Pompeblêd 5 - 3 Gophers (363044918)

Clouds darkened the skies at De Plomp as 1266 spectators turned up for the match. Jesper Bøgebjerg was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Pantaleo Fetto and Stelvio Labadessa. Pompeblêd had chosen a strategic 4-3-3 formation. They fielded: Reker - Leenen, Bonner, Herder, Cavani - Larue, Raulin, Betzema - Zanatti, Dingedans, Mironov.

Gophers tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. Lineup: Opdenberg - Engelage, Leemhuis, van der Ban - Catti, Della Rosa, Beatrice, Fuchs, Pieschermann - Hunsel, Steghofer.

Gophers were mostly trying to use their skill at attacking on the flanks. The guests took the lead 1 minutes into the match, after a right-side attack resulted in A. Steghofer scoring to make it 0 - 1. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave M. Pieschermann from Gophers a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 20 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! Pompeblêd's S. Raulin left the field after 32 minutes because of a nasty blow to the shin. His replacement was P. Marcelino. Pompeblêd's R. Bonner skillfully knocked a pass over the top after 35 minutes, and that was received by L. Zanatti who just managed to slot it past the opposing goalkeeper for 1 - 1. The visitors' central defence should have had no trouble clearing the pass to L. Zanatti, but the Pompeblêd player managed to shrug them off and fired a low shot past the keeper to give his team the lead. 2 - 1! L. Zanatti of Pompeblêd was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. Gophers had a good opportunity to attack in the middle, but remembered their instructions to focus on wing attacks instead. Gophers were close to putting the equaliser away after 43 minutes as the opposing defence lost control of the ball to A. Steghofer in a scuffle towards the left of the goal, but in the end the ball was cleared over the dead ball line. 44 minutes into the match the visitors levelled the score at 2 - 2 as V. Beatrice struck home from a rebound off the crossbar, following a shot from the right. 2 - 2 was the halftime score. Possession in this half belonged to Gophers, who controlled the ball 55 percent of the time.

Pompeblêd took the lead 70 minutes into the game by 3 - 2, as L. Zanatti elegantly received a long range pass through the middle, finishing off with a half-volley shot just below the bar. That was his third goal of the match - a hat trick for L. Zanatti. Pompeblêd solidified their lead at the 75 minute mark, as F. Mironov dribbled the ball through the opposing central defence and scored to make it 4 - 2. 83 minutes into the match, the visitors' central line of defence had to look on as R. Bonner broke through, making the score 5 - 2 for Pompeblêd. Pompeblêd's E. Dingedans was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 84 minutes. 85 minutes in, an amazing pass from the left side resulted in a goal for the visitors, as T. Fuchs anticipated the through ball and scored, reducing the deficit to 5 - 3. Gophers enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 54 percent of possession.

Most important Pompeblêd player was F. Mironov. R. Bonner turned in a dismal performance, however. V. Beatrice performed admirably for Gophers. R. Opdenberg was a disappointment, however. The match ends 5 - 3.