Vorwärts 4 - 3 Altenburg (384290975)

Due to an all-day shower, 20684 paying spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog at FC Vorwärts Leipzig Arena. Ugo Busi was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Breogán Monzón and Xander Dekeyzer. Vorwärts decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. Starters: Chrom - Kögel, Senk, Katalinić - Homburg, Saltan, Wybaillie, Torro, Haaf - Gangl, Gogenberg.

Altenburg started off with a 2-5-3 lineup. The following players took the field: Tervooren - Hirtenlehner, Hubald - Pärtel, Wirtshaus, Rebhuhn, Havekost, Ahde - Urmann, Cupertino, Didriksen.

The visiting E. Urmann was booed thoroughly by the home crowd 28 minutes into the game, after he broke through the middle and scored, resulting in the visitors taking the lead. 0 - 1 was the score. Altenburg's E. Urmann missed a penalty shot 33 minutes into the contest. The shot produced was way too weak, allowing the keeper to collect it at his own leisure. C. Cupertino spent most of the time in a heap on the ground today, his normally rapid movement hindered by the slippery pitch. Vorwärts equalised after 39 minutes after a brilliantly placed penalty by F. Homburg. The muddy pitch made the game a gritty affair, which seemed to suit R. Haaf just fine. After 42 minutes, Altenburg's H. Havekost made his way through the middle and nonchalantly placed the ball out of the keeper's reach, putting the visitors up 1 - 2. After a fatal mistake from the away team's right side defence 42 minutes into the match, an alert F. Homburg bagged the ball for Vorwärts, levelling the score to 2 - 2. It was 2 - 2 at the break. Altenburg had most of the ball, with 51 percent of possession.

As the 46 minute mark approached, the Altenburg coach decided it was time for a substitution. L. Rebhuhn reluctantly made way for Y. Vogeler on the pitch. E. Urmann was uncomfortable with the soggy pitch as he couldn't move the ball around with his usual grace. The celebrations in the stands could only mean one thing - F. Homburg's free kick had found the back of the net and put Vorwärts ahead 3 - 2! By then F. Homburg had scored three goals - a hat trick! With 75 minutes played, the Altenburg coach decided a substitution may help turn the game around. T. Steinacker came on, R. Tervooren had to leave the fray. The visiting team's C. Cupertino was able to score the 3 - 3 equaliser with a header 76 minutes into the match, after some good work on the right. 82 minutes in, the referee awarded Vorwärts a penalty. F. Homburg coolly slotted it home for a 4 - 3 lead. Vorwärts's F. Homburg got himself booked for a foul. With 84 minutes played, C. Cupertino came in from the right and could have evened the score, but the defenders successfully repelled the attack by Altenburg. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Vorwärts, with 51 percent of the ball.

Most important Vorwärts player was M. Gangl. On the other hand, C. Kögel's play was disheartening. Altenburg's best player was K. Didriksen. T. Steinacker turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 4 - 3.