Kasawires 1 - 2 Grande (218450460)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 16100 at Avila Park today. Pekka Viita-aho was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Roberto Grisetti and Lambert Meindertsma. A 5-4-1 alignment was the formation of choice for Kasawires. They fielded: Břečka - Ascanio, Asturg, Benavides, Van Troyen, Olivera - Villabel, Elzo, Valera, Tarazona - Moschella.

Grande started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. Starters: Hybratt - Quintero, Strauch, Amadou - Stamatis, Nielsen, Steingraver, Jørgensen, Rangel - Rousing, Mesquida.

12 minutes of the match played, and a comedy of errors by the home side gave the visitors a chance at the lead, but D. Mesquida, after finding himself dashing down on goal from the left with only the keeper to beat, sliced his shot horribly wide. After 35 minutes, Grande's N. Nielsen made his way through the middle and nonchalantly placed the ball out of the keeper's reach, putting the visitors up 0 - 1. With 37 minutes played, Grande's well-worked indirect free kick caused havoc in the penalty area, and when the ball eventually fell to N. Nielsen he gleefully slotted the ball home to make it 0 - 2. By now, the players in Grande felt that victory was guaranteed and began to play it safe, focusing on defence and not risking too much going forward. Kasawires's F. Moschella managed a superb strike from the left after 43 minutes that would have left goalkeeper J. Hybratt without a chance, had it not hit the post. 0 - 2 was the score after the first half. Possession in this half belonged to Grande, who controlled the ball 65 percent of the time.

Kasawires refused to be intimidated and, breaking through the middle, C. Asturg managed to slip the ball home for 1 - 2. After 79 minutes Grande's N. Nielsen contracted a slight foot injury, but didn't want to leave the game. T. Rousing could have put his team up another goal 80 minutes into the game, after a rush down the left, but his closing shot hit the post. Kasawires's defence sent a ball soaring up the middle on a beautiful counterattack with 81 minutes gone, but J. Benavides's finish was met by the reaching hands of the keeper. Grande had most of the ball, with 61 percent of possession.

The most dominating Kasawires player was without a doubt G. Tarazona. Á. Ascanio on the other hand, had a terrible day. Grande's best player was D. Mesquida. T. Amadou was a disappointment, however. The match ends 1 - 2.