2thepocket 1 - 6 PRIORO (392419801)

27608 punters turned up at Airbus Arena, and despite threatening clouds on the horizon, no rain came. João Araújo was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Klaas Neufahrn and Juan Campomanes. 2thepocket started off with a 4-4-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Moura - Medina Paz, Aballe, Ferrer Sax, Sanz Delfa - Cabanas, Garcés de Garro, Alba Tercedor, Retana - Cachola, Camalva.

PRIORO had chosen a strategic 2-5-3 formation. Starters: Izurtza - Bjerregaard, Vinyes - Turković, Sama, Moise, Izoaga, Moelijn - Menchero, Suchet, Szafirski.

For their match strategy, 2thepocket had decided to use their ability to counter-attack whenever possible. After 16 minutes, J. Alba Tercedor sent the corner kick right to G. Medina Paz who headed it sharply past the keeper. 1 - 0! PRIORO tied it all up, 19 minutes in, after a spectacular goal by C. Suchet, who miraculously broke through the home side's central defence, making it 1 - 1. After 25 minutes, PRIORO's F. Menchero made his way through the middle and nonchalantly placed the ball out of the keeper's reach, putting the visitors up 1 - 2. With 31 minutes played, a quick exchange of passes on the left wing freed I. Szafirski of PRIORO to slip through the defence and score another goal for the visitors. That made the score 1 - 3. At this point, it was obvious that the players of PRIORO lowered the tempo and became more defensively oriented. The referee showed PRIORO's A. Bjerregaard the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. The visitors almost increased their lead after 34 minutes when a sweetly hit free kick looked like it was heading for the top corner. However the keeper managed to get a fingertip to it, sending it over the bar. After 35 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for R. Moise who increased PRIORO's lead to 1 - 4. The teams went for the halftime break at 1 - 4. PRIORO had most of the ball, with 68 percent of possession.

After the ball was lifted in from the left, R. Moise was on his own in the home side's penalty area and should have scored after 64 minutes, but missed, probably due to lack of concentration. Content with how the game was proceeding, the PRIORO coach let E. Zuleta replace J. Moelijn after 70 minutes. F. Menchero of PRIORO was able to make an impressive rush past the sluggish R. Aballe, which resulted in a goal making the score 1 - 5. With 85 minutes played, F. Menchero 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. E. Zuleta wanted to play on, but the PRIORO coach had other ideas, and he was replaced 87 minutes into the game by J. Siwiak. After 87 minutes, an incisive pass through the middle gave I. Szafirski a chance to increase the lead for PRIORO, and he did not disappoint. The score was then 1 - 6. The PRIORO players could smell victory in the air. J. Siwiak wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for T. Hesp after 88 minutes. 88 minutes in, PRIORO's F. Menchero received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. R. Aballe was ever so close to scoring after an excellent corner was beautifully flicked on by V. Cachola, but the ball bounced off the post to safety. PRIORO claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 72 percent.

Most important 2thepocket player was E. Camalva. On the other hand, J. Sanz Delfa's play was disheartening. PRIORO's top performer was clearly F. Menchero. T. Hesp was a disappointment, however. The match ends 1 - 6.