GUNESHLI 2 - 0 ZƏNGİLAN (388858288)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 47582 at GUNESHLI Stadium today. Nikolay Polyachenko was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Robert Uddhult and Endre Simányi. GUNESHLI decided to use a 4-5-1 set up. They fielded: Mortai - Stasior, Pincé, Winterstein, Sardinha - Laursen, Moltorp, Przeździak, Lozie, Bartlingas - 宏锋 (Hongfeng).

ZƏNGİLAN had chosen a strategic 4-5-1 formation. Starters: Rieffer - Ferdinand, Eijck, Nützel, Qaralov - Holban, Karlsen, Gascueña, Fargier, Bråthen - Paço.

ZƏNGİLAN clearly had decided to counter-attack when they could. GUNESHLI had to make a substitution after 14 minutes. V. Mortai limped off the field and was replaced by B. Mondoc. With 22 minutes played, the home side managed to get a 1 - 0 lead as N. Pincé flipped the ball in after a cross from the right. Coming from the right, P. Sardinha almost managed to score another goal for GUNESHLI, but his header was tipped over the bar by the visitors' keeper. Given a free kick close to the byline, GUNESHLI tried a move that loyal fans may recognise from training. A pass to the side pulled the defence out of position which let N. Pincé slip through on goal. He didn't have to break his stride, and slipped the ball past the keeper to make it 2 - 0, 41 minutes into the game. The players of GUNESHLI now seemed to think the job was done and acted more defensively, just waiting for the ref to blow the final whistle. The crowd gasped as J. Lozie of GUNESHLI was flattened by an opponent after 43 minutes and had to be carried off. E. Evaggenelis came in off the bench. Halftime score was 2 - 0. Possession in this half belonged to GUNESHLI, who controlled the ball 76 percent of the time.

The home side's 高. 宏锋 (Hongfeng) came close to extending the lead 51 minutes into the game. His shot came in from the right hand side but M. Rieffer managed to save it with an unbelievable reaction stop. ZƏNGİLAN almost scored after a counterattack 67 minutes into the match, but X. Paço took a shot from the left that landed harmlessly in the side of the net. 68 minutes into the game, N. Eijck had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came Q. Albuquerque. A counterattack by ZƏNGİLAN after 81 minutes could have resulted in a goal, but A. Karlsen, coming in on the left, couldn't get the shot off. K. Laursen made a nice dash down the wing after 82 minutes, but was unable to get the cross into the box. A goal kick was awarded. There was concern in the stands when, at the 83 minute mark, GUNESHLI's T. Winterstein hit the ground hard, but he refused the attention of the trainer and rejoined his teammates on the pitch. With 84 minutes played, N. Pincé could have brought this one home for GUNESHLI as he charged up on the left, but his hooked ball went just a bit too high. M. Krutscher was called on to replace GUNESHLI's K. Laursen after 85 minutes following a nasty collision. ZƏNGİLAN's defence sent a ball soaring up the middle on a beautiful counterattack with 87 minutes gone, but M. Nützel's finish was met by the reaching hands of the keeper. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by GUNESHLI, with 76 percent of the ball.

GUNESHLI's best player was 高. 宏锋 (Hongfeng). E. Evaggenelis on the other hand, had a terrible day. The most dominating ZƏNGİLAN player was without a doubt M. Nützel. Q. Albuquerque was a disappointment, however. The match ends 2 - 0.