PizzaTeam 5 - 1 FCQ 2000 (381775159)

A scorching day at PizzaHouse, where 17642 spectators were in place for today's match. Erwin Wijnholds was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Jacques Rijnders and Kresten Laugesen. PizzaTeam had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. Lineup: Kotonen - Guelle, Mancinelli, Frąk - Catarci, Cánovas, Ludden, Conroy, Kork - Urziceanu, Heinlein.

FCQ 2000 decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. The following players took the field: Nicoletta - Schokker, Hijano, Bongiolatti - Mättölä, Prochnow, D'Ambrosi, Villano, Sanguanini - Feitosa, Rubio Saenz.

With 2 minutes played, seemingly due to lack of experience, J. Conroy needlessly tripped an opponent just outside the penalty area, but the free kick that followed didn't succeed. E. Urziceanu gave PizzaTeam the lead as he successfully challenged the guests' central defenders, then slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance. 1 - 0 28 minutes into the game FCQ 2000's N. Feitosa found a gap in the home side's central defence and scored with a fabulous shot, making it 1 - 1. The referee showed FCQ 2000's N. Hijano the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. The home side put themselves ahead 2 - 1 after 35 minutes courtesy of a breakthrough from E. Urziceanu, who scored with a stunning volley following a cross from the right wing. It was 2 - 1 at the break. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by PizzaTeam, with 55 percent of the ball.

After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, A. Guelle got himself booked. The manager of PizzaTeam was not happy. Always quick and a menace to his opponents, A. Catarci was very close to getting through after 60 minutes, but he could only put the ball into the keeper's arms. Against a lesser team, FCQ 2000 could very well have succeeded with their smart indirect free kick routine after 65 minutes. A trio of passes took the ball all the way past the defenders, but by then the intended recipient was already blocked off and the keeper could make a leisurely save. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave J. Conroy from PizzaTeam a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 68 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! PizzaTeam's G. Mancinelli struck his penalty well enough to beat the goalkeeper and extend the home team's lead to 3 - 1 after 72 minutes. 77 minutes in, PizzaTeam's A. Catarci received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Cheers filled the stadium as J. Conroy broke through the visitors' central defence to put away the ball to increase the lead to 4 - 1 to PizzaTeam. N. Cánovas of PizzaTeam seemed to be floating in the air as he elegantly headed in to make the score 5 - 1 after a corner kick that was nicely executed by G. Mancinelli. By now, the players in PizzaTeam felt that victory was guaranteed and began to play it safe, focusing on defence and not risking too much going forward. PizzaTeam's G. Mancinelli got himself booked for a foul. PizzaTeam had most of the ball, with 56 percent of possession.

Most important PizzaTeam player was E. Urziceanu. A. Guelle on the other hand, had a terrible day. B. Rubio Saenz performed admirably for FCQ 2000. On the other hand, J. Mättölä's play was disheartening. The match ends 5 - 1.