esperanza 3 - 1 realaravaca (382983219)

20766 fans braved the pouring rain at Destileria. Mikko Uskelin was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Helge Olsen and Sigi Ebersol. esperanza tactics involved an interesting 5-3-2 combination. They fielded: Sánchez Saviñón - Enache, Lusitani, Bafalluy, Echazuría, Lisby - Živec, Pacheco, Lasarte - Viana, D'Aurea.

realaravaca decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. The following players took the field: Doña - Bedoui, Hart, Araque Blázquez - Cin, Cadira, Dorio, De Meo, Wald - Petković, Machera.

esperanza mostly ignored the flanks in favour of their ability to attack in the middle. R. Hart didn't let the weather get him down and made some great moves on the pitch in spite of the rain. esperanza took the lead 7 minutes into the game by 1 - 0, as R. Lusitani elegantly received a long range pass through the middle, finishing off with a half-volley shot just below the bar. 13 minutes in, esperanza's L. Lisby received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. D. Cin, who often relies on his speed, had a rotten day on the drenched grass. An equalising goal was close at hand, but M. Araque Blázquez clipped a free kick just wide of the goal. G. Viana was in the clear after breaking the offside trap following a esperanza counterattack from the left after 22 minutes. His neat finish made the score 2 - 0. esperanza increased the lead as S. D'Aurea struck to make the score 3 - 0 after an attack from the left left him unmarked in front of the keeper. realaravaca had to make a substitution after 33 minutes. S. Bedoui limped off the field and was replaced by V. Cruzul. 3 - 0 was the score after the first half. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by realaravaca, with 51 percent of the ball.

With 55 minutes played, the realaravaca coach decided a substitution may help turn the game around. J. Galdo came on, C. Machera had to leave the fray. Although the whole team were struggling to impress, realaravaca's C. Cadira was singled out as being the problem as he was called off the pitch after 57 minutes. P. Wilson was given a chance to change things around. Unfortunately for realaravaca, A. Petković suffered a concussion after 65 minutes and had to be taken for tests. The coach had his head in his hands after realising he could not send a replacement onto the pitch, and the team had to continue a man short. D. Cin was handed the realaravaca captain's armband. A corner kick created great disorder in the penalty area with a goal nearly scored by J. Galdo. At last, realaravaca's D. Wald was able to backheel the ball in. 3 - 1. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave L. Dorio from realaravaca a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 83 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! R. Lusitani had a fantastic opportunity to put esperanza up another goal 84 minutes into the match, but he fired just over the crossbar. realaravaca's M. Araque Blázquez was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 85 minutes. realaravaca claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 52 percent.

esperanza's best player was A. Živec. However, M. Lasarte made a disastrous appearance. The most dominating realaravaca player was without a doubt R. Hart. V. Cruzul on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 3 - 1.