Union 2 - 3 EL REI (382975235)

23965 spectators had found their way to Nou Union, despite the heavy rain. Yannick Kast was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Ronald Nõmmiste and Magno Oliva. Union had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. Starters: Zelga - Simoen, Osho, Merhaut - Leprévost, Mousset, Patzke, Iliev, Rohardt - Dobmaier, Wallez.

EL REI decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. Lineup: Cenarbe - Appel, Halat, Mónaco - Lerín, Wallinger, da Silva Oliveira, Hurpaul, Encina - Elizabelar, 弘松 (Hongsong).

Pressing was the tactic of the day for EL REI. After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, A. Encina got himself booked. The manager of EL REI was not happy. The terraces were silenced after 20 minutes when EL REI's D. Mónaco put the guests ahead 0 - 1, following an attack on the right. With the crowd on their feet chanting wildly, some great moves down the right hand side after 22 minutes gave Union a wonderful opportunity to level the score, and P. Simoen stepped up to the challenge. 1 - 1 Union created a good opportunity to score 38 minutes into the match when G. Iliev's hooked ball from the left created a scuffle in front of the goal, and the visitors' defenders had a hard time clearing the ball. EL REI showed their counterattack skill 39 minutes into the match by breaking through the middle, with C. Wallinger scoring uncontested for 1 - 2. Halftime score was 1 - 2. Possession in this half belonged to Union, who controlled the ball 57 percent of the time.

At this time in the match, EL REI were using their skill at pressing to successfully stifle the game. T. Dobmaier showed the skills that make him a real crowd pleaser as he, after 68 minutes, wove through the guests' entire central defence and put the 2 - 2 equaliser away. After 71 minutes, the EL REI coach wanted to see a new face on the pitch, waving R. Halat off the field. P. Hammer took his place. EL REI's P. Appel was shown a yellow card after 72 minutes for slicing down an opponent. L. Hurpaul was struggling to make the ball dance with his usual trickery and panache, and the opposing players had little trouble shutting him down in these muddy conditions. A mistake by the home side's central defence after 75 minutes allowed D. Mónaco to score for EL REI. The scoreboard now read 2 - 3. The referee showed Union's G. Iliev the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Union, with 58 percent of the ball.

Union's best player was G. Patzke. However, J. Merhaut made a disastrous appearance. I. Elizabelar performed admirably for EL REI. On the other hand, E. Lerín's play was disheartening. The match ends 2 - 3.