Fire 3 - 0 AVENTURA (392023583)

Clouds darkened the skies at Lionel Roberts Arena as 61964 spectators turned up for the match. Dan Lundhner was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Alexander Aarons and Valerio Martinelli. Fire started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. They fielded: Hermenegildo - Steinlechner, Convertino, Achternhof - Rothschild, Madrigal, Cummings, Pytlewicz, Sıyrılmış - Volovski, Podda.

AVENTURA tactics involved an interesting 5-2-3 combination. The following players had been chosen: Littlefield - Lefebvre, Molteni, Bartolucci, Lalanne, Metsemakers - Mosquera, Linschoten - Delayen, Hountondji, Schlich.

Using their counter-attacking abilities was the strategy of choice for AVENTURA. Fire's B. Steinlechner refused to leave the field after injuring his achilles tendon after 33 minutes. A counterattack by AVENTURA after 38 minutes could have resulted in a goal, but K. Schlich, coming in on the left, couldn't get the shot off. O. Achternhof was very close to giving Fire the lead with an ingenious free kick routine 40 minutes into the match, but the ball just grazed the bar. AVENTURA almost scored after a counterattack 43 minutes into the match, but M. Metsemakers took a shot from the left that landed harmlessly in the side of the net. 0 - 0 was the score after the first half. Fire enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 72 percent of possession.

49 minutes into the game, a swerving free kick by O. Achternhof almost resulted in the home team taking the lead, but the shot glanced harmlessly off the frame of the goal. F. Podda gave Fire the lead as he successfully challenged the guests' central defenders, then slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance. 1 - 0 73 minutes into the match, the visitors' central line of defence had to look on as D. Rothschild broke through, making the score 2 - 0 for Fire. Fire's opponents know to be wary of H. Sıyrılmış's speed, but it made little difference as he flew past the defence 77 minutes into the game. Only the keeper could stop him - and he did with a perfectly timed dive! A great save by keeper R. Littlefield after 79 minutes kept the visitors in the game after E. Volovski struck from the left with a real cannonball. After a savage shot that could only be parried by the keeper, E. Volovski demonstrated his experience by being in just the right place to slot home the rebound. His goal for Fire 80 minutes into the match made the score 3 - 0. AVENTURA's defence sent a ball soaring up the middle on a beautiful counterattack with 83 minutes gone, but J. Mosquera's finish was met by the reaching hands of the keeper. Possession in this half belonged to Fire, who controlled the ball 74 percent of the time.

F. Podda performed admirably for Fire. However, T. Cummings made a disastrous appearance. AVENTURA's top performer was clearly B. Delayen. J. Linschoten was a disappointment, however. The match ends 3 - 0.