VCEM 2 - 1 Vendetta21 (388582422)

It had rained all day, but 8185 hardy fans still made it out to Mazel Arena. Sylvain Nonkes was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Birger Jansons and Giacomo Colaci. VCEM started off with a 4-4-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Hagenbusch - Montilla, Gallez, Léonard, Mizimu - Crombé, Benassi, Peeters, Campisi - Van De Leur, Hannes.

A 4-4-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Vendetta21. The following players had been chosen: Ziarko - Santos, Liénard, Cena, Lövin - Grafenauer, Altman, Amzin, Huaynate - Vladu, Aragonés.

X. Aragonés had a hard time on the waterlogged pitch - his trademark technique was nowhere in sight today. With 26 minutes gone, a long pass from the defence of Vendetta21 resulted in a counterattack that set B. Liénard free through the middle, but the keeper made a spectacular diving save. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave P. Grafenauer from Vendetta21 a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 32 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! VCEM took the lead after 41 minutes as a result of C. Peeters's peach of a shot from the right hand side of the box - placed beautifully in the top corner. 1 - 0. It was 1 - 0 at the break. VCEM had most of the ball, with 60 percent of possession.

F. Gallez spent most of the time in a heap on the ground today, his normally rapid movement hindered by the slippery pitch. After 62 minutes, S. Benassi put VCEM ahead 2 - 0 when he rose to head in a cross from the right wing. By now, the players in VCEM felt that victory was guaranteed and began to play it safe, focusing on defence and not risking too much going forward. After 84 minutes VCEM's D. Van De Leur contracted a slight foot injury, but didn't want to leave the game. Vendetta21 kept trying to force their way through on the right side and M. Santos got his chance after 85 minutes, but the home side's defence held their position and stopped the attack. The counterattacks of Vendetta21 were deadly and 88 minutes into the game, X. Aragonés received a nice pass from the right flank, making it 2 - 1. S. Benassi of VCEM was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. VCEM claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 63 percent.

Most important VCEM player was A. Crombé. H. Hagenbusch turned in a dismal performance, however. Vendetta21's top performer was clearly E. Vladu. A. Amzin was a disappointment, however. The match ends 2 - 1.