Sagacidade 1 - 4 Monte (391589549)

Due to an all-day shower, 18298 paying spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog at Sagaz. Walther Baider was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Bjarne Jonasson and Rubén Karanka. Sagacidade decided to use a 4-4-2 set up. Starters: Valseca - Balcı, Caerels, Nepomuceno, Binka - Kalniņš, Ikuta, Maidl, Boaventura - Matos, Đồng Mãn.

A 2-5-3 alignment was the formation of choice for Monte. The following players had been chosen: Belluccini - Kamarinakis, Le Cossec - Jēgers, Häkkinen, Corvi, Uludüz, Dyrała - Miljeteig, Bydanov, Sämann.

Sagacidade clearly preferred using their ability to attack in the middle. Monte tried to focus their attacks down the middle. A well placed corner kick from I. Nepomuceno was followed by N. Đồng Mãn's hard but accurate header. The well executed routine resulted in a goal for Sagacidade, the score now 1 - 0. After 7 minutes, Monte used a short break in the game to take new instructions from their coach. The boggy pitch disrupted the game, especially for technical players like D. Kamarinakis. After 18 minutes, the visitors levelled the scores after A. Corvi made it through the middle and struck home to make it 1 - 1. A mistake by the home side's central defence after 38 minutes allowed G. Jēgers to score for Monte. The scoreboard now read 1 - 2. D. Matos of Sagacidade received a yellow card after 39 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. After 40 minutes, a mistake by the home side's left defence allowed O. Miljeteig to get through. He outclassed the home side's keeper, adding another goal for the visitors. 1 - 3. At this point, it was obvious that the players of Monte lowered the tempo and became more defensively oriented. 1 - 3 was the score after the first half. Monte enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 62 percent of possession.

The game was characterised by rough play and many physical challenges on the wet field, but O. Miljeteig showed great heart and had a good game. Monte's A. Belluccini left the field after 73 minutes because of a nasty blow to the shin. His replacement was A. Possatti. E. Dyrała was handed the Monte captain's armband. Monte came close to extending their lead as O. Miljeteig delivered a low effort on goal from the right after 80 minutes, but the angle was too narrow and the shot went harmlessly into the side netting. 81 minutes into the game, F. Boaventura had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came I. Bondarenko. The Sagacidade captaincy was handed to O. Maidl. With 82 minutes played, R. Häkkinen nearly put the visitors another one up as he broke through in the middle and fired from just outside the box, but his shot passed just over the bar. After 84 minutes, Monte sent a free kick in high over the penalty box. In what looked like a well-rehearsed move, the ball was headed backwards and reached N. Bydanov, who had plenty of space to place a well aimed shot - 1 - 4. Monte had most of the ball, with 67 percent of possession.

Sagacidade's top performer was clearly D. Matos. I. Bondarenko was a disappointment, however. The most dominating Monte player was without a doubt O. Miljeteig. A. Possatti on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 1 - 4.