ATLETICO 0 - 1 Mentana (366136903)

It had rained all day, but 41506 hardy fans still made it out to Allu Eliu. Hamdi Çolpan was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Stefan K. Fjälling and Karri Tervala. ATLETICO decided to use a 3-4-3 set up. Starters: Brügger - Mastrini, Szturc, Riccioni - Franceschetti, Gilley, Sirocchi, Mini - Cieckan, Cerulli, Epicoco.

Mentana tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. The following players took the field: Cepeda - Pérez de Leon, Tcherbanenko, Mantusz - Aili, Murtas, Obrenović, Bonichini, Verini - Pittore, Peeraerts.

The wings were the focus of most of ATLETICO's attacks today. Thighs bulging, P. Sirocchi charged past the weaker players, seemingly oblivious to the rain. P. Mantusz of Mentana received a yellow card after 26 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Attacking on the wings was the choice for ATLETICO, and they were successfully passing the ball from the middle to the wings to attack. Slack defending gave ATLETICO a chance to take the lead with 37 minutes played, but J. Szturc's cross from the left flank was fumbled in front of the goal and easily dealt with by the opposition. 38 minutes in, ATLETICO's C. Riccioni received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. ATLETICO's P. Sirocchi left the field after 39 minutes because of a nasty blow to the shin. His replacement was J. Montalván. ATLETICO created a good opportunity to score 40 minutes into the match when J. Montalván'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. The teams went for the halftime break at 0 - 0. Mentana claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 60 percent.

D. Verini slipped and slithered in the wet grass. His usual rapid runs were nowhere to be seen today. Mentana's M. Pérez de Leon managed to lose the defenders as he advanced down the right wing and scored, putting the visitors ahead after 51 minutes. 0 - 1. B. Obrenović of Mentana was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. 58 minutes into the match, G. Pittore came through the middle and almost added to his team's lead, but the shot went wide. 59 minutes into the game ATLETICO managed a counterattack, but A. Cieckan took a soft shot from the left flank that was easy prey for the alert keeper. The home crowd cheered when, after 72 minutes, A. Murtas's charge up the middle resulted in the keeper making one of his best saves of the day. D. Mastrini was just a finger's breadth away from an equaliser for ATLETICO with a strike from the left, but C. Cepeda managed to ward the shot off for a corner. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave M. Epicoco from ATLETICO a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 83 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! Possession in this half belonged to Mentana, who controlled the ball 58 percent of the time.

Most important ATLETICO player was J. Montalván. G. Franceschetti was a disappointment, however. Mentana's top performer was clearly A. Murtas. On the other hand, M. Pérez de Leon's play was disheartening. The match ends 0 - 1.