Athletic 2 - 2 Villamarina (366122377)

The weather was pretty good, and a crowd of 27634 had shown up at Il Tempio for the match. Leonard Hausaker was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Tristan Bornhauser and Joseph Zeitler. Athletic had chosen a strategic 5-2-3 formation. Lineup: Ricca - Nellemann, Batha, Viggiani, Battista, Li Mandri - Kačavenda, Minx - Bakker, Di Pierdomenico, Basile.

Villamarina tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. The following players had been chosen: Gendron - Ciceri, Corona, Bandtel - Larizza, Bakken, Braeger, Palicki, De Pauw - Baštýř, Hodel.

Athletic were relying on their ability to counter-attack. 5 minutes into the game, P. Baštýř was a hair's breadth away from giving Villamarina the lead with a shot from over on the left. A prompt block by M. Ricca saved the home team that time. With 6 minutes gone, a long pass from the defence of Athletic resulted in a counterattack that set D. Di Pierdomenico free through the middle, but the keeper made a spectacular diving save. This was a good period for the visitors, with several opportunities to take the lead, particularly when H. Hodel slipped through the defence on the right to come up alone against M. Ricca, but the home side's keeper showed his lightning reflexes. Always quick on his feet, Villamarina's P. Baštýř sped down the field after 32 minutes, but his pass to H. Hodel was just a bit too far ahead for him to get a good shot off. A free kick aimed at the keeper's far post almost gave Villamarina the lead 33 minutes in, but the ball just wasn't able to squirm its way through the defensive wall. K. Bakker finished off the counterattack of Athletic from the left rather easily, making the score 1 - 0. Halftime score was 1 - 0. Villamarina claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 86 percent.

Villamarina had a chance to level the score as H. Hodel suddenly found himself free in the middle of the box with only the keeper to beat, but he misjudged the finish, and only managed to hit the bar. In the lead, Athletic adjusted their style of play with 53 minutes gone. Athletic showed their counterattack skill 53 minutes into the match by breaking through the middle, with M. Viggiani scoring uncontested for 2 - 0. After 64 minutes, Villamarina raised their score by one when D. De Pauw's dangerous low cross was cleverly tucked in at the near post by P. Baštýř. 2 - 1. The visitors' P. Baštýř was alert after a cross coming in from the left, levelling the score at 2 - 2 after 69 minutes. Villamarina's H. Corona could have put the guests one up after 70 minutes after chasing a through ball from the right, but M. Ricca was as fast as a snake, grabbing the ball from under his nose. Athletic's defence sent a ball soaring up the middle on a beautiful counterattack with 71 minutes gone, but G. Li Mandri's finish was met by the reaching hands of the keeper. Villamarina had most of the ball, with 86 percent of possession.

G. Li Mandri performed admirably for Athletic. M. Viggiani on the other hand, had a terrible day. Villamarina's top performer was clearly F. Palicki. However, L. Gendron made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 2 - 2.