al-qasab 1 - 4 Tigers (374269051)

Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 40504 to al-qasab Arena. Corrado Gandolfi was the appointed referee with assistance provided by André Guimarães and Jesús Rincón. A 3-4-3 alignment was the formation of choice for al-qasab. The following players had been chosen: Gieler - Zapala, Lavandisca, Santero - Słodowy, Vilagrosa, Pantelas, Lammela - Mereu, Rost, Godfroid.

Tigers decided to use a 3-4-3 set up. Starters: Rink - Croning, Bessembinders, Dragišić - Peyrard, Scotti Calmuzzi, Soler Rodero, Rogulski - Derbickis, Tepedelen, Lipman.

al-qasab tried to focus their attacks down the middle. Tigers clearly preferred using their ability to attack in the middle. The visiting L. Scotti Calmuzzi was booed thoroughly by the home crowd 8 minutes into the game, after he broke through the middle and scored, resulting in the visitors taking the lead. 0 - 1 was the score. Tigers's A. Bessembinders was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 15 minutes. After 22 minutes, an incisive pass through the middle gave M. Peyrard a chance to increase the lead for Tigers, and he did not disappoint. The score was then 0 - 2. al-qasab had to make a substitution after 28 minutes. R. Gieler limped off the field and was replaced by H. Al-Amal. After 29 minutes, a mistake by the home side's left defence allowed S. Derbickis to get through. He outclassed the home side's keeper, adding another goal for the visitors. 0 - 3. The teams went for the halftime break at 0 - 3. Tigers claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 63 percent.

After 55 minutes a well-practised indirect free kick routine by Tigers was easily anticipated by the defenders. The players forward were so well marked, they were left with few viable options. 58 minutes into the match al-qasab's P. Pantelas head butted an opponent nastily, and so the referee sent him off immediately. 72 minutes into the match, C. Lipman came through the middle and almost added to his team's lead, but the shot went wide. After 74 minutes, Tigers's S. Tepedelen burst through the central defence and let loose a cannonball of a shot, scoring for 0 - 4. By now, the players in Tigers felt that victory was guaranteed and began to play it safe, focusing on defence and not risking too much going forward. It was obvious that team al-qasab had instructions to attack in the middle instead of on the wings. After 76 minutes, J. Słodowy had a good opportunity to reduce the scoreline for al-qasab with a chance created through the middle, but wasn't cool enough. The ball went miles over the bar. al-qasab's fans were urging them forward as they tried to get back into the game, and their vocal support was rewarded 80 minutes into the match as A. Rost ran onto a beautiful ball played through the visitors' defence and slotted it past the keeper to reduce the deficit. 1 - 4. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Tigers, with 60 percent of the ball.

F. Vilagrosa performed admirably for al-qasab. H. Al-Amal on the other hand, had a terrible day. Tigers's top performer was clearly S. Tepedelen. On the other hand, M. Rink's play was disheartening. The match ends 1 - 4.