POLI 1 - 2 Ploiesti (365336181)

Clouds darkened the skies at dan paltini$anu as 8587 spectators turned up for the match. Maxime Gautier was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Stefan van de Mortel and Michael Dumont. A 4-4-2 alignment was the formation of choice for POLI. The following players had been chosen: Takács - Annoni, Bercot, Klemisch, Catalano - Campos, Kirsh, Goodsell, Gajowa - Dikkops, Schøler.

Ploiesti started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Demetri - Bodaan, Duvgård, Iordache - Tobiassen, Ferrara, Gravagnuolo, Massallé, Boye - Sarracino, Yousef.

Ploiesti tried to focus their attacks down the middle. 28 minutes into the game, M. Duvgård almost gave the visitors the lead, as he clipped a delicate lob over the keeper, but the ball glanced harmlessly off the crossbar. POLI's G. Annoni got himself booked for a foul. Ploiesti took the lead after E. Tobiassen curved a free kick into the net. 0 - 1 C. Campos showed the skills that make him a real crowd pleaser as he, after 36 minutes, wove through the guests' entire central defence and put the 1 - 1 equaliser away. Ploiesti players heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their wing attacks to the middle instead. Ploiesti had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially 41 minutes in when H. Yousef came up alone against Á. Takács who managed a block. 1 - 1 was the halftime score. Ploiesti had most of the ball, with 63 percent of possession.

Ploiesti were determined to attack in the middle, even their wing attacks ended up centrally. Down the middle came P. Sarracino, making a fantastic play that nearly had Ploiesti take the lead after 54 minutes, but Á. Takács preserved the tie. It was obvious that team Ploiesti had instructions to attack in the middle instead of on the wings. Á. Takács looked great 65 minutes into the match after stopping a shot from the middle of the penalty area from the visitors' H. Yousef. 75 minutes in, Ploiesti's E. Boye received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. M. Klemisch's knee will be throbbing for days, but thankfully for POLI, he bravely continued in the match. After the game, the most discussed event will probably be the penalty given after 77 minutes that gave the visitors the 1 - 2 lead. Despite the controversy, E. Tobiassen struck home the penalty, as cool as anything. After the ball was lifted in from the left, H. Yousef was on his own in the home side's penalty area and should have scored after 82 minutes, but missed, probably due to lack of concentration. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Ploiesti, with 63 percent of the ball.

G. Annoni performed admirably for POLI. Á. Takács turned in a dismal performance, however. Ploiesti's top performer was clearly P. Sarracino. On the other hand, G. Demetri's play was disheartening. The match ends 1 - 2.