Saskatchewan 1 - 6 ISNthVan (391474875)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 7000 at Saskatchewan Park today. Vaggos Skartados was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Ricco Umiger and Jens Wüthrich. Saskatchewan started off with a 4-4-2 lineup. Starters: Mahil - Hughes, Grumley, Patel, Craft - Ciotti, Mccarty, Bao Lam, Field - Bailey, Baril.

ISNthVan tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. Lineup: Saraví - Blanchard, Schoemans, Alicea - Colombo, Honkanen, Mirra, Guilarte, Anderson - Stjohn, Timofte.

ISNthVan used their ability to concentrate their attacks in the middle of the pitch, rather than on the wings. B. Mccarty was the first to reach the corner kick, but his header was blocked by the keeper. However, Saskatchewan's B. Patel managed to get hold of the rebound and tucked the ball into the empty net. 1 - 0 Saskatchewan's B. Mccarty was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 20 minutes. ISNthVan were determined to attack in the middle, even their wing attacks ended up centrally. ISNthVan showed their counterattack skill 24 minutes into the match by breaking through the middle, with L. Timofte scoring uncontested for 1 - 1. It was obvious that team ISNthVan had instructions to attack in the middle instead of on the wings. After 26 minutes, ISNthVan's M. Guilarte made his way through the middle and nonchalantly placed the ball out of the keeper's reach, putting the visitors up 1 - 2. B. Patel of Saskatchewan received a yellow card after 29 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. After 36 minutes Saskatchewan's W. Bao Lam contracted a slight foot injury, but didn't want to leave the game. After 37 minutes, an incisive pass through the middle gave C. Blanchard a chance to increase the lead for ISNthVan, and he did not disappoint. The score was then 1 - 3. After this, you could see that the players of ISNthVan were more interested in killing time than scoring more goals. 1 - 3 was the halftime score. Possession in this half belonged to ISNthVan, who controlled the ball 74 percent of the time.

Always a threat, A. Baril tore past his marker and placed the ball right at the feet of the waiting M. Bailey who should have easily scored for Saskatchewan, but the ball went wide. The ISNthVan players could smell victory in the air. M. Guilarte wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for A. van Kassel after 70 minutes. A defender managed to keep the ball from crossing the goal-line after a curling shot coming in from the right from L. Timofte after 72 minutes, and prevented ISNthVan from going up another goal. Content with how the game was proceeding, the ISNthVan coach let B. Morris replace G. Schoemans after 73 minutes. C. Stjohn left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 75 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. B. Long was the replacement. C. Blanchard of ISNthVan was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. B. Craft almost reduced the deficit, having drawn the entire left side defence away, but the shot went straight into the arms of the goalkeeper. The visitors' L. Timofte took advantage of a misunderstanding between the home side's goalie and centre backs 80 minutes into the match. 1 - 4 for ISNthVan. After 82 minutes, ISNthVan's A. Colombo burst through the central defence and let loose a cannonball of a shot, scoring for 1 - 5. A. van Kassel could have put his team up another goal 83 minutes into the game, after a rush down the left, but his closing shot hit the post. After 84 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for L. Timofte who increased ISNthVan's lead to 1 - 6. By then L. Timofte had scored three goals - a hat trick! Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by ISNthVan, with 72 percent of the ball.

Most important Saskatchewan player was L. Field. On the other hand, B. Craft's play was disheartening. A. van Kassel performed admirably for ISNthVan. A. Colombo turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 1 - 6.