Elves 4 - 4 Futbol (389951920)

26806 punters turned up at Pain Coliseum, and despite threatening clouds on the horizon, no rain came. Fabio Bruzzese was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Thibaut Le Duff and Reinier Zwarthoed. Everyone was excited about the upcoming Ciudad de México derby and the crowd was divided evenly. Elves started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. The following players had been chosen: Quilapan - Olivar, Ibarrola, Herrero - Plapper, Muñoz, Rakhmatullin, Stoyanov, Feijoo - Iacob, Recio Sotolongo.

A 3-5-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Futbol. The following players took the field: Villalobos - Åhlér, Gremi, Casas - Lenhart, Slončík, Furgał, Lev, Villabona - Zucchelli, Driouch.

Elves clearly preferred using their ability to attack in the middle. The visitors' central defence should have had no trouble clearing the pass to L. Recio Sotolongo, but the Elves player managed to shrug them off and fired a low shot past the keeper to give his team the lead. 1 - 0! Elves's E. Stoyanov left the field after 18 minutes because of a nasty blow to the shin. His replacement was D. Jáuregui. The visitors kept the pressure on to tie the game when, after 40 minutes, M. Driouch broke through the centre and found himself alone with the keeper. S. Quilapan made a great block, though. The crowd was silenced 42 minutes into the match as the visiting team's N. Lev came in from the left, levelling the score to 1 - 1. As D. Jáuregui had, completely unprovoked, swept the legs out from under an opponent in front of a linesman, the referee gave the Elves player a red card without batting an eyelid. T. Villalobos was the unlucky victim and couldn't continue the game, so Futbol's E. Gravalosa had to come off the bench. 44 minutes in, the referee awarded Elves a penalty. C. Ibarrola coolly slotted it home for a 2 - 1 lead. It was 2 - 1 at the break. Possession in this half belonged to Futbol, who controlled the ball 54 percent of the time.

Elves increased the lead as H. Plapper struck to make the score 3 - 1 after an attack from the left left him unmarked in front of the keeper. Futbol fought on and, after 61 minutes, A. Zucchelli was able to reduce the deficit to 3 - 2 after some excellent moves on the right side were finished off with an incredibly clever chip. The visiting team's M. Driouch was able to score the 3 - 3 equaliser with a header 63 minutes into the match, after some good work on the right. Futbol had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially 64 minutes in when M. Driouch came up alone against S. Quilapan who managed a block. Elves's defence sent a ball soaring up the middle on a beautiful counterattack with 65 minutes gone, but H. Plapper's finish was met by the reaching hands of the keeper. L. Lenhart's speed was clear to see after 68 minutes, as he darted down the wing and released M. Driouch who placed the ball into the back of the net to make the score 3 - 4. A handball in the penalty area gave the home team a penalty 74 minutes into the match, and C. Ibarrola was able to score, taking the scoreline to 4 - 4. Futbol had most of the ball, with 53 percent of possession.

C. Ibarrola performed admirably for Elves. C. Feijoo on the other hand, had a terrible day. Futbol's best player was A. Zucchelli. E. Gravalosa was a disappointment, however. The match ends 4 - 4.