HIFK 2 - 2 FC INTER (390053454)

39234 spectators had come to Home of Stars this cloudy day. Przemyslaw Kopaniecki was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Pierluigi Barbetta and Didier Dommelier. HIFK started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. Lineup: Escallier - Stoev, Knölkvist, Turban - Karell, Sayapin, Dawczyk, Suorsa, Granlund - Panfil, Gunale.

FC INTER decided to use a 2-5-3 set up. The following players took the field: Brisseau - Kriss, Brousset - Helísek, Merchán, Esquerdeiro, Szurgot, Oncu - Santigli, Malaguti, Pistone.

HIFK saw most attack opportunities on the wings. S. Turban really should have scored when he was chosen by fate to confront a wide open goal following a great play by J. Suorsa after a corner. Down the middle came J. Szurgot, making a fantastic play that nearly had FC INTER take the lead after 10 minutes, but A. Escallier preserved the tie. The home side put themselves ahead 1 - 0 after 18 minutes courtesy of a breakthrough from M. Knölkvist, who scored with a stunning volley following a cross from the right wing. After 25 minutes, a couple of quick and successful challenges followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area by F. Panfil might have resulted in another goal for HIFK. However, J. Brisseau made a spectacular save. After 32 minutes, the visitors levelled the scores after V. Oncu made it through the middle and struck home to make it 1 - 1. It was 1 - 1 at the break. FC INTER claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 53 percent.

S. Turban would have preferred to play on, but his coach decided otherwise. A. Maggiani entered the game for HIFK as the match clock showed 50 minutes. The guests almost went up by a goal after 56 minutes when M. Malaguti came through and shot from the right. The ball bounced harmlessly off the post, though. At 74 minutes played, L. Granlund came in from the right with the intention of giving HIFK the lead, but his rocket of a shot rattled the crossbar. After 75 minutes, there was a bit of a mixup on the field as HIFK found themselves out of position and their organisation level dropped to inadequate. With 76 minutes played, FC INTER's well-worked indirect free kick caused havoc in the penalty area, and when the ball eventually fell to M. Malaguti he gleefully slotted the ball home to make it 1 - 2. L. Granlund's early cross saw the defenders caught out of position and the alert A. Maggiani was able to pounce and roll the ball past the hapless goalkeeper to score for HIFK. 2 - 2. 80 minutes into the game, HIFK had difficulty finding their positions and their organisation dropped to poor. FC INTER had most of the ball, with 66 percent of possession.

S. Gunale performed admirably for HIFK. M. Karell on the other hand, had a terrible day. FC INTER's top performer was clearly M. Malaguti. A. Helísek was a disappointment, however. The match ends 2 - 2.