Katalóniaiak 0 - 5 CSS (368487444)

23486 spectators arrived at Katalán Camp, where weather conditions were pretty good for football. Bastien Chaine was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Twan van Blitterswijk tot Berkenwoude and Helmut Nideröst. A 3-5-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Katalóniaiak. Lineup: Ruiz del Arco - Strantz, Kursītis, Pereira Rego - Blondiau, Grødem, Martinelli, Benan, Colace - Hedstål, Buelga.

CSS tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. They fielded: Špoljarić - Sandri, Witthaus, Busemann - Öhrbo, Degić, Gibellini, Schwere, Antal - Folino, Brähler.

The wings were the focus of most of Katalóniaiak's attacks today. The home crowd was not impressed by the fancy moves of CSS's Ľ. Antal after 15 minutes. He converted a pass from the left for a goal, resulting in the visitors taking the 0 - 1 lead. With 20 minutes played, a quick exchange of passes on the left wing freed A. Folino of CSS to slip through the defence and score another goal for the visitors. That made the score 0 - 2. After 27 minutes, a mistake by the home side's left defence allowed B. Sandri to get through. He outclassed the home side's keeper, adding another goal for the visitors. 0 - 3. CSS's A. Folino has the wonderful ability to create chances out of thin air. 31 minutes into the match he bamboozled a couple of opposition defenders before sending the keeper the wrong way and sidefooting the ball home into an empty net. That totally unexpected burst of flair made it 0 - 4. After this, you could see that the players of CSS were more interested in killing time than scoring more goals. After 36 minutes, CSS's O. Brähler burst through the central defence and let loose a cannonball of a shot, scoring for 0 - 5. A defender managed to keep the ball from crossing the goal-line after a curling shot coming in from the right from Ľ. Antal after 37 minutes, and prevented CSS from going up another goal. 0 - 5 was the score after the first half. CSS enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 70 percent of possession.

O. Brähler came close to extending the visitors' lead when he found himself completely unmarked in front of the goal after a pass through the middle. He tried to lift the ball over J. Ruiz del Arco but overcooked it and hit the bar instead. E. Hedstål of Katalóniaiak was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. The home crowd cheered when, after 53 minutes, O. Brähler's charge up the middle resulted in the keeper making one of his best saves of the day. 59 minutes into the match, A. Degić came through the middle and almost added to his team's lead, but the shot went wide. CSS's A. Degić got himself booked for a foul. B. Schwere could have put his team up another goal 81 minutes into the game, after a rush down the left, but his closing shot hit the post. 84 minutes into the game, CSS worked the left side industriously creating several opportunities to add to their lead, but just couldn't apply the finishing touch. CSS claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 67 percent.

The most dominating Katalóniaiak player was without a doubt N. Martinelli. On the other hand, L. Blondiau's play was disheartening. O. Brähler performed admirably for CSS. M. Busemann turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 0 - 5.