Aston 0 - 3 AIP (382002831)

Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 5660 to Aston Bidda Arena. Jan-Willem aan de Wiel was the appointed referee with assistance provided by José Ortego and František Vrtilka. A 4-3-3 alignment was the formation of choice for Aston. The following players had been chosen: Kreuzzau - Pentassuglia, Fabbricatore, Celentano, Aletti - Musarella, Lofano, Fassari - Strambini, Avanzolini, Del Fabro.

AIP started off with a 5-3-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Mitjavila - Kakalis, Rossignoli, Carrano, Grandi, Maratea - Pinella, Haan, Campograssi - Trumm, Cathrein.

Using their counter-attacking abilities was the strategy of choice for Aston. 12 minutes into the game, I. Grandi was a hair's breadth away from giving AIP the lead with a shot from over on the left. A prompt block by T. Kreuzzau saved the home team that time. With 35 minutes played, seemingly due to lack of experience, I. Grandi needlessly tripped an opponent just outside the penalty area, but the free kick that followed didn't succeed. The most controversial moment of the game was likely the penalty given after 40 minutes. AIP's T. Haan kept his concentration, despite the upset crowd, and calmly put the ball past the keeper to make the score 0 - 1. After 42 minutes, there was a bit of a mixup on the field as Aston found themselves out of position and their organisation level dropped to inadequate. 43 minutes in, Aston appeared unsure on how to play and their organisation was only inadequate. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave R. Celentano from Aston a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 44 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! 44 minutes into the game, Aston seemed a little tentative in their play as their organization fell to weak. It was 0 - 1 at the break. AIP claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 76 percent.

The Aston players spent the break getting a rerun of the team's tactical organisation and regained a passable organisation when the game started again. V. Carrano received a delicate pass through the home side's central defence after 68 minutes, and chipped it past the flailing keeper to score making it 0 - 2. The AIP fans went wild, whilst the home fans started to think about leaving early. 81 minutes into the game, Aston had difficulty finding their positions and their organisation dropped to passable. G. Aletti of Aston was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. 85 minutes into the game, AIP were awarded a penalty and T. Haan was able to increase the visitors' lead to 0 - 3 rolling the ball in by the right post. 89 minutes into the game, Aston seemed to suffer a certain amount of confusion and they fell to a passable level of organisation. R. Cathrein 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 T. Kreuzzau but overcooked it and hit the bar instead. After 89 minutes, the defensive line of Aston created a counterattack through the middle that gave A. Avanzolini a good look at the goal, but his shot glanced harmlessly off the crossbar. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by AIP, with 72 percent of the ball.

A. Avanzolini performed admirably for Aston. R. Fassari turned in a dismal performance, however. Most important AIP player was P. Pinella. However, V. Carrano made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 0 - 3.