Ancona 4 - 2 Oracolo (350569882)

Clouds darkened the skies at Ancona Arena as 42107 spectators turned up for the match. Placide Reynier was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Jarne Herremans and Hardo Kasemaa. A 2-5-3 alignment was the formation of choice for Ancona. The following players took the field: Kalleberg - Maza, van Geilswijk - Valio, Danielsen, Lilja, Borges, Inocencio - Musica, Umano, Hereijgers.

Oracolo started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. They fielded: Quadrio Aristarchi - Van Linden, Caluri, Dominici - Gaccioli, Durrant, Musica, Crevola, Marinoni - Crivellaro, Tokuda.

Ancona created a good opportunity to score 24 minutes into the match when C. Musica's hooked ball from the left created a scuffle in front of the goal, and the visitors' defenders had a hard time clearing the ball. C. Musica caused the crowd to go mental with his goal up the middle after 27 minutes. This gave Ancona the 1 - 0 lead. 33 minutes into the match, A. Musica bent a free kick around the home team's defensive formation, leaving the keeper with no chance for a save. Oracolo had levelled the scoreline at 1 - 1. The visitors' central defence should have had no trouble clearing the pass to C. Umano, but the Ancona player managed to shrug them off and fired a low shot past the keeper to give his team the lead. 2 - 1! The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave M. Tokuda from Oracolo a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 38 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! Oracolo's G. Marinoni was shown a yellow card after 39 minutes for slicing down an opponent. In a fantastic display of determination, Ancona's C. Umano forced himself to his feet, after an opponent viciously knocked him down. 2 - 1 was the score after the first half. Possession was split evenly between the teams.

With 47 minutes played, M. Tokuda came in from the right and could have evened the score, but the defenders successfully repelled the attack by Oracolo. 53 minutes in, Oracolo's A. Durrant received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Oracolo's opponents know to be wary of M. Gaccioli's speed, but it made little difference as he flew past the defence 66 minutes into the game. Only the keeper could stop him - and he did with a perfectly timed dive! Oracolo levelled the score after 77 minutes to make it 2 - 2, as R. Van Linden struck home after a fine midfield combination through the centre, which left him completely unmarked. Ancona took the lead after 79 minutes as a result of A. Borges's peach of a shot from the right hand side of the box - placed beautifully in the top corner. 3 - 2. 80 minutes into the match, the visitors' central line of defence had to look on as H. Valio broke through, making the score 4 - 2 for Ancona. Possession in this half belonged to Ancona, who controlled the ball 51 percent of the time.

The most dominating Ancona player was without a doubt M. Hereijgers. On the other hand, A. Kalleberg's play was disheartening. Oracolo's best player was M. Tokuda. R. Van Linden turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 4 - 2.