U-Cluj 3 - 2 Desires (380912328)

31839 spectators had come to Cluj-Arena this cloudy day. Antti-Oskari Jansa was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Balthasar Jansenius and Nikolaas Lebrun. U-Cluj tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. The following players had been chosen: Oláh - Stecki, Celadin, Hobson - Harangi, Zaharia, Berggreen, Holešinský, Mălan - Gazcón, Jalbă.

Desires had chosen a strategic 4-3-3 formation. Lineup: Ramli - Fremer, Verduyn, Fernán-Gil, Hanemaayer - Murphy, Casal, McAuley - Moreno Barba, Vanloffelt, Jovanović.

Using their counter-attacking abilities was the strategy of choice for Desires. Desires's P. Hanemaayer managed to lose the defenders as he advanced down the right wing and scored, putting the visitors ahead after 7 minutes. 0 - 1. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave I. Hobson from U-Cluj a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 16 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! After 24 minutes Desires's A. Moreno Barba limped slightly after a late challenge, but he was able to continue. 33 minutes into the game, Desires seemed a little tentative in their play as their organization fell to poor. It was 0 - 1 at the break. Possession in this half belonged to U-Cluj, who controlled the ball 59 percent of the time.

The coach gave his players an extra tactical briefing during the break, and after that Desires had passable organisation. After 56 minutes of play, L. Celadin evened things up for U-Cluj with an impressive goal coming up the middle. 1 - 1. Almost all the way down to the corner flag, U-Cluj's B. Harangi somehow managed to get a perfect pass into the middle, impossible to miss for E. Gazcón, who struck for 2 - 1. M. Jalbă could have put U-Cluj up one more, but he fired into the side netting after breaking free on the left after 63 minutes. After 64 minutes, a well-worked counterattack by Desires on the right presented an easy opportunity in front of the goal that was duly converted by J. Verduyn to make it 2 - 2. E. Gazcón caused the crowd to go mental with his goal up the middle after 68 minutes. This gave U-Cluj the 3 - 2 lead. U-Cluj claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 54 percent.

U-Cluj's best player was M. Jalbă. I. Hobson turned in a dismal performance, however. The most dominating Desires player was without a doubt A. Jovanović. P. McAuley was a disappointment, however. The match ends 3 - 2.