Tractors 1 - 1 OFaH (382733234)

72622 punters turned up at Tractors Arena, and despite threatening clouds on the horizon, no rain came. Holger Bleher was the appointed referee. Tractors started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Guzmán - Molina Moreno, Dam, Tavolaro - Isola, Bryant, Schnell, Puech, Kostadinov - Barbero, Pavič.

A 4-5-1 alignment was the formation of choice for OFaH. The following players had been chosen: Laśkiewicz - í Lambanum, Lambroni, Strider, Lanús - Delcros, Ranuzzi, Pavelka, Stix, Tapia D'Avila - Christiansen.

For their match strategy, OFaH had decided to use their ability to counter-attack whenever possible. 16 minutes had elapsed when a great chance for Tractors to take the lead after a good cross from the right found D. Pavič alone with the keeper, but he chipped it to the wrong side of the post. OFaH were able to mount several counterattacks, such as the impressive one after 17 minutes, but D. Strider lofted a free kick over the crossbar. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave M. Tavolaro from Tractors a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 27 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! After 29 minutes of play, A. Puech gave the home team a 1 - 0 lead after an attack coming in from the right. After 30 minutes, the visitors levelled the scores after L. Delcros made it through the middle and struck home to make it 1 - 1. Many thought P. Kostadinov ought to have been awarded a penalty 35 minutes into the game, as he went down trying to dribble around T. Laśkiewicz after a determined run through the middle. Always a threat, T. Isola tore past his marker and placed the ball right at the feet of the waiting J. Barbero who should have easily scored for Tractors, but the ball went wide. 1 - 1 was the score after the first half. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Tractors, with 51 percent of the ball.

When M. Tavolaro made yet another studs-first tackle after 54 minutes, the referee was obliged to book the Tractors player for the second time, sending him off the pitch. R. Ranuzzi was the unlucky victim and couldn't continue the game, so OFaH's T. Hirsch had to come off the bench. At 80 minutes played, J. Barbero came in from the right with the intention of giving Tractors the lead, but his rocket of a shot rattled the crossbar. Neither team were able to dominate possession this half.

The most dominating Tractors player was without a doubt A. Guzmán. T. Isola was a disappointment, however. OFaH's best player was G. Christiansen. On the other hand, G. Lambroni's play was disheartening. The match ends 1 - 1.