Halsband 3 - 3 CentralFoot (379024626)

Due to an all-day shower, 1829 paying spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog at Rote Halsband Arena. Christer Kyhlstål was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Gaetano Laino and Jason van Andel. Halsband had chosen a strategic 1-5-3 formation. Lineup: Bayerkuhnlein - Brás - Toikka, Biczyk, Al-Sharafi, Röwer, Zúñiga - Siegl, Treppmann, Gaiser.

CentralFoot started off with a 5-2-3 lineup. The following players had been chosen: Arroxo - Bordonada, Ricciuti, Bouvier, Bupp, Ruiz Díaz - Garcia, Lebert - Robledo, Corti, Milanetto.

Halsband used their ability to concentrate their attacks in the middle of the pitch, rather than on the wings. For their match strategy, CentralFoot had decided to use their ability to counter-attack whenever possible. After a fine move down the middle T. Siegl nearly gave the home side a goal after 11 minutes. However the finishing shot went just wide. With the clock showing 12 minutes played, a great pass from the defensive line of CentralFoot resulted in a counterattack that was smoothly brought under control by Y. Garcia in the centre of the opposition's penalty area, but his finish went high. After 16 minutes, there was a bit of a mixup on the field as Halsband found themselves out of position and their organisation level dropped to weak. Halsband took the lead 18 minutes into the game by 1 - 0, as M. Treppmann elegantly received a long range pass through the middle, finishing off with a half-volley shot just below the bar. L. Gaiser unleashed a swerving effort from the right that the visitors' keeper did well to tip wide. M. Treppmann should probably have put his team up another goal after 33 minutes, but some great goalkeeping by A. Arroxo kept the visitors in the game. F. Biczyk behaved like an inexperienced youth player after 42 minutes as he gave the ball away to M. Corti. Lucky for him though, there was no goal. 1 - 0 was the halftime score. Halsband claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 75 percent.

During the break, Halsband's coach went through the team's tactics yet again, getting them up to passable organisation. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. N. Zúñiga squirmed through their central defence after 59 minutes, increasing the lead to 2 - 0. 62 minutes into the match, CentralFoot replied and reduced the lead to 2 - 1. S. Lebert scored on a marvellous cross pass coming in from the left. 65 minutes into the game, Halsband had difficulty finding their positions and their organisation dropped to poor. After 78 minutes, a well-worked counterattack by CentralFoot on the right presented an easy opportunity in front of the goal that was duly converted by Y. Garcia to make it 2 - 2. Halsband had a good opportunity to attack on the wing, but remembered their instructions to go for middle attacks. CentralFoot's defence sent a ball soaring up the middle on a beautiful counterattack with 88 minutes gone, but P. Robledo's finish was met by the reaching hands of the keeper. Halsband players heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their wing attacks to the middle instead. Many thought N. Zúñiga ought to have been awarded a penalty 89 minutes into the game, as he went down trying to dribble around A. Arroxo after a determined run through the middle. CentralFoot caught their opponents out with a clever counterattack down the right wing 89 minutes into the match. R. Ruiz Díaz was able to finish off the move - 2 - 3. The boggy pitch disrupted the game, especially for technical players like M. Treppmann. After 89 minutes of play, F. Biczyk equalised for Halsband after an elegant attack from the right. Halsband enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 75 percent of possession.

Halsband's best player was L. Gaiser. G. Brás was a disappointment, however. CentralFoot's top performer was clearly S. Ricciuti. However, J. Bupp made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 3 - 3.