Concordia 3 - 0 Franken (387494969)

Clouds darkened the skies at Stadion am Prater as 28227 spectators turned up for the match. Josse Aerts was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Bronisław Jacniacki and Jaimy Middendorp. Concordia decided to use a 2-5-3 set up. Starters: Zeltzer - Sukuşu, Hinteregger - Günther, Rant, Österreicher, Valdinoci, Day - Krappe, García Reignier, Abitera.

Franken tactics involved an interesting 4-4-2 combination. Lineup: Norbert - Mulargia, Antunes, Vik, Klausriegler - Altamirano, Riva, Bačkauskas, Aggermann - Flitsch, Bustamante.

Counter-attacking seemed to be the preferred strategy of Franken. I. Day caused the crowd to go mental with his goal up the middle after 10 minutes. This gave Concordia the 1 - 0 lead. With 15 minutes played, seemingly due to lack of experience, E. Rant needlessly tripped an opponent just outside the penalty area, but the free kick that followed didn't succeed. M. García Reignier unleashed a swerving effort from the right that the visitors' keeper did well to tip wide. After 43 minutes, the defensive line of Franken created a counterattack through the middle that gave S. Altamirano a good look at the goal, but his shot glanced harmlessly off the crossbar. Coming from the right, T. Krappe almost managed to score another goal for Concordia, but his header was tipped over the bar by the visitors' keeper. The referee showed Concordia's R. Abitera the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. It was 1 - 0 at the break. Possession in this half belonged to Concordia, who controlled the ball 60 percent of the time.

With 46 minutes played, the Franken coach decided a substitution may help turn the game around. E. Comparelli came on, E. Bustamante had to leave the fray. Concordia increased the lead as E. Rant struck to make the score 2 - 0 after an attack from the left left him unmarked in front of the keeper. Confident in their lead, Concordia's players relaxed and focused more on defending the lead than increasing it. 54 minutes in, the unpredictable E. Comparelli of Franken turned and curled the ball towards goal, but it flew inches wide of the post, almost taking out a member of the crowd! Concordia's M. García Reignier saw his fine effort strike the top of the bar following some good work up the middle by his teammates after 56 minutes. A penalty 82 minutes into the game gave the home side a chance at adding to the score, but an overconfident M. García Reignier shot the ball wide trying to put it away in the top corner. Franken's J. Riva was shown a yellow card after 85 minutes for slicing down an opponent. R. Abitera's lightning pace was too much for A. Vik who could only look on as the Concordia player blasted one home. 3 - 0. After 88 minutes, a couple of quick and successful challenges followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area by R. Abitera might have resulted in another goal for Concordia. However, J. Norbert made a spectacular save. A counterattack by Franken after 89 minutes could have resulted in a goal, but E. Comparelli, coming in on the left, couldn't get the shot off. Franken's T. Bačkauskas refused to leave the field after injuring his achilles tendon after 89 minutes. Concordia had most of the ball, with 58 percent of possession.

R. Hinteregger performed admirably for Concordia. A. Zeltzer on the other hand, had a terrible day. Franken's best player was O. Antunes. A. Vik was a disappointment, however. The match ends 3 - 0.