Miroslava 2 - 1 Mihailesti (380806968)

Due to an all-day shower, 20631 paying spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog at Municipal Miroslava. Adalbald Tippelt was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Henri Fontaine and Diego Veratti. A 3-5-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Miroslava. The following players had been chosen: Malenius - Dumitrache, Gladow, Smith - Rogowski, Curmi, Zurkirch, Löbert, Soares Coelho - Pachón, Ruisendaal.

Mihailesti started off with a 4-4-2 lineup. They fielded: Viejo - Baumgart, Chashchinov, Boudet, Tătaru - Sevilia, Zima, Luza, Jewuła - Zābergs, Moreno-Calvo.

Miroslava's M. Pachón tried to break through in the middle repeatedly, but couldn't get past the visitors' defenders. H. Gladow spent most of the time in a heap on the ground today, his normally rapid movement hindered by the slippery pitch. Mihailesti's L. Boudet refused to leave the field after injuring his achilles tendon after 38 minutes. Miroslava fans held their breath as S. Rogowski scampered down the left side. He successfully avoided all challenges and cracked home the shot for 1 - 0! The visitors' equaliser seemed sure to come after 40 minutes, following a one on one situation around the left hand side of the goal area, but M. Malenius got the best of it, blocking the shot from M. Luza. Halftime score was 1 - 0. Miroslava enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 59 percent of possession.

The Mihailesti coach was desperate to reverse his team's fortunes in the game, and ordered his team to change strategy. Unhappy with the result so far in the game, the Mihailesti manager used a brief break in play after 50 minutes to give the players new directives. S. Rogowski didn't let the weather get him down and made some great moves on the pitch in spite of the rain. Miroslava increased the lead as S. Curmi struck to make the score 2 - 0 after an attack from the left left him unmarked in front of the keeper. Morale on the visitors' bench was greatly improved when their L. Boudet reduced the lead to make it 2 - 1 after 76 minutes, following a pass from the right. Mihailesti were close to putting the equaliser away after 78 minutes as the opposing defence lost control of the ball to G. Moreno-Calvo in a scuffle towards the left of the goal, but in the end the ball was cleared over the dead ball line. After 81 minutes Miroslava's O. Soares Coelho contracted a slight foot injury, but didn't want to leave the game. Possession in this half belonged to Miroslava, who controlled the ball 57 percent of the time.

Most important Miroslava player was D. Ruisendaal. R. Smith turned in a dismal performance, however. I. Tătaru performed admirably for Mihailesti. On the other hand, A. Viejo's play was disheartening. The match ends 2 - 1.