Vorwärts 5 - 3 Six-Pack (384284815)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 52853 at Grüne Au today. Filippo Lamma was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Vasil Grúncharov and Martti Kerman. Vorwärts tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. Starters: Igellund - Ramos García, Valério, Karsakov - Meusburger, Witzmann, Hoeland, Rupprecht, Grosnille - Tryggvesson, Catană.

Six-Pack had chosen a strategic 2-5-3 formation. They fielded: Hacke-Dicht - Ambrosius, Türpisch - Rauber, Antweiler, Strotzer, Gagatsis, Greßmann - Reifschneider, Roessner, Pergamentmacher.

Six-Pack showed off their creative tactics. Vorwärts made sure of not letting R. Reifschneider succeed with his speed. When an opportunity appeared for him, as it did 19 minutes into the game, speedy L. Ramos García came to the rescue and stopped the attack. Six-Pack had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially 23 minutes in when R. Pergamentmacher came up alone against L. Igellund who managed a block. F. Meusburger gave Vorwärts the lead as he successfully challenged the guests' central defenders, then slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance. 1 - 0 A well placed corner kick from O. Roessner was followed by F. Strotzer's hard but accurate header. The well executed routine resulted in a goal for Six-Pack, the score now 1 - 1. After some beautiful movement down the left wing, F. Valério scored for Vorwärts putting them ahead 2 - 1, after 38 minutes. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave L. Ramos García from Vorwärts a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 39 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! Vorwärts solidified their lead at the 41 minute mark, as F. Tryggvesson dribbled the ball through the opposing central defence and scored to make it 3 - 1. 3 - 1 was the score after the first half. This part of the game was a standoff between the teams in terms of possession.

Vorwärts increased the lead as M. Catană struck to make the score 4 - 1 after an attack from the left left him unmarked in front of the keeper. L. Ramos García wanted to play on, but the Vorwärts coach had other ideas, and he was replaced 52 minutes into the game by R. Echeberri. Things were deteriorating for the away team as Vorwärts scored another to make it 5 - 1 after a left side attack resulted in a goal for F. Valério after 53 minutes. The home team's fans were upset when, after 64 minutes, the visiting F. Strotzer broke through the central defence and kicked the ball past the keeper. 5 - 2 was the score. A bit later, Six-Pack's P. Gagatsis easily reduced the lead to 5 - 3 after a misunderstanding in the home side's central defence. 67 minutes in, Vorwärts's M. Catană received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. As the game started to slip away for Six-Pack, the manager decided to change the tactical approach. The Vorwärts players could smell victory in the air. B. Karsakov wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for V. Flora after 85 minutes. Vorwärts enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 51 percent of possession.

Vorwärts's top performer was clearly M. Witzmann. V. Flora on the other hand, had a terrible day. The most dominating Six-Pack player was without a doubt O. Roessner. T. Türpisch was a disappointment, however. The match ends 5 - 3.