Pixi T 4 - 2 Gália (379901383)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 2958 at Pixi Allianz Arena today. Dimosthenis Tsouchtras was the appointed referee with assistance provided by José Gustavo Barberón and Roger Lepetit. Pixi T started off with a 3-4-3 lineup. Starters: Markovich - Billotet, Wegmüller, Ricci - Ribers Nielsen, Del Jarama, Bühler, Montinho - Cirrotti, Alajoki, Bande.

Gália had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. The following players took the field: Krstičević - Lanz, Faroukos, Pimentel - Toygun, Pérez, Cipriano, Forsbacka, Nunes - Matos, Stanković.

Pixi T mostly ignored the flanks in favour of their ability to attack in the middle. Gália saw most attack opportunities on the wings. Pixi T took the lead after 5 minutes as a result of U. Bühler's peach of a shot from the right hand side of the box - placed beautifully in the top corner. 1 - 0. With 12 minutes played, D. Billotet could have brought this one home for Pixi T as he charged up on the left, but his hooked ball went just a bit too high. Gália were great at switching from defence to attack, and after 13 minutes, I. Forsbacka swept through the middle on a counterattack, making the score 1 - 1. After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, D. Billotet got himself booked. The manager of Pixi T was not happy. Attacking on the wings was the choice for Gália, and they were successfully passing the ball from the middle to the wings to attack. This was a good period for the visitors, with several opportunities to take the lead, particularly when A. Cipriano slipped through the defence on the right to come up alone against G. Markovich, but the home side's keeper showed his lightning reflexes. It was obvious that team Pixi T had instructions to attack in the middle instead of on the wings. They were singing the praises of O. Bande 31 minutes into the match after his speculative chip from the middle of the penalty box found its way over the visitors' keeper to make the score 2 - 1 to Pixi T. The referee showed Pixi T's T. Alajoki the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. Central attacks were the recipe of the day for Pixi T, as they moved the ball from the wings to the middle with startling regularity. Pixi T's D. Billotet saw his fine effort strike the top of the bar following some good work up the middle by his teammates after 36 minutes. 2 - 1 was the score after the first half. Possession in this half belonged to Pixi T, who controlled the ball 64 percent of the time.

T. Alajoki left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 46 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. H. Icard was the replacement. Content with how the game was proceeding, the Pixi T coach let S. Gadaleta replace U. Bühler after 50 minutes. The home side failed to add to their score as J. Montinho shot a penalty wide after 52 minutes. After 59 minutes, Pixi T's O. Bande swiftly ran past N. Faroukos and nutmegged the keeper! 3 - 1. The away team improved the scoreline to 3 - 2, as J. Matos struck home, set up well by a play on the left 61 minutes into the match. Pixi T solidified their lead at the 63 minute mark, as J. Ribers Nielsen dribbled the ball through the opposing central defence and scored to make it 4 - 2. 69 minutes into the match Gália's J. Matos head butted an opponent nastily, and so the referee sent him off immediately. The Pixi T players could smell victory in the air. O. Bande wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for M. Vitoria after 80 minutes. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Pixi T, with 66 percent of the ball.

Most important Pixi T player was A. Cirrotti. H. Icard on the other hand, had a terrible day. Gália's top performer was clearly C. Toygun. L. Pimentel turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 4 - 2.