benben 0 - 9 Maccabi (381093915)

Clouds darkened the skies at benben fc Arena as 8585 spectators turned up for the match. Jarkko Autio was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Rafael Luengo and Luis Bausa Lopez. benben started off with a 4-4-2 lineup. They fielded: Strool - Shpigler, Sonenzon, Danieli, Abadi - Daniel, Bar, Schuerman, Arbel - Shamgar, Molchanov.

Maccabi decided to use a 4-4-2 set up. The following players had been chosen: Toljagić - Seggioli, Pitzecker, Haddad, Boros - Verroen, Kapeta, Lippolis, Guliev - Jensen, Cuello.

It was an obvious ambition of Maccabi to use their ability at attacking on the flanks. Some good play on the left wing created an opportunity for the visitors 10 minutes into the match, and L. Verroen wasn't about to let it go by. He got past the defenders and fired a shot that the keeper just missed. 0 - 1 for the visitors. The visitors added to their lead 11 minutes into the game, after a sensational penalty kick by Maccabi's G. Lippolis slid just past the home keeper. 0 - 2. The visitors' A. Cuello took advantage of a misunderstanding between the home side's goalie and centre backs 25 minutes into the match. 0 - 3 for Maccabi. After 28 minutes, an incisive pass through the middle gave L. Jensen a chance to increase the lead for Maccabi, and he did not disappoint. The score was then 0 - 4. Confident in their lead, Maccabi's players relaxed and focused more on defending the lead than increasing it. Maccabi had a good opportunity to attack in the middle, but remembered their instructions to focus on wing attacks instead. After 36 minutes, a mistake by the home side's left defence allowed M. Guliev to get through. He outclassed the home side's keeper, adding another goal for the visitors. 0 - 5. After 37 minutes, benben's C. Daniel fell awkwardly, but was determined to stay in the match. That's the spirit! It was 0 - 5 at the break. Maccabi claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 89 percent.

A. Cuello of Maccabi took advantage of a mistake on the home side's right after 55 minutes which increased the away team's lead to 0 - 6. 56 minutes in, Maccabi appeared unsure on how to play and their organisation was only inadequate. L. Verroen increased the visitors' lead by putting a volley away after a pass from the right. 0 - 7. G. Strool got a fingertip on S. Kapeta's shot from the left 61 minutes in, and managed to keep the visitors from going up another goal. benben's R. Danieli got himself booked for a foul. 74 minutes into the game a free kick by G. Lippolis found its way through the home side's poorly assembled defensive formation, making Maccabi's lead 0 - 8. G. Lippolis increased Maccabi's lead to 0 - 9 with a superb free kick strike that flew in just under the far top corner. At that, G. Lippolis was noted down for a hat trick! Possession in this half belonged to Maccabi, who controlled the ball 89 percent of the time.

benben's top performer was clearly R. Arbel. However, G. Strool made a disastrous appearance. Maccabi's best player was G. Lippolis. On the other hand, A. Toljagić's play was disheartening. The match ends 0 - 9.