Pepeho 3 - 1 Pistoiese (381371489)

Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 67193 to Pepeho Arena. Per Johansson was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Bigloo al-Suri and Marco Maioli. Pepeho had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. Lineup: Tongar - Kuckel, Tarquini, Piccin - Kulhánek, Krhut, Černý, Krejbich, Stuchlík - Princ, Ávalos.

Pistoiese decided to use a 4-4-2 set up. They fielded: Falkén - Omland, Stefansson, Drulić, Kristiansen - Vermeulen, Vlahović, Åkesson, Hansson - Hrubý, Reyes.

Pistoiese were relying on their ability to counter-attack. 18 minutes into the match, Pistoiese's F. Vermeulen demonstrated his famed speed as he raced past his marker and passed the ball to M. Hrubý who chipped it in for 0 - 1. R. Kulhánek charged down the left and had a wonderful opportunity to score the equaliser for Pepeho, but the shot went well wide of the goal. Good work by the Pistoiese defensive line after 20 minutes produced a good counterattack chance, which cut elegantly down the middle of the pitch and found F. Vermeulen alone in front of the goal, but his shot whistled just wide. E. Piccin was just a finger's breadth away from an equaliser for Pepeho with a strike from the left, but M. Falkén managed to ward the shot off for a corner. With 29 minutes played, after a good run down the left, P. Černý went down looking for a penalty after a challenge from the visitors' right fullback, but the referee waved play on, and later warned him for diving. The crowd chanted their encouragement as Pepeho's P. Kuckel came in from the right after 38 minutes and put the ball in the net to level the score at 1 - 1. P. Latsis was called on to replace Pepeho's P. Černý after 39 minutes following a nasty collision. It was 1 - 1 at the break. Pepeho enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 67 percent of possession.

R. Kulhánek's early cross saw the defenders caught out of position and the alert R. Ávalos was able to pounce and roll the ball past the hapless goalkeeper to score for Pepeho. 2 - 1. A counterattack by Pistoiese after 73 minutes could have resulted in a goal, but F. Vermeulen, coming in on the left, couldn't get the shot off. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. N. Tarquini squirmed through their central defence after 83 minutes, increasing the lead to 3 - 1. 84 minutes in, Pistoiese's J. Drulić received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Pepeho's P. Latsis swung in a good chance from the left, but the visitors' defence were able to clear the ball. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Pepeho, with 66 percent of the ball.

Pepeho's top performer was clearly O. Princ. P. Latsis turned in a dismal performance, however. M. Hrubý performed admirably for Pistoiese. P. Hansson was a disappointment, however. The match ends 3 - 1.