GreenBayPackets 4 - 2 Sporting (382943647)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 40000 at Paket Arena today. Jamal El Fassi was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Edward Nosal and Francesco Trevelin. A 3-5-2 alignment was the formation of choice for GreenBayPackets. The following players had been chosen: Rubio Rueda - Tarongí, Buron Cuadrado, Hughes - Colace, Pelach, Liudkevičius, Hernandorena, Rajakallio - Barral, Abrahamsen.

Sporting tactics involved an interesting 4-4-2 combination. Starters: Allik - Aljančič, Haanpää, Torres, De Vos - Torres Losada, Falbierski, Sycha, van Drongelen - van Elst, Tsenteradze.

For their match strategy, Sporting had decided to use their ability to counter-attack whenever possible. M. van Elst stunned the crowd with a brilliant counterattack from the left, giving Sporting the goal to make it 0 - 1. With a shot curled in from just outside the middle of the penalty area after 8 minutes played, G. Barral of GreenBayPackets made the score 1 - 1. GreenBayPackets could have put themselves ahead after 21 minutes but J. Rajakallio missed a volley shot on a ball coming in from the right. F. Colace caused the crowd to go mental with his goal up the middle after 22 minutes. This gave GreenBayPackets the 2 - 1 lead. After 25 minutes Sporting tried to exploit their counterattacking skills, unfortunately, T. Haanpää's shot sailed wide after his break down the right. 2 - 1 was the halftime score. GreenBayPackets had most of the ball, with 65 percent of possession.

After 53 minutes, a couple of quick and successful challenges followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area by E. Hughes might have resulted in another goal for GreenBayPackets. However, A. Allik made a spectacular save. GreenBayPackets increased the lead as E. Hughes struck to make the score 3 - 1 after an attack from the left left him unmarked in front of the keeper. After 67 minutes, F. Colace put GreenBayPackets ahead 4 - 1 when he rose to head in a cross from the right wing. GreenBayPackets's R. Abrahamsen had an excellent opportunity after 71 minutes, shooting after receiving a pass from the right hand side, but he missed the goal by miles! Sporting caught their opponents out with a clever counterattack down the right wing 72 minutes into the match. Z. Tsenteradze was able to finish off the move - 4 - 2. Possession in this half belonged to GreenBayPackets, who controlled the ball 67 percent of the time.

Most important GreenBayPackets player was O. Hernandorena. However, P. Rubio Rueda made a disastrous appearance. Sporting's best player was M. van Elst. A. Allik was a disappointment, however. The match ends 4 - 2.