the middle of the pitch, carving open the away defence, should have led to a goal for Schwalbe, but S. Güstrwo's shot went over the bar. 1 - 2 was the halftime score. Schwalbe had most of the ball, with 54 percent of possession.

T. Huddlestone wanted to play on, but the stokey coach had other ideas, and he was replaced 64 minutes into the game by I. Critchlow. The crowd was on its feet 66 minutes into the match, as Schwalbe's D. Öney found himself unmarked in front of the goal after a dash up the left side. He calmly put away the 2 - 2 equaliser. 73 minutes of the match played, and a comedy of errors by the home side gave the visitors a chance at the lead, but R. Raymond, after finding himself dashing down on goal from the left with only the keeper to beat, sliced his shot horribly wide. Schwalbe could have put themselves ahead after 75 minutes but D. Öney missed a volley shot on a ball coming in from the right. As the 85 minute mark approached, the Schwalbe coach decided it was time for a substitution. G. Van Braeckevelt reluctantly made way for C. Çağlayan on the pitch. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Schwalbe, with 58 percent of the ball.

After the regular 90 minutes, the agony of extra time followed. 95 minutes into the game, G. Young almost gave the visitors the lead, as he clipped a delicate lob over the keeper, but the ball glanced harmlessly off the crossbar. Schwalbe broke through on the left 100 minutes into the game, with C. Çağlayan firing in from an acute angle to give the home side a 3 - 2 lead. Extra time over, Schwalbe were the victors! The most dominating Schwalbe player was without a doubt C. Julien. L. Schraaven turned in a dismal performance, however. stokey's best player was K. Waterworth. However, S. Bathers made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 3 - 2.