Balorda 5 - 0 Saints (381662847)

53961 punters turned up at House of Pain, and despite threatening clouds on the horizon, no rain came. Ludo Boersema was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Marciano Braga and Mohd Shahrul bin Mohammed. Balorda started off with a 2-5-3 lineup. The following players had been chosen: Marceau - Bonini, Markel - Devendzhiev, Gamst, Ferkranus, Del Bufalo, Pintur - Casas, Amézquita, Tomić.

Saints had chosen a strategic 2-5-3 formation. The following players took the field: Yiğit - Escerza, Danovaro - Stagni, Caiazza, Kanj, Di Maria, Vong - Paez, Silvestri, Ferari.

Saints tried to focus their attacks down the middle. 1 minutes into the match, the referee signalled for a Balorda substitution. N. Schiavo came on for A. Amézquita. Saints were determined to attack in the middle, even their wing attacks ended up centrally. Down the middle came P. Paez, making a fantastic play that nearly had Saints take the lead after 38 minutes, but P. Marceau preserved the tie. Balorda's C. Casas refused to leave the field after injuring his achilles tendon after 41 minutes. The corner kick from P. Markel was powerfully met by the head of S. Pintur to make the score 1 - 0. After 43 minutes, N. Schiavo put Balorda ahead 2 - 0 when he rose to head in a cross from the right wing. At this point, it was obvious that the players of Balorda lowered the tempo and became more defensively oriented. Saints's A. Stagni had to watch the rest of the game from the sidelines, after twisting his ankle with 44 minutes having been played. M. Krajčír was the replacement. After 44 minutes, following yet another great corner, B. Bonini's flick on at the near post reached J. Gamst, who was just wide with his snapshot - the ball went out for a goal kick. Saints's V. Vong tried his best to narrow the score with a well placed free kick, but it wasn't quite good enough and P. Marceau managed to block the shot. After 44 minutes, the away team failed to deal with a good exchange of passes on the right, and A. Tomić gave the Balorda supporters even more to cheer about when he increased the lead to 3 - 0. The teams went for the halftime break at 3 - 0. Saints claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 52 percent.

Saints's L. Danovaro was shown a yellow card after 52 minutes for slicing down an opponent. With 59 minutes played, the Saints coach decided a substitution may help turn the game around. T. Kosal came on, L. Danovaro had to leave the fray. A speedy charge from the left side of the field increased the lead of Balorda to 4 - 0 as J. Gamst finished it off competently, firing in from an acute angle. After 74 minutes, Saints switched V. Silvestri with M. Ysbrandy, hoping for a quick impact on the pitch. Balorda put themselves up 5 - 0 when A. Tomić broke through on the right, leaving the entire defence trailing in his wake. The Balorda players could smell victory in the air. N. Schiavo wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for S. Wopalka after 89 minutes. Possession in this half belonged to Saints, who controlled the ball 52 percent of the time.

The most dominating Balorda player was without a doubt A. Tomić. S. Wopalka on the other hand, had a terrible day. P. Paez performed admirably for Saints. S. Escerza turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 5 - 0.