STEMCELLS 3 - 2 Rinoteam (382886916)

49722 fans braved the pouring rain at Estadio de la Esperanza. Mo Jing-Hoi was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Hermann 'fon' Behren and Shakar Al-Yaseen. STEMCELLS decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. The following players had been chosen: Monner - Gil de Gibaja, Elgucena, Regadas - Perales, Vélez, Queirón, Danguso, Peña - Fišer, Risca.

A 4-4-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Rinoteam. The following players took the field: Riedl - Pichon, Strauch, Navarro Ategui, Nouwen - Huibers, Julia, Exarchou, Vúlev - Rivas Prieto, Rola.

Using their counter-attacking abilities was the strategy of choice for Rinoteam. The muddy pitch made the game a gritty affair, which seemed to suit G. Danguso just fine. After a fine move down the middle G. Danguso nearly gave the home side a goal after 9 minutes. However the finishing shot went just wide. Almost all the way down to the corner flag, STEMCELLS's R. Perales somehow managed to get a perfect pass into the middle, impossible to miss for V. Fišer, who struck for 1 - 0. G. Huibers spent most of the time in a heap on the ground today, his normally rapid movement hindered by the slippery pitch. A. Exarchou was first to reach a ball launched long through the center from Rinoteam's defence 20 minutes into the game. He managed to keep his cool and beat the goalkeeper to make the score 1 - 1. With 27 minutes played E. Risca almost put the home team one ahead on a cross coming in from the right, but the shot went just wide. The crowd groaned its disapproval when R. Perales missed a free kick that would have given STEMCELLS the lead after 31 minutes. It was 1 - 1 at the break. STEMCELLS claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 72 percent.

STEMCELLS fans held their breath as P. Regadas scampered down the left side. He successfully avoided all challenges and cracked home the shot for 2 - 1! Things were deteriorating for the away team as STEMCELLS scored another to make it 3 - 1 after a left side attack resulted in a goal for A. Queirón after 67 minutes. After 68 minutes, Rinoteam switched D. Vúlev with J. Vesga, hoping for a quick impact on the pitch. The Rinoteam players listened closely to their manager, as he gave new tactical instructions for the team. Unhappy with the result so far in the game, the Rinoteam manager used a brief break in play after 68 minutes to give the players new directives. As the game started to slip away for Rinoteam, the manager decided to change the tactical approach. The bench was restless, and with 75 minutes passed Rinoteam's coach gave B. Marinoiu the opportunity the player had been hoping for. J. Vesga reluctantly left the field. With 75 minutes showing on the scoreboard clock, Rinoteam showed some good skill and were able to reduce the score to 3 - 2 when I. Rivas Prieto got past the home side's central defenders right in front of the goal. The STEMCELLS players could smell victory in the air. P. Regadas wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for F. Unzueta after 80 minutes. STEMCELLS had most of the ball, with 66 percent of possession.

Most important STEMCELLS player was V. Fišer. On the other hand, P. Elgucena's play was disheartening. Rinoteam's top performer was clearly A. Exarchou. O. Riedl was a disappointment, however. The match ends 3 - 2.