AOR 0 - 5 Achilleas (381300393)

Clouds darkened the skies at AOR Arena as 19377 spectators turned up for the match. Mario Torrisi was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Albert Massanet and Jens Standke. AOR decided to use a 2-5-3 set up. The following players had been chosen: Sofer - van Zijderveld, Saussaye - Orges, Kursa, Colomer, Caillaud, Duarte - Ribera, Fijnaut, Deslobes.

Achilleas started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Boryń - Berg, Gerostergiou, Cutolo - Maon, Sampatakis, Fevgas, Kroľ, Mulder - Zechmeister, Mpardakis.

Achilleas's M. Mulder was dominating his wing and kept sending fine balls into the opposition's box - A. Mpardakis managed to volley one of them into the net to make it 0 - 1 after 7 minutes. A. Mpardakis increased the visitors' lead by putting a volley away after a pass from the right. 0 - 2. After 18 minutes, a mistake by the home side's left defence allowed E. Gerostergiou to get through. He outclassed the home side's keeper, adding another goal for the visitors. 0 - 3. H. Kroľ could have added one to the visitors' lead if his free kick had gone just a little lower. After 20 minutes, Achilleas's K. Fevgas burst through the central defence and let loose a cannonball of a shot, scoring for 0 - 4. Confident in their lead, Achilleas's players relaxed and focused more on defending the lead than increasing it. 30 minutes into the game, Achilleas worked the left side industriously creating several opportunities to add to their lead, but just couldn't apply the finishing touch. Halftime score was 0 - 4. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Achilleas, with 64 percent of the ball.

Just a few inches to the right, and the visitors could have had a goal 55 minutes into the match. H. Kroľ surely wishes he could do that free kick over again. A. Mpardakis came close to extending the visitors' lead when he found himself completely unmarked in front of the goal after a pass through the middle. He tried to lift the ball over N. Sofer but overcooked it and hit the bar instead. After 74 minutes, an incisive pass through the middle gave K. Fevgas a chance to increase the lead for Achilleas, and he did not disappoint. The score was then 0 - 5. After 83 minutes, Achilleas's A. Boryń fell awkwardly, but was determined to stay in the match. That's the spirit! With 86 minutes played, J. Zechmeister nearly put the visitors another one up as he broke through in the middle and fired from just outside the box, but his shot passed just over the bar. Achilleas enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 68 percent of possession.

Most important AOR player was C. Fijnaut. J. Colomer turned in a dismal performance, however. Achilleas's top performer was clearly A. Mpardakis. On the other hand, K. Fevgas's play was disheartening. The match ends 0 - 5.