AVENTURA 4 - 5 Gnomes (392023599)

61633 spectators had come to WATERLOO this cloudy day. AVENTURA tactics involved an interesting 4-3-3 combination. The following players took the field: Littlefield - Lefebvre, dos Santos, Bartolucci, Metsemakers - Neal, Płaszczyk, Linschoten - Schlich, Delayen, Hountondji.

Gnomes decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. They fielded: Robette - Köckeritz, Abecassis, Lampron - Westgaard, Mancilla, Kimball, Underwood, Johnson - Coughlin, Ricker.

For their match strategy, AVENTURA had decided to use their ability to counter-attack whenever possible. S. Westgaard's speed is always a threat when he gets a little room to move, and 19 minutes into the match was no different as he broke free of his man to send a delightful through ball to B. Ricker who knocked it in for Gnomes. 0 - 1! S. Lampron increased the visitors' lead by putting a volley away after a pass from the right. 0 - 2. S. Neal was first to reach a ball launched long through the center from AVENTURA's defence 22 minutes into the game. He managed to keep his cool and beat the goalkeeper to make the score 1 - 2. O. Bartolucci sailed high above the opponents as he headed in a corner kick from J. Linschoten after 23 minutes of play, making the score 2 - 2. Gnomes took the lead 26 minutes into the game, making the score 2 - 3 after some elegant movement down the middle. B. Ricker was the scorer. A counterattack by Gnomes after 29 minutes could have resulted in a goal, but B. Ricker, coming in on the left, couldn't get the shot off. The teams went for the halftime break at 2 - 3. Gnomes enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 68 percent of possession.

After 62 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for V. Coughlin who increased Gnomes's lead to 2 - 4. AVENTURA refused to be intimidated and, breaking through the middle, K. Schlich managed to slip the ball home for 3 - 4. AVENTURA hit back on the counter attack 66 minutes into the game with a free kick. Initially it seemed wasted, hit wide towards the wing. But there was an idea to it - the ball was then crossed towards S. Neal, who was waiting for it in the box. That's 4 - 4! Don't forget to thank the set pieces coach for that idea! AVENTURA's O. Bartolucci was shown a yellow card after 75 minutes for slicing down an opponent. Unfortunately for Gnomes, V. Coughlin was injured when the game became more physical, and he had to leave the field. H. Person replaced him. A mistake by the home side's central defence after 77 minutes allowed S. Underwood to score for Gnomes. The scoreboard now read 4 - 5. After the ball was lifted in from the left, H. Person was on his own in the home side's penalty area and should have scored after 79 minutes, but missed, probably due to lack of concentration. Gnomes had most of the ball, with 67 percent of possession.

AVENTURA's top performer was clearly K. Schlich. S. Neal turned in a dismal performance, however. The most dominating Gnomes player was without a doubt B. Ricker. D. Johnson was a disappointment, however. The match ends 4 - 5.