Sparta 2 - 3 Scarpette (348990030)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 14750 at Termopil Arena today. Ilkka Niittymies was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Yannick Schlenker and Miguel Mayol. Sparta decided to use a 3-4-3 set up. The following players took the field: Bottero - Souliopoulos, Piccinni, Rao - Beumkes, Striano, Paoloni, Krouský - Hicks, Beltrani, Chelli.

Scarpette started off with a 4-4-2 lineup. The following players had been chosen: Haagsma - Lenza, Tansini, Pellanda, De Capite - Zdravkov, Brunori, Zannoni, Colucci - Carlotti, Putter.

The wings were the focus of most of Scarpette's attacks today. With 12 minutes played, Sparta's well-worked indirect free kick caused havoc in the penalty area, and when the ball eventually fell to D. Hicks he gleefully slotted the ball home to make it 1 - 0. 22 minutes into the game, Scarpette seemed to suffer a certain amount of confusion and they fell to a weak level of organisation. The crowd was silenced 23 minutes into the match as the visiting team's P. Colucci came in from the left, levelling the score to 1 - 1. At 28 minutes played, M. Paoloni came in from the right with the intention of giving Sparta the lead, but his rocket of a shot rattled the crossbar. 1 - 1 was the halftime score. Possession in this half belonged to Sparta, who controlled the ball 66 percent of the time.

Despite his frustration resulting in the smashing of a few teacups, the coach of Scarpette was able to get his message across, and raised Scarpette's organisation to passable. Many thought D. Hicks ought to have been awarded a penalty 54 minutes into the game, as he went down trying to dribble around M. Haagsma after a determined run through the middle. Scarpette almost scored after a swift counterattack 55 minutes into the game, but L. Zannoni put the shot from the left flank just outside the goal. Sparta took the lead 77 minutes into the game by 2 - 1, as P. Souliopoulos elegantly received a long range pass through the middle, finishing off with a half-volley shot just below the bar. Coming from the right, L. Krouský almost managed to score another goal for Sparta, but his header was tipped over the bar by the visitors' keeper. A. Zdravkov made a nice dash down the wing after 83 minutes, but was unable to get the cross into the box. A goal kick was awarded. 84 minutes into the match, G. Brunori bent a free kick around the home team's defensive formation, leaving the keeper with no chance for a save. Scarpette had levelled the scoreline at 2 - 2. 85 minutes into the game, M. Rao had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came A. Cisse. The terraces were silenced after 86 minutes when Scarpette's P. Colucci put the guests ahead 2 - 3, following an attack on the right. 87 minutes into the game, Scarpette had difficulty finding their positions and their organisation dropped to poor. Sparta claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 67 percent.

The most dominating Sparta player was without a doubt U. Chelli. A. Cisse on the other hand, had a terrible day. R. Lenza performed admirably for Scarpette. M. Haagsma was a disappointment, however. The match ends 2 - 3.