Forestry 2 - 3 F.C.V.S. (379620662)

36201 spectators had come to Forestry Arena this cloudy day. Antonio Usai was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Constantin Tache and Norbert Roelfsema. Forestry started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. Lineup: Hürlimann - Delaloye, Reina, Barbera - Lowe, Harabagiu, Dóra, Dubinciuc, Gangling - Urrue, Balsbach.

F.C.V.S. tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. Starters: Rothtorp - Bălcescu, Negoiţă, Abraham - Westerik, Dumitrascu, Tarcău, Burak, Kıralalp - Clérigo, Tarau.

F.C.V.S. used their ability to concentrate their attacks in the middle of the pitch, rather than on the wings. Forestry fans held their breath as F. Dubinciuc scampered down the left side. He successfully avoided all challenges and cracked home the shot for 1 - 0! It was obvious that team F.C.V.S. had instructions to attack in the middle instead of on the wings. F.C.V.S. tied it all up, 16 minutes in, after a spectacular goal by A. Negoiţă, who miraculously broke through the home side's central defence, making it 1 - 1. Many thought P. Gangling ought to have been awarded a penalty 19 minutes into the game, as he went down trying to dribble around E. Rothtorp after a determined run through the middle. The home crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief when S. Tarau was unable to put the ball in the net after his show of skill down the left 23 minutes into the match. He was seen beating the pitch in frustration at missing such a good chance to give his team the lead! 29 minutes in, F.C.V.S.'s U. Clérigo received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Forestry were forced into a substitution as Z. Dóra couldn't continue due to some rough treatment, forcing B. Asil to come in off the bench. At 37 minutes played, P. Gangling came in from the right with the intention of giving Forestry the lead, but his rocket of a shot rattled the crossbar. The teams went for the halftime break at 1 - 1. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Forestry, with 52 percent of the ball.

With clinical precision, the cross from winger P. Gangling found its way to L. Urrue's head, and a screaming header gave Forestry the goal after 58 minutes played. 2 - 1 The home side's P. Gangling came close to extending the lead 86 minutes into the game. His shot came in from the right hand side but E. Rothtorp managed to save it with an unbelievable reaction stop. The home team will be cursing U. Clérigo for weeks; he finished off a great pass from the left, knocking it past the keeper without a problem. The match was level at 2 - 2 after 88 minutes. Possession in this half belonged to Forestry, who controlled the ball 54 percent of the time.

Still tied after 90 minutes, the match continued into extra time. The visitors were very close to gaining the lead with a marvellous free kick after 94 minutes, but L. Hürlimann made a beautiful one-handed save. F.C.V.S. took the lead 99 minutes into the game, making the score 2 - 3 after some elegant movement down the middle. A. Negoiţă was the scorer. With that F.C.V.S. had won the game in extra time. F. Dubinciuc performed admirably for Forestry. On the other hand, E. Delaloye's play was disheartening. Most important F.C.V.S. player was S. Tarau. E. Rothtorp was a disappointment, however. The match ends 2 - 3.