Tapaz 2 - 1 Pickwick (393431063)

707 spectators had come to Tapaz '74 this cloudy day. Giancarlo Drago was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Ulrich Brunnenmaier and Jacobo Tiatuahcan. Tapaz tactics involved an interesting 2-5-3 combination. Lineup: Laguda - Trevisan, Achenza - Colasante, Müh, Marzadri, Dantschotter, Ciccone - Azzolini, Signoretto, Moracci.

Pickwick started off with a 4-4-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Natalicchio - Signorotto, Vuylsteke, Guardiola, Flottwell - Heertje, Pierezza, Bălosu, Fernández Hinestrosa - Or, Spigarolo.

It was an obvious ambition of Tapaz to use their ability at attacking on the flanks. With 2 minutes played N. Marzadri almost put the home team one ahead on a cross coming in from the right, but the shot went just wide. O. Bălosu received some harsh words from his coach after he acted foolishly 4 minutes into the match, probably out of lack of experience, and almost let an opponent score. D. Heertje always provides an aerial threat at corners, and with 27 minutes gone, he demonstrated this, outjumping his marker, then letting out an anguished howl as his powerful header went narrowly wide. F. Moracci dispatched a majestic long shot 30 minutes into the match, but missed the goal by a few metres. Almost all the way down to the corner flag, Pickwick's F. Fernández Hinestrosa somehow managed to get a perfect pass into the middle, impossible to miss for C. Spigarolo, who struck for 0 - 1. Tapaz had a good opportunity to attack in the middle, but remembered their instructions to focus on wing attacks instead. N. Marzadri charged down the left and had a wonderful opportunity to score the equaliser for Tapaz, but the shot went well wide of the goal. G. Azzolini showed the skills that make him a real crowd pleaser as he, after 37 minutes, wove through the guests' entire central defence and put the 1 - 1 equaliser away. G. Azzolini of Tapaz received a yellow card after 39 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. 1 - 1 was the score after the first half. Possession in this half belonged to Tapaz, who controlled the ball 61 percent of the time.

O. Bălosu had a good opportunity to give Pickwick the lead as he charged down the right and struck the ball towards the top corner, but the home team's goalkeeper made the save. The referee showed Pickwick's J. Guardiola the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. Tapaz took the lead, 2 - 1, after a penalty 65 minutes into the match. F. Moracci scored from the penalty spot. Pickwick's right side looked dangerous 81 minutes in, but M. Laguda made a good save on M. Or's hard shot to the top corner. Tapaz's F. Moracci was shown a yellow card after 83 minutes for slicing down an opponent. D. Heertje was the unlucky victim and couldn't continue the game, so Pickwick's J. Haugen had to come off the bench. Attacking on the wings was the choice for Tapaz, and they were successfully passing the ball from the middle to the wings to attack. B. Dantschotter unleashed a swerving effort from the right that the visitors' keeper did well to tip wide. Tapaz had most of the ball, with 63 percent of possession.

F. Moracci performed admirably for Tapaz. However, C. Trevisan made a disastrous appearance. Pickwick's top performer was clearly M. Or. On the other hand, N. Signorotto's play was disheartening. The match ends 2 - 1.