Centurions 0 - 1 Simplemante (393337203)

The weather was pretty good, and a crowd of 2363 had shown up at Caesar's Arena for the match. Frode Jansen was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Cornelius Adler and Massimiliano Maggiore. Centurions had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. Starters: Cardoso - Brancasi, Aversa, Atik - Mochelato, Sipari, Banzato, Roselli, De Fusco - Felicioni, Barreto.

Simplemante tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. They fielded: Bruner - Zamir, Gródecki, Millanao - Maust, Doorseele, Shufflebottom, Kronenberg, Heinen - Manzur, Rappl.

The wings were the focus of most of Centurions's attacks today. Players in Centurions heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their central attacks to the wings instead. Simplemante's O. Zamir was shown a yellow card after 34 minutes for slicing down an opponent. 37 minutes had elapsed when a great chance for Centurions to take the lead after a good cross from the right found G. Felicioni alone with the keeper, but he chipped it to the wrong side of the post. Simplemante had to manage with a reduced squad after 38 minutes, as J. Heinen got sent off for a needless foul away from the game's action. Down the middle came J. Manzur, making a fantastic play that nearly had Simplemante take the lead after 40 minutes, but A. Cardoso preserved the tie. Centurions were awarded a penalty 41 minutes into the game but P. Roselli produced a poor shot, quite easily saved by H. Bruner. Attacking on the wings was the choice for Centurions, and they were successfully passing the ball from the middle to the wings to attack. Simplemante had to make a substitution after 44 minutes. D. Doorseele limped off the field and was replaced by A. Pekuri. 0 - 0 was the score after the first half. Centurions enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 60 percent of possession.

Centurions made a bid to take the lead as a ball coming in on the right hand side left T. Atik completely alone with keeper H. Bruner, who made a spectacular block. The visiting A. Pekuri was booed thoroughly by the home crowd 66 minutes into the game, after he broke through the middle and scored, resulting in the visitors taking the lead. 0 - 1 was the score. A lovely run by Simplemante's J. Manzur left his markers for dead and should have resulted in a goal, but the finish went just wide. 76 minutes in, Centurions's M. Mochelato received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Simplemante's J. Gródecki refused to leave the field after injuring his achilles tendon after 79 minutes. After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, J. Millanao got himself booked. The manager of Simplemante was not happy. Centurions claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 59 percent.

Most important Centurions player was G. Barreto. However, G. Felicioni made a disastrous appearance. A. Pekuri performed admirably for Simplemante. J. Millanao was a disappointment, however. The match ends 0 - 1.