GTL 2 - 1 Matara (378571383)

Weather conditions were fairly good for football, and TanArena saw a crowd turnout of 100. Christophe Laforge was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Bogdan Grigoraş and Andrea Aloisi. GTL started off with a 3-4-3 lineup. The following players took the field: Volonté - Frajt, Latva-Äijö, Churruca - Linhart, Ebener, Trani, Leprêtre - Tapani, Keskimäki, de Oliveira.

Matara had chosen a strategic 4-4-2 formation. Starters: Reichensperger - Latukka, Schwichtenberg, Weis, Konopackas - Escuza, Thörn, Tuomisto, Thăng Long - Malente, Paules.

GTL were mostly trying to use their skill at attacking on the flanks. For their match strategy, Matara had decided to use their ability to counter-attack whenever possible. GTL's Q. Leprêtre tried to break through in the middle repeatedly, but couldn't get past the visitors' defenders. After 34 minutes GTL's K. Tapani limped slightly after a late challenge, but he was able to continue. Down the middle came T. Thăng Long, making a fantastic play that nearly had Matara take the lead after 38 minutes, but M. Volonté preserved the tie. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave J. Weis from Matara a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 40 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! After 41 minutes, there was a bit of a mixup on the field as GTL found themselves out of position and their organisation level dropped to weak. The guests took the lead 43 minutes into the match, after a right-side attack resulted in S. Konopackas scoring to make it 0 - 1. After a fatal mistake from the away team's right side defence 44 minutes into the match, an alert N. Ebener bagged the ball for GTL, levelling the score to 1 - 1. Halftime score was 1 - 1. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by GTL, with 60 percent of the ball.

During the break, GTL's coach went through the team's tactics yet again, getting them up to passable organisation. Players in GTL heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their central attacks to the wings instead. 48 minutes had elapsed when a great chance for GTL to take the lead after a good cross from the right found J. Keskimäki alone with the keeper, but he chipped it to the wrong side of the post. 62 minutes into the game, Matara wanted to bring some new energy to their game. A. Paules gave J. Röyttä a quick hug as he left the field. GTL's J. Frajt refused to leave the field after injuring his achilles tendon after 68 minutes. With 71 minutes played, J. Frajt of GTL fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee was unimpressed, and booked him for diving. T. Thăng Long would have preferred to play on, but his coach decided otherwise. H. Huotari entered the game for Matara as the match clock showed 72 minutes. GTL took the lead 72 minutes in, as N. Ebener broke through on the left and put the 2 - 1 shot just beyond the reach of the outstretched keeper. GTL's D. Trani was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 78 minutes. The bench was restless, and with 80 minutes passed Matara's coach gave A. Kitti the opportunity the player had been hoping for. T. Tuomisto reluctantly left the field. After 84 minutes GTL's D. Trani contracted a slight foot injury, but didn't want to leave the game. With 85 minutes played, the visitors could have drawn level after J. Röyttä came through the middle, but his kick went wide. A great save by keeper F. Reichensperger after 87 minutes kept the visitors in the game after D. Trani struck from the left with a real cannonball. GTL claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 51 percent.

Most important GTL player was F. de Oliveira. E. Linhart turned in a dismal performance, however. The most dominating Matara player was without a doubt J. Röyttä. On the other hand, S. Konopackas's play was disheartening. The match ends 2 - 1.