HAILLAN 9 - 0 Lancaster (385855137)

Weather conditions were fairly good for football, and DANTE Arena saw a crowd turnout of 56303. Hansbernd Knox was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Paul Wesseling and Manfred Dergias. HAILLAN started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Jukelis - Orahovac, Gresse, Pereyatynetc - Châtelain, Delarche, Jacquin, Ménon, Puodžiulis - Pech, Crăciun.

A 4-4-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Lancaster. The following players had been chosen: Létang - Filoche, Julliot, Coudert, Thueux - Laurent, Gomes, Moulin, Raoul - Rousson, Melliti.

Right from the start it was obvious that HAILLAN were expecting an easy victory. HAILLAN took the lead 17 minutes into the game by 1 - 0, as A. Crăciun elegantly received a long range pass through the middle, finishing off with a half-volley shot just below the bar. HAILLAN solidified their lead at the 28 minute mark, as P. Jacquin dribbled the ball through the opposing central defence and scored to make it 2 - 0. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave M. Raoul from Lancaster a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 39 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! HAILLAN were forced into a substitution as A. Ménon couldn't continue due to some rough treatment, forcing R. Jeunot to come in off the bench. N. Pech was handed the HAILLAN captain's armband. What ever got into R. Filoche, the crowd mumbled, as he suddenly struck a cross pass through his own defence - ending up right in front of HAILLAN's N. Pech, who easily put the ball away for 3 - 0 after 41 minutes. The players of HAILLAN now seemed to think the job was done and acted more defensively, just waiting for the ref to blow the final whistle. Cheers filled the stadium as N. Châtelain broke through the visitors' central defence to put away the ball to increase the lead to 4 - 0 to HAILLAN. A. Delarche sailed high above the opponents as he headed in a corner kick from O. Gresse after 44 minutes of play, making the score 5 - 0. After 44 minutes, a couple of quick and successful challenges followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area by N. Pech might have resulted in another goal for HAILLAN. However, L. Létang made a spectacular save. 5 - 0 was the halftime score. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by HAILLAN, with 89 percent of the ball.

After 57 minutes, the away team failed to deal with a good exchange of passes on the right, and A. Crăciun gave the HAILLAN supporters even more to cheer about when he increased the lead to 6 - 0. A speedy charge from the left side of the field increased the lead of HAILLAN to 7 - 0 as D. Puodžiulis finished it off competently, firing in from an acute angle. HAILLAN increased the lead as A. Crăciun struck to make the score 8 - 0 after an attack from the left left him unmarked in front of the keeper. By then A. Crăciun had scored three goals - a hat trick! HAILLAN's R. Jeunot was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 69 minutes. HAILLAN managed to extend their lead to 9 - 0 when D. Puodžiulis cut in neatly from the left side and struck a fine shot past the away team's goalkeeper. HAILLAN's A. Crăciun saw his fine effort strike the top of the bar following some good work up the middle by his teammates after 75 minutes. HAILLAN claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 91 percent.

HAILLAN's top performer was clearly N. Pech. However, P. Jacquin made a disastrous appearance. Most important Lancaster player was R. Filoche. L. Létang was a disappointment, however. The match ends 9 - 0.