Valiant 3 - 1 Sladki (392821022)

Clear skies welcomed the 34221 spectators who had made their way to Love Arena. Jan Paul Wille-Wagner was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Franz Griesser and Juho Syrjänen. Valiant started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. Starters: Torres - Sepulveda, Vital, Landthaler - Ambrosino, Kosta, Vébr, Olsson, Ruggieri - Schierack, Tinto.

Sladki tactics involved an interesting 4-4-2 combination. Lineup: Bartoloni - Bonhiver, Prieto, Urbansson, Ega - Ahačevič, Mihályfi, Rinnaudo, Vallon - Devaux, Vinčić.

Valiant tried to focus their attacks down the middle. Sladki saw most attack opportunities on the wings. Valiant players heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their wing attacks to the middle instead. Many thought F. Ambrosino ought to have been awarded a penalty 14 minutes into the game, as he went down trying to dribble around C. Bartoloni after a determined run through the middle. The counterattacks of Sladki were deadly and 15 minutes into the game, A. Prieto received a nice pass from the right flank, making it 0 - 1. B. Schierack's lightning pace was too much for F. Bonhiver who could only look on as the Valiant player blasted one home. 1 - 1. I. Ega of Sladki received a yellow card after 29 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. After 32 minutes B. Schierack made a speedy advance and dropped the ball to G. Tinto who shuffled it past the keeper. The score was now 2 - 1. It was obvious that team Valiant had instructions to attack in the middle instead of on the wings. After 33 minutes, a couple of quick and successful challenges followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area by P. Ruggieri might have resulted in another goal for Valiant. However, C. Bartoloni made a spectacular save. The teams went for the halftime break at 2 - 1. Valiant claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 68 percent.

The bench was restless, and with 60 minutes passed Sladki's coach gave M. Godeke the opportunity the player had been hoping for. Z. Vinčić reluctantly left the field. F. Ambrosino made a nice dash down the wing after 71 minutes, but was unable to get the cross into the box. A goal kick was awarded. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. B. Schierack squirmed through their central defence after 74 minutes, increasing the lead to 3 - 1. Although the whole team were struggling to impress, Sladki's P. Vallon was singled out as being the problem as he was called off the pitch after 75 minutes. N. Babor was given a chance to change things around. Central attacks were the recipe of the day for Valiant, as they moved the ball from the wings to the middle with startling regularity. G. Tinto had a fantastic opportunity to put Valiant up another goal 80 minutes into the match, but he fired just over the crossbar. With the scoreboard clock showing 86 minutes, the inexperienced Valiant team fell into disarray. Valiant had most of the ball, with 64 percent of possession.

G. Tinto performed admirably for Valiant. F. Ambrosino was a disappointment, however. The most dominating Sladki player was without a doubt P. Devaux. S. Rinnaudo on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 3 - 1.