Sekta 0 - 4 Arsenāls (381507271)

32718 fans braved the pouring rain at futbola valstība. Gastone Bergamin was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Josef Stangl and Salvador Pérez. Sekta tactics involved an interesting 3-4-3 combination. The following players had been chosen: Graff - Urruty, Banjević, Indrikovskis - Pilčík, Vanks, Luna, Gambogi - Sokolov, Baldeón, Grieziņš.

Arsenāls had chosen a strategic 4-5-1 formation. Lineup: Ciubotariu - Cossettini, Balzani, Bálint, Kähkönen - Radecki, Ricucci, Bordicchia, Fernández Luarca, Conde - Vasilache.

Sekta clearly preferred using their ability to attack in the middle. Today, Arsenāls's strategy involved concentrating on the flanks for their attacks. After 8 minutes, Arsenāls sent a free kick in high over the penalty box. In what looked like a well-rehearsed move, the ball was headed backwards and reached C. Vasilache, who had plenty of space to place a well aimed shot - 0 - 1. With the scoreboard showing that 10 minutes had been played, Arsenāls nearly put themselves up another goal after F. Cossettini came through on the left. Fortunately for the home crowd, the keeper made the save. Arsenāls increased their lead after 11 minutes when C. Vasilache broke through on the right, upping the score to 0 - 2, much to the home crowd's dismay. The teams went for the halftime break at 0 - 2. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Arsenāls, with 55 percent of the ball.

After the ball was lifted in from the left, B. Radecki was on his own in the home side's penalty area and should have scored after 61 minutes, but missed, probably due to lack of concentration. Thighs bulging, A. Conde charged past the weaker players, seemingly oblivious to the rain. Sekta needed a fresh pair of legs on the field, and after 70 minutes I. Pilčík made way for J. Bunting. Some fine movement on the left led to a Arsenāls goal after 85 minutes, making it 0 - 3. Ó. Fernández Luarca was noted down as the scorer. After 88 minutes, a mistake by the home side's left defence allowed T. Bálint to get through. He outclassed the home side's keeper, adding another goal for the visitors. 0 - 4. Confident in their lead, Arsenāls's players relaxed and focused more on defending the lead than increasing it. A couple of inches to the right and R. Gambogi's free kick 89 minutes into the match would have resulted in the goal of the year for Sekta. With the clock showing 89 minutes played, a great pass from the defensive line of Arsenāls resulted in a counterattack that was smoothly brought under control by A. Conde in the centre of the opposition's penalty area, but his finish went high. Players in Arsenāls heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their central attacks to the wings instead. Arsenāls came close to extending their lead as B. Radecki delivered a low effort on goal from the right after 89 minutes, but the angle was too narrow and the shot went harmlessly into the side netting. Arsenāls had most of the ball, with 57 percent of possession.

Sekta's best player was K. Vanks. However, H. Graff made a disastrous appearance. A. Ricucci performed admirably for Arsenāls. J. Kähkönen turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 0 - 4.