Bistrita 0 - 3 Rapanel (380781911)

30674 punters turned up at Teatrul Viselor, and despite threatening clouds on the horizon, no rain came. Bastian Kienast was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Quim Espasa and Josef Köppel. Bistrita had chosen a strategic 5-4-1 formation. The following players took the field: Dezső - Vinterwald, van Brussel, Seimon, Poşchină, Audy - Avădanei, Ilie, Danciu, Indewei - Stelea.

Rapanel started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. Lineup: Jelovina - Pescaru, Henestrosa, Perea - Kang, Danisek, Chelariu, Stelea, Dănescu - Dudi, Huenchunao.

Right from the start it was obvious that Rapanel were expecting an easy victory. Rapanel's R. Huenchunao gave the visitors a 0 - 1 lead after 16 minutes with a superb strike from the right. With 21 minutes played, a quick exchange of passes on the left wing freed C. Pescaru of Rapanel to slip through the defence and score another goal for the visitors. That made the score 0 - 2. Confident in their lead, Rapanel's players relaxed and focused more on defending the lead than increasing it. M. Stelea could have put his team up another goal 22 minutes into the game, after a rush down the left, but his closing shot hit the post. Bistrita's A. Ilie got himself booked for a foul. It was 0 - 2 at the break. Possession in this half belonged to Rapanel, who controlled the ball 74 percent of the time.

Just a few inches to the right, and the visitors could have had a goal 50 minutes into the match. P. Dudi surely wishes he could do that free kick over again. 67 minutes into the game, F. Poşchină had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came G. Hattu. With the scoreboard showing that 73 minutes had been played, Rapanel nearly put themselves up another goal after V. Chelariu came through on the left. Fortunately for the home crowd, the keeper made the save. After 77 minutes, an incisive pass through the middle gave C. Pescaru a chance to increase the lead for Rapanel, and he did not disappoint. The score was then 0 - 3. S. Zubarev was called on to replace Bistrita's D. Seimon after 88 minutes following a nasty collision. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave G. Hattu from Bistrita a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 89 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! Rapanel claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 80 percent.

M. Dezső performed admirably for Bistrita. However, A. Ilie made a disastrous appearance. Rapanel's best player was M. Stelea. Z. Kang on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 0 - 3.