Rykov 2 - 5 Havana (331101375)

Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 45000 to Stadium of Brilliance. Ozren Matulja was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Tomasz Kuśnierz and Troels Askgaard. Rykov started off with a 3-4-3 lineup. The following players had been chosen: Rodríguez - Lebaillif, Hrabusiczki, Hillerup - Slet-Pedersen, Maack, Barbagallo, Stausholm - Stabel, Spangberg, Hansen.

Havana had chosen a strategic 4-4-2 formation. The following players took the field: Volden - Creţu, Amdi Nielsen, Lang-Nielsen, 鼎祥 (Dingxiang) - Anokić, Klougart, Baunsbøl, Wall - Lipperts, Wittezaele.

With 10 minutes played, Rykov's well-worked indirect free kick caused havoc in the penalty area, and when the ball eventually fell to B. Slet-Pedersen he gleefully slotted the ball home to make it 1 - 0. A really bad tackle inside the penalty area 12 minutes into the match gave the referee no other choice but to award the visiting Havana a penalty. D. Wall knocked it home. 1 - 1 12 minutes into the game, Havana seemed a little tentative in their play as their organization fell to solid. After 15 minutes, there was a bit of a mixup on the field as Havana found themselves out of position and their organisation level dropped to passable. With 19 minutes played, the home side managed to get a 2 - 1 lead as K. Spangberg flipped the ball in after a cross from the right. With 34 minutes played, K. Spangberg of Rykov fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee was unimpressed, and booked him for diving. 37 minutes into the game Havana's S. Lipperts found a gap in the home side's central defence and scored with a fabulous shot, making it 2 - 2. It was 2 - 2 at the break. Havana had most of the ball, with 63 percent of possession.

Despite his frustration resulting in the smashing of a few teacups, the coach of Havana was able to get his message across, and raised Havana's organisation to solid. S. Lipperts of Havana seemed to be floating in the air as he elegantly headed in to make the score 2 - 3 after a corner kick that was nicely executed by D. Wall. Although the whole team were struggling to impress, Rykov's D. Barbagallo was singled out as being the problem as he was called off the pitch after 65 minutes. F. Pilsgaard was given a chance to change things around. With 65 minutes played, the Rykov coach decided a substitution may help turn the game around. K. Nordkvist came on, S. Stausholm had to leave the fray. 费. 鼎祥 (Dingxiang) of Havana was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. After 80 minutes, an incisive pass through the middle gave P. Amdi Nielsen a chance to increase the lead for Havana, and he did not disappoint. The score was then 2 - 4. D. Wall left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 80 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. K. Bennetzen was the replacement. The Havana players could smell victory in the air. M. Creţu wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for D. Baunsbøl after 80 minutes. 85 minutes into the game, Havana worked the left side industriously creating several opportunities to add to their lead, but just couldn't apply the finishing touch. With 87 minutes played, a quick exchange of passes on the left wing freed A. Wittezaele of Havana to slip through the defence and score another goal for the visitors. That made the score 2 - 5. 费. 鼎祥 (Dingxiang) wanted to play on, but the Havana coach had other ideas, and he was replaced 87 minutes into the game by O. Spottag. By now, the players in Havana felt that victory was guaranteed and began to play it safe, focusing on defence and not risking too much going forward. With 88 minutes played, A. Wittezaele nearly put the visitors another one up as he broke through in the middle and fired from just outside the box, but his shot passed just over the bar. Havana enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 64 percent of possession.

The most dominating Rykov player was without a doubt J. Maack. B. Slet-Pedersen on the other hand, had a terrible day. Havana's best player was T. Volden. O. Spottag was a disappointment, however. The match ends 2 - 5.