TIGERS 1 - 6 Debrődiek (254201052)

Clouds darkened the skies at COLONIAL Arena as 5058 spectators turned up for the match. Rein van Bommel was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Edgar Idrobo and Hans Merkle-Schilz. TIGERS had chosen a strategic 4-4-2 formation. They fielded: Štefančiak - Kocák, Turček, Modrák, Nehybaj - Záhalka, van Campen, Vystavil, Hranka - Knyihár, Čahara.

A 4-4-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Debrődiek. Starters: Oxén - Chassard, Tarletti, Cottaar, Dubé - Soto Campo, Légrády, Mørk, van Otterlo - Girmé, Petrović.

R. Soto Campo of Debrődiek received a yellow card after 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. The head of L. Turček connected with a corner kick after 3 minutes, and the ball ended up with Z. Knyihár of TIGERS who blasted the ball into the net, making the score 1 - 0. The Debrődiek free kick 8 minutes into the match seemed wasted, as the shot was both short and off target. But was this actually a plan? The ball landed at the feet of N. Dubé, who was completely unmarked in the box. That's 1 - 1! 21 minutes in, TIGERS's R. Hranka received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. 1 - 2 was the score with 22 minutes played, after M. van Otterlo cut through the central defence and chipped home a goal for Debrődiek. 25 minutes were showing on the scoreboard when Debrődiek's R. Soto Campo received his second yellow card and was sent off. Some fine movement on the left led to a Debrődiek goal after 37 minutes, making it 1 - 3. S. Cottaar was noted down as the scorer. 1 - 3 was the score after the first half. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Debrődiek, with 62 percent of the ball.

With 50 minutes played, L. van Campen of TIGERS fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee was unimpressed, and booked him for diving. Debrődiek increased their lead after 66 minutes when D. Chassard broke through on the right, upping the score to 1 - 4, much to the home crowd's dismay. D. Chassard increased the visitors' lead by putting a volley away after a pass from the right. 1 - 5. M. van Otterlo left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 75 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. M. Sučanský was the replacement. J. Girmé wanted to play on, but the Debrődiek coach had other ideas, and he was replaced 75 minutes into the game by M. Duranti. With 75 minutes played, a quick exchange of passes on the left wing freed N. Dubé of Debrődiek to slip through the defence and score another goal for the visitors. That made the score 1 - 6. Confident in their lead, Debrődiek's players relaxed and focused more on defending the lead than increasing it. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave K. Mørk from Debrődiek a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 76 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! Had it not been for one of the home defenders, K. Mørk would have put Debrődiek up another goal 81 minutes into the match with his audacious lob from the right wing. Possession in this half belonged to Debrődiek, who controlled the ball 70 percent of the time.

The most dominating TIGERS player was without a doubt R. Hranka. However, L. Turček made a disastrous appearance. M. Petrović performed admirably for Debrődiek. M. Sučanský was a disappointment, however. The match ends 1 - 6.