alex 5 - 3 Accademicals (379155202)

Clouds darkened the skies at alex rod park as 3997 spectators turned up for the match. Julius Kääramees was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Stefan Immensoll and Juan Larrique. A 4-5-1 alignment was the formation of choice for alex. The following players took the field: Taskou - Chiarelotto, Zorita, Vietzke, Tsitskishvili - Von Weissenfluh, Pfetten, Arredondo, Carioca, Machalewski - Breukink.

Accademicals tactics involved an interesting 4-3-3 combination. Starters: Fosdyke - Black, Campbell, Rosenlöf, Cherry - Badham, Stringer, DeWolf - Soler Valera, Maciołek, Devas.

alex used their ability to concentrate their attacks in the middle of the pitch, rather than on the wings. After 2 minutes, Accademicals put themselves up 0 - 1, as J. Rosenlöf finished off a strike from the left with a real cannonball of a shot. After 15 minutes, T. Pfetten got through on the right and was very close to equalising for the home side, but didn't get the shot away. I. Maciołek knocked one home from a counterattack down the right wing, making the score 0 - 2 after 16 minutes. alex's D. Von Weissenfluh was shown a yellow card after 26 minutes for slicing down an opponent. B. Devas of Accademicals had to be helped off the pitch as an injury meant he was unable to finish the game. C. Ashton came in to finish the match. It was obvious that team alex had instructions to attack in the middle instead of on the wings. After 34 minutes, D. Machalewski had a good opportunity to reduce the scoreline for alex with a chance created through the middle, but wasn't cool enough. The ball went miles over the bar. After 35 minutes, a well-worked counterattack by Accademicals on the right presented an easy opportunity in front of the goal that was duly converted by A. Stringer to make it 0 - 3. By now, the players in Accademicals felt that victory was guaranteed and began to play it safe, focusing on defence and not risking too much going forward. With a penalty awarded after 38 minutes, alex's L. Vietzke placed the ball low and to the keeper's right, impossible to block. 1 - 3. D. Von Weissenfluh's early cross saw the defenders caught out of position and the alert L. Breukink was able to pounce and roll the ball past the hapless goalkeeper to score for alex. 2 - 3. 2 - 3 was the halftime score. alex claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 77 percent.

With 68 minutes played, alex's well-worked indirect free kick caused havoc in the penalty area, and when the ball eventually fell to L. Breukink he gleefully slotted the ball home to make it 3 - 3. 78 minutes in, alex's P. Tsitskishvili received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Many thought R. Arredondo ought to have been awarded a penalty 81 minutes into the game, as he went down trying to dribble around E. Fosdyke after a determined run through the middle. After 84 minutes, the home side was awarded a penalty. The visitors protested wildly but the referee was adamant. L. Vietzke easily put the ball away to give the lead to alex. 4 - 3 Things were going to get worse for the visitors. F. Chiarelotto squirmed through their central defence after 86 minutes, increasing the lead to 5 - 3. Confident in their lead, alex's players relaxed and focused more on defending the lead than increasing it. alex had most of the ball, with 79 percent of possession.

alex's top performer was clearly D. Carioca. P. Tsitskishvili turned in a dismal performance, however. H. Campbell performed admirably for Accademicals. However, Q. Cherry made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 5 - 3.