Wanderers 0 - 2 Eagles (393216949)

41302 spectators had found their way to Meme & George Arena, despite the heavy rain. Jean-Jacques Cloâtre was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Mikael Uusitalo and Uriele Cucchiara. Wanderers had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. They fielded: Prucnal - Tulueno, Valle Martínez, Südy - Kure, Gironde, Bardisa, Naticchia, Traczyk - Hatzichristodulu, Hendel.

Eagles tactics involved an interesting 4-5-1 combination. The following players had been chosen: Ashby Johnson - Cacek, Fawaz, Cock, Fofikos - Hearn, Schmalzl, Vercesi, Kone, Reimers - Grimaldi.

6 minutes had elapsed when a great chance for Wanderers to take the lead after a good cross from the right found M. Valle Martínez alone with the keeper, but he chipped it to the wrong side of the post. E. Vercesi was uncomfortable with the soggy pitch as he couldn't move the ball around with his usual grace. Many thought H. Hatzichristodulu ought to have been awarded a penalty 10 minutes into the game, as he went down trying to dribble around B. Ashby Johnson after a determined run through the middle. C. Grimaldi came close to putting the visiting team one up 18 minutes into the match, following a solo raid down the middle, but J. Prucnal managed to tip the ball to a corner. Eagles's B. Cock was shown a yellow card after 34 minutes for slicing down an opponent. J. Gironde was the unlucky victim and couldn't continue the game, so Wanderers's S. Leech had to come off the bench. The teams went for the halftime break at 0 - 0. Wanderers claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 53 percent.

The home crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief when C. Grimaldi was unable to put the ball in the net after his show of skill down the left 48 minutes into the match. He was seen beating the pitch in frustration at missing such a good chance to give his team the lead! 51 minutes into the game, Eagles wanted to bring some new energy to their game. E. Hearn gave W. Smith a quick hug as he left the field. C. Grimaldi did not have a good day today, often losing his footing on the muddy pitch. After 60 minutes, the Eagles coach wanted to see a new face on the pitch, waving B. Ashby Johnson off the field. E. Hendriksma took his place. 70 minutes into the match, the referee signalled for a Eagles substitution. J. Akpaka came on for E. Vercesi. Thighs bulging, I. Fawaz charged past the weaker players, seemingly oblivious to the rain. After 75 minutes, the Eagles coach had a quick word about the tactical set-up and decided to try another approach. J. Prucnal looked great 78 minutes into the match after stopping a shot from the middle of the penalty area from the visitors' J. Akpaka. After 80 minutes Wanderers's D. Bardisa contracted a slight foot injury, but didn't want to leave the game. 81 minutes into the game, Eagles seemed a little tentative in their play as their organization fell to passable. 0 - 1 was the score with 84 minutes played, after C. Grimaldi cut through the central defence and chipped home a goal for Eagles. After 85 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for W. Smith who increased Eagles's lead to 0 - 2. D. Kure seems to have an uncanny ability to try the unusual. He nearly produced a great goal - unfortunately for Wanderers his shot went just wide this time. Possession in this half belonged to Eagles, who controlled the ball 61 percent of the time.

The most dominating Wanderers player was without a doubt A. Hendel. S. Leech was a disappointment, however. I. Fawaz performed admirably for Eagles. N. Fofikos turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 0 - 2.