NERD 4 - 1 Conoscenti (382019704)

The weather was pretty good, and a crowd of 12911 had shown up at Burbank FuturStadium for the match. Ricardo Tejero was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Bonifacy Gatz and Albino Cancela. A 3-5-2 alignment was the formation of choice for NERD. Starters: Riggenbach - Deibler, Kurdaş, Demir - Nucera, Tritos, Cerrato, Pouch, Schipperheyn - Spreafico, Simoni.

Conoscenti decided to use a 4-4-2 set up. They fielded: Borski - Luongo, Carruezzo, Frigerio, Porta - Palma, Armaroli, Nancy, Apostol - Buhuş, Mateuţ.

Today, Conoscenti's strategy involved concentrating on the flanks for their attacks. After a fine move down the middle C. Tritos nearly gave the home side a goal after 12 minutes. However the finishing shot went just wide. G. Palma finished off the counterattack of Conoscenti from the left rather easily, making the score 0 - 1. NERD's R. Nucera made an attempt at equalising 29 minutes into the match, coming in from the right, but the ball hit the post and the defence easily cleared the rebound. R. Nucera was just a finger's breadth away from an equaliser for NERD with a strike from the left, but G. Borski managed to ward the shot off for a corner. R. Nucera's speed was clear to see after 38 minutes, as he darted down the wing and released L. Spreafico who placed the ball into the back of the net to make the score 1 - 1. 40 minutes had elapsed when a great chance for NERD to take the lead after a good cross from the right found A. Simoni alone with the keeper, but he chipped it to the wrong side of the post. 1 - 1 was the halftime score. Possession in this half belonged to NERD, who controlled the ball 70 percent of the time.

NERD had a chance to take the lead after A. Simoni's dazzling drive up the left, but the opportunity fizzled out as his shot went just over the bar after 53 minutes. They were singing the praises of A. Simoni 55 minutes into the match after his speculative chip from the middle of the penalty box found its way over the visitors' keeper to make the score 2 - 1 to NERD. After 60 minutes of the match, the manager still hoped to turn things around. T. Apostol was ordered to assume a different position on the pitch. He took the place of G. Palma, who in turn replaced his team mate. After 60 minutes, Conoscenti switched F. Mateuţ with A. Lloberes, hoping for a quick impact on the pitch. NERD solidified their lead at the 68 minute mark, as L. Spreafico dribbled the ball through the opposing central defence and scored to make it 3 - 1. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. K. Pouch squirmed through their central defence after 78 minutes, increasing the lead to 4 - 1. After 81 minutes NERD's S. Kurdaş had to be carried off on a stretcher in agony. V. Caterina came in to replace him. After 82 minutes, a couple of quick and successful challenges followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area by A. Simoni might have resulted in another goal for NERD. However, G. Borski made a spectacular save. Conoscenti's T. Porta had to watch the rest of the game from the sidelines, after twisting his ankle with 83 minutes having been played. D. Storås was the replacement. M. Luongo's lack of experience almost gave NERD a goal after 85 minutes, but the shot went right into the keeper's arms. It was obvious that Conoscenti had instructions to attack on the wings instead of in the middle. Conoscenti's right side looked dangerous after 86 minutes, as D. Nancy broke through. E. Riggenbach continued to stifle them, however, as he made the save look easy. M. Buhuş of Conoscenti received a yellow card after 87 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. NERD enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 67 percent of possession.

NERD's top performer was clearly L. Spreafico. On the other hand, E. Riggenbach's play was disheartening. M. Buhuş performed admirably for Conoscenti. M. Armaroli turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 4 - 1.