Higie 5 - 1 Aston (391564409)

Clouds darkened the skies at HigMaraca as 25100 spectators turned up for the match. José Prada was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Breogán Abegondo and Nedim Marxer. Higie started off with a 4-4-2 lineup. They fielded: Ascurra - Aducci, Dürer, van Binsbergen, Lacraia - Lienberger, Søndergaard, Bomberna, Áreas - Potengi, Amoruso.

Aston tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. Starters: Marhuľa - Mikos, Lopes, Barboza - da Silva, Carvajal, Boran, Haushofer, Novais - Smogorzewski, Åhlhall.

Aston used their ability to concentrate their attacks in the middle of the pitch, rather than on the wings. Higie took the lead after 9 minutes as a result of G. Lienberger's peach of a shot from the right hand side of the box - placed beautifully in the top corner. 1 - 0. Aston players heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their wing attacks to the middle instead. 16 minutes into the game Aston's J. Haushofer found a gap in the home side's central defence and scored with a fabulous shot, making it 1 - 1. F. Áreas dispatched a majestic long shot 20 minutes into the match, but missed the goal by a few metres. Halftime score was 1 - 1. Higie had most of the ball, with 59 percent of possession.

60 minutes into the match, the referee signalled for a Aston substitution. I. Vázquez came on for L. da Silva. Higie took the lead 72 minutes into the game by 2 - 1, as J. Bomberna elegantly received a long range pass through the middle, finishing off with a half-volley shot just below the bar. A speedy charge from the left side of the field increased the lead of Higie to 3 - 1 as B. Dürer finished it off competently, firing in from an acute angle. 77 minutes into the game, R. Ascurra had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came S. Soler. After 80 minutes, U. Potengi sent the corner kick right to V. Aducci who headed it sharply past the keeper. 4 - 1! F. Áreas should probably have put his team up another goal after 82 minutes, but some great goalkeeping by B. Marhuľa kept the visitors in the game. Aston's M. Smogorzewski was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 85 minutes. 86 minutes into the match, the visitors' central line of defence had to look on as T. Lacraia broke through, making the score 5 - 1 for Higie. At this point, it was obvious that the players of Higie lowered the tempo and became more defensively oriented. Higie enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 58 percent of possession.

Higie's best player was E. Amoruso. S. Soler was a disappointment, however. Most important Aston player was B. Marhuľa. On the other hand, I. Vázquez's play was disheartening. The match ends 5 - 1.