Sparrows 5 - 1 FireproofTeam (386355058)

Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 23030 to Sparrows Arena. Ernst van Bergeijk was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Dionisio Filemón Leal Sorriente and Andrea Rüfenacht. Sparrows had chosen a strategic 3-4-3 formation. They fielded: Walter - Huberman, Solliard, Toczek - D'Auria, Goethals, Mahfi, Hanhijärvi - Sequeira, Long Kiong, Sá Fernandes.

A 3-4-3 alignment was the formation of choice for FireproofTeam. Starters: Mendes - Coelho, Sepp, Gaspar Fernandes - Figueira Rodrigues, Bento, Domingos, Saramago - Gomes, Ferreira, Al-Mustafa.

FireproofTeam were relying on their ability to counter-attack. Some great play up the middle by Sparrows led to a chance for G. D'Auria to score after 5 minutes, but the shot hit the crossbar. FireproofTeam's counterattacks created a good chance for S. Al-Mustafa on the right after 6 minutes, but he could only look on with dismay as his strike rebounded off the crossbar. P. Solliard of Sparrows received a yellow card after 9 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Sparrows fans held their breath as S. Mahfi scampered down the left side. He successfully avoided all challenges and cracked home the shot for 1 - 0! 11 minutes in, FireproofTeam's S. Al-Mustafa received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. After 16 minutes, N. Huberman put Sparrows ahead 2 - 0 when he rose to head in a cross from the right wing. The players of Sparrows now seemed to think the job was done and acted more defensively, just waiting for the ref to blow the final whistle. V. Hanhijärvi almost put Sparrows ahead another goal when he curled a free kick over the defensive wall and almost into the net, but the visitors' keeper got there just in time to knock it wide. With 24 minutes played, Sparrows's well-worked indirect free kick caused havoc in the penalty area, and when the ball eventually fell to N. Huberman he gleefully slotted the ball home to make it 3 - 0. After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, F. Gaspar Fernandes got himself booked. The manager of FireproofTeam was not happy. The teams went for the halftime break at 3 - 0. Sparrows had most of the ball, with 73 percent of possession.

The Sparrows players could smell victory in the air. G. D'Auria wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for J. Nunes after 46 minutes. After 46 minutes, the Sparrows players received new instructions from their manager on how to keep in control of the game. Content with how the game was proceeding, the Sparrows coach let A. Jurczak replace V. Hanhijärvi after 46 minutes. The Sparrows coach was visibly pleased with the score so far, but still ordered a few tactical changes 46 minutes into the game. Sparrows's A. Sequeira increased the lead to 4 - 0, after he saw his shot go between the legs of the advancing goalkeeper following some good play down the right wing after 54 minutes. Sparrows put themselves up 5 - 0 when S. Long Kiong broke through on the right, leaving the entire defence trailing in his wake. With 60 minutes played, Sparrows's S. Long Kiong almost extended the lead, but his shot from the left glanced off the top of the bar to fall behind the net. Sparrows's F. Toczek was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 61 minutes. After 69 minutes, FireproofTeam's R. Ferreira swiftly ran past S. Mahfi and nutmegged the keeper! 5 - 1. 71 minutes were showing on the scoreboard when Sparrows's F. Toczek received his second yellow card and was sent off. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Sparrows, with 73 percent of the ball.

S. Mahfi performed admirably for Sparrows. J. Nunes on the other hand, had a terrible day. Most important FireproofTeam player was D. Gomes. However, S. Al-Mustafa made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 5 - 1.