Knapen 3 - 2 Skills (374696127)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 29000 at 't Laeghe Landt today. Yiannis Voutsas was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Folkert Eijndhoven and Alessandro Rubino. Knapen decided to use a 4-4-2 set up. Starters: Knutsson - Stamsnijder, Grnčarov, Kist, Fielt - Kruijs, Kublick, Sáez, Bom - Niziurski, Ardoso.

A 3-5-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Skills. They fielded: van Dulmen - Meekhof, van den Bogaard, Steen - Brusselers, Burks, Terlecki, van der Sleen, Brosens - de Wilth, Bürkler.

After 13 minutes, the visitors nearly went up a goal, but J. Terlecki's free kick hit the crossbar. Knapen took the lead after 24 minutes as a result of A. Ardoso's peach of a shot from the right hand side of the box - placed beautifully in the top corner. 1 - 0. Knapen solidified their lead at the 28 minute mark, as Z. Niziurski dribbled the ball through the opposing central defence and scored to make it 2 - 0. The home team's fans were upset when, after 31 minutes, the visiting R. de Wilth broke through the central defence and kicked the ball past the keeper. 2 - 1 was the score. J. Stamsnijder unleashed a swerving effort from the right that the visitors' keeper did well to tip wide. 2 - 1 was the score after the first half. Knapen enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 59 percent of possession.

The visitors' R. Bürkler was alert after a cross coming in from the left, levelling the score at 2 - 2 after 53 minutes. Skills had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially 59 minutes in when W. Brosens came up alone against E. Knutsson who managed a block. 64 minutes into the game, R. de Wilth was a hair's breadth away from giving Skills the lead with a shot from over on the left. A prompt block by E. Knutsson saved the home team that time. J. Bom's early cross saw the defenders caught out of position and the alert Z. Niziurski was able to pounce and roll the ball past the hapless goalkeeper to score for Knapen. 3 - 2. T. Kist wanted to play on, but the Knapen coach had other ideas, and he was replaced 70 minutes into the game by N. Kailis. Z. Niziurski had a fantastic opportunity to put Knapen up another goal 72 minutes into the match, but he fired just over the crossbar. The coach of Knapen was happy with the game so far, but still wanted to change the line up. After 89 minutes, L. Harms came on for E. Knutsson. The Knapen captaincy was handed to R. Grnčarov. Z. Niziurski left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 89 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. D. Wemmenhove was the replacement. Possession in this half belonged to Knapen, who controlled the ball 58 percent of the time.

Knapen's best player was A. Ardoso. N. Kailis was a disappointment, however. Most important Skills player was B. van den Bogaard. R. Bürkler turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 3 - 2.