AFC 1 - 0 IHM (393603626)

1116 punters turned up at Highbury Stadion, and despite threatening clouds on the horizon, no rain came. Eddy Hauri was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Harry Daniels and Juan Sáenz Adán. A 5-2-3 alignment was the formation of choice for AFC. Lineup: Bedevi - Iliev, Ramírez, Barrón, Carstensen, Csimasz - Robert, Moen - Le Flem, Reilly, Melinte.

IHM tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. Starters: Seyda - Colacino, Persson, Munoz - Cacà, Dušević, Velasco, Tonzar, Steiger - Cerraeta, Németh.

Using their counter-attacking abilities was the strategy of choice for AFC. 29 minutes into the game AFC managed a counterattack, but A. Reilly took a soft shot from the left flank that was easy prey for the alert keeper. After 32 minutes, IHM were awarded a free kick. Rather than shooting straight at goal, the taker went for an indirect variant which seemed to take his team mates a bit by surprise. L. Dušević did attempt a finish, but from an awkward position, sending the ball into the away fans. With 33 minutes gone, a long pass from the defence of AFC resulted in a counterattack that set H. Carstensen free through the middle, but the keeper made a spectacular diving save. 36 minutes into the match, IHM nearly took the lead, as F. Németh broke through on the right. T. Bedevi made the save, however. 0 - 0 was the halftime score. IHM had most of the ball, with 75 percent of possession.

A quick counter attack by AFC forced the opponent's defender to give away a freekick. B. Moen was allowed to take it quickly by the referee, much to the dismay of the goalkeeper who wasn't prepared. 1 - 0! With 63 minutes played, A. Munoz came in from the right and could have evened the score, but the defenders successfully repelled the attack by IHM. After 72 minutes, the defensive line of AFC created a counterattack through the middle that gave D. Melinte a good look at the goal, but his shot glanced harmlessly off the crossbar. L. Träger was called on to replace IHM's M. Velasco after 74 minutes following a nasty collision. R. Barrón wanted to play on, but the AFC coach had other ideas, and he was replaced 75 minutes into the game by H. Cabello Fernández. As the captain was no longer on the pitch, D. Melinte took over the role of being the AFC captain. H. Carstensen left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 75 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. M. Kovachev was the replacement. The AFC players could smell victory in the air. T. Ramírez wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for T. Rohatschek after 75 minutes. Good work by the AFC defensive line after 85 minutes produced a good counterattack chance, which cut elegantly down the middle of the pitch and found G. Robert alone in front of the goal, but his shot whistled just wide. The referee showed AFC's L. Le Flem the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. Due to a severely mistimed tackle, F. Colacino of IHM spent some time on the grass writhing in agony before he could get up and continue the game. IHM claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 76 percent.

Most important AFC player was A. Reilly. On the other hand, L. Le Flem's play was disheartening. The most dominating IHM player was without a doubt L. Träger. F. Németh turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 1 - 0.