MATADOR 2 - 1 Vorwaerts (393035719)

It was an exceptionally sunny day for the crowd of 46492 that came out to FC EL MATADOR Arena. Ingmar Vilba was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Camille van der Haar and Silviu Axinte. MATADOR decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. The following players had been chosen: Oleśniewicz - Eiben, van Bijsterveldt, van Engelen - Zabiyaka, Schuhegger, Bikácsy, Fakler, Ugarte - Kilan, Bovone.

Vorwaerts tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. Lineup: Valdés - La Hoz, Zweig, Möllendorf - Akburçak, Wittwer, Brillard, Roccatagliata, Pacheco - Wöhrl, Anspach.

Vorwaerts tried to focus their attacks down the middle. After 2 minutes, Vorwaerts's P. Akburçak made his way through the middle and nonchalantly placed the ball out of the keeper's reach, putting the visitors up 0 - 1. MATADOR's A. Bovone made an attempt at equalising 8 minutes into the match, coming in from the right, but the ball hit the post and the defence easily cleared the rebound. With 16 minutes played, MATADOR's A. Eiben found an opening in the visitors' left side defence, but his shot was handled easily by the keeper. With 22 minutes played, G. Brillard 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. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave R. La Hoz from Vorwaerts a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 24 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! MATADOR's I. Oleśniewicz went down after a savage challenge, but could continue playing after some medical attention. The referee showed MATADOR's Z. Bikácsy the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. The teams went for the halftime break at 0 - 1. MATADOR claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 60 percent.

As usual, J. Kilan tried to use his strength and hard work for the benefit of the team, but the heat hit him hard and he couldn't keep pace at all. After 65 minutes of play, H. Ugarte equalised for MATADOR after an elegant attack from the right. There was concern in the stands when, at the 68 minute mark, MATADOR's H. Ugarte hit the ground hard, but he refused the attention of the trainer and rejoined his teammates on the pitch. After 75 minutes, the Vorwaerts coach wanted to see a new face on the pitch, waving E. Wittwer off the field. A. Hinger took his place. MATADOR took the lead 78 minutes in, as Z. Bikácsy broke through on the left and put the 2 - 1 shot just beyond the reach of the outstretched keeper. The cannonball from 35 metres by S. Pacheco of Vorwaerts was an impressive sight, but didn't make it into the net. As the match clock reached 87 minutes, MATADOR's organisation began to suffer due to a lack of experience. The visitors' equaliser seemed sure to come after 88 minutes, following a one on one situation around the left hand side of the goal area, but I. Oleśniewicz got the best of it, blocking the shot from H. Zweig. MATADOR had most of the ball, with 58 percent of possession.

Most important MATADOR player was A. Bovone. S. Zabiyaka was a disappointment, however. The most dominating Vorwaerts player was without a doubt W. Wöhrl. On the other hand, F. Möllendorf's play was disheartening. The match ends 2 - 1.