Hannover 1 - 0 Sico (381782845)

Clouds darkened the skies at FlyHannover Arena as 21654 spectators turned up for the match. Jukka Hanhinen was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Graziano Richini and Paul Arandojo. Hannover had chosen a strategic 5-4-1 formation. They fielded: Ferati - Macerola, Gressel, Chacón, Kindmo, Calda - Yildirim, Salamonsen, Jandreevski, Okun - Anido.

Sico tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. Starters: Rojas - Bonal, Delogu, La Malfa - Michielan, Aišmontas, Pitzalis, Răduţă, Soto Martínez - Stockmann-Stich, van Wonderen.

Using their counter-attacking abilities was the strategy of choice for Hannover. The referee showed Hannover's A. Yildirim the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. Hannover mounted an inspired counterattack down the right wing after 25 minutes, but B. Salamonsen was unable to convert from short range. After 28 minutes Sico's P. Pitzalis contracted a slight foot injury, but didn't want to leave the game. E. Anido would have preferred to play on, but his coach decided otherwise. A. Wairimu entered the game for Hannover as the match clock showed 29 minutes. Making his way up the middle 32 minutes into the match, A. Yildirim almost managed to squeeze a goal past the visitors' keeper, but the alert A. Rojas blocked it to keep the score level. 0 - 0 was the halftime score. Hannover claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 53 percent.

Always quick and a menace to his opponents, L. Okun was very close to getting through after 49 minutes, but he could only put the ball into the keeper's arms. After 50 minutes, the Hannover coach wanted to see a new face on the pitch, waving A. Jandreevski off the field. F. Laravine took his place. Sico's A. Aišmontas was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 69 minutes. As the 69 minute mark approached, the Hannover coach decided it was time for a substitution. A. Yildirim reluctantly made way for 侯. 聪义 (Congyi) on the pitch. 71 minutes into the game, M. Stockmann-Stich almost gave the visitors the lead, as he clipped a delicate lob over the keeper, but the ball glanced harmlessly off the crossbar. With 74 minutes played, Hannover's well-worked indirect free kick caused havoc in the penalty area, and when the ball eventually fell to R. Chacón he gleefully slotted the ball home to make it 1 - 0. Hannover's A. Wairimu had an excellent opportunity after 76 minutes, shooting after receiving a pass from the right hand side, but he missed the goal by miles! Hannover enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 54 percent of possession.

B. Salamonsen performed admirably for Hannover. On the other hand, L. Okun's play was disheartening. Sico's top performer was clearly M. Michielan. A. Rojas on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 1 - 0.