forza 2 - 1 Ar$enal_F.C. (390056166)

26046 spectators had found their way to toroArena, despite the heavy rain. Markku Reponen was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Denis Pommnitz and Dolev Skandrani. forza decided to use a 4-4-2 set up. They fielded: Gerum-Wardas - Doberski, Fagan, Clement, Gunvant - Barbas, Ascher, Návrat, Ferla - Halmila, Tarlet.

Ar$enal_F.C. started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Pisaneschi - Reikko, Vahey, Alvarez - Richards, Goethals, Bartnik, Goblirsch, Dordain - Efsane, Ritter.

forza were relying on their ability to counter-attack. forza fans held their breath as A. Ferla scampered down the left side. He successfully avoided all challenges and cracked home the shot for 1 - 0! forza showed their counterattack skill 15 minutes into the match by breaking through the middle, with J. Ascher scoring uncontested for 2 - 0. The visitors replied 21 minutes into the game, reducing the home side's lead to 2 - 1, as R. Bartnik dashed up the middle, easily lobbing the ball over the home team's keeper. The rain made it hard for players like N. Efsane to show their technical control of the ball on this soggy day. As L. Vahey had, completely unprovoked, swept the legs out from under an opponent in front of a linesman, the referee gave the Ar$enal_F.C. player a red card without batting an eyelid. With 36 minutes played, the visitors could have drawn level after M. Dordain came through the middle, but his kick went wide. It was 2 - 1 at the break. Possession in this half belonged to Ar$enal_F.C., who controlled the ball 66 percent of the time.

Ar$enal_F.C. had a chance to level the score as M. Dordain suddenly found himself free in the middle of the box with only the keeper to beat, but he misjudged the finish, and only managed to hit the bar. With 66 minutes gone, a long pass from the defence of forza resulted in a counterattack that set B. Fagan free through the middle, but the keeper made a spectacular diving save. 70 minutes in, Ar$enal_F.C.'s M. Dordain received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. A. Barbas was the unlucky victim and couldn't continue the game, so forza's W. Watkins had to come off the bench. Coming through the middle J. Richards almost scored the equaliser for Ar$enal_F.C. after 72 minutes, but M. Gerum-Wardas made an excellent save, tipping the awkwardly curled shot past the post. The visitors kept the pressure on to tie the game when, after 73 minutes, R. Bartnik broke through the centre and found himself alone with the keeper. M. Gerum-Wardas made a great block, though. With the clock showing 74 minutes played, a great pass from the defensive line of forza resulted in a counterattack that was smoothly brought under control by S. Clement in the centre of the opposition's penalty area, but his finish went high. W. Doberski of forza was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. J. Richards made a run for the goal 79 minutes into the game but the home team's left back managed to sort the situation out in the end. Ar$enal_F.C. claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 69 percent.

A. Tarlet performed admirably for forza. A. Halmila on the other hand, had a terrible day. Ar$enal_F.C.'s top performer was clearly E. Ritter. However, P. Pisaneschi made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 2 - 1.