M.A.C. 5 - 2 atletico (393684465)

Clouds darkened the skies at M.A.C. Stadium as 368 spectators turned up for the match. Flurin Kähr was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Paul Brisson and Paolo Fusina. A 4-4-2 alignment was the formation of choice for M.A.C.. They fielded: Velamines - Giani, Bartolini, Sposari, Zmole - Taccone, Cesareo, Nisii, Sacco - Malandrino, Robazza.

atletico tactics involved an interesting 4-3-3 combination. The following players took the field: Ripiccini - Muratore, Turunen, Palluzzi, Catalano - Freddi, Torresi, Sude - Tranquillo, Østergaard, Malatesta.

atletico used their ability to concentrate their attacks in the middle of the pitch, rather than on the wings. M.A.C. took the lead 18 minutes into the game by 1 - 0, as P. Cesareo elegantly received a long range pass through the middle, finishing off with a half-volley shot just below the bar. 21 minutes into the game atletico's S. Østergaard found a gap in the home side's central defence and scored with a fabulous shot, making it 1 - 1. 27 minutes into the game, atletico seemed a little tentative in their play as their organization fell to passable. M.A.C. were awarded a penalty after 28 minutes of play, but R. Bartolini's shot skimmed just wide. After 29 minutes, there was a bit of a mixup on the field as atletico found themselves out of position and their organisation level dropped to weak. atletico players heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their wing attacks to the middle instead. 31 minutes into the game, M. Catalano almost gave the visitors the lead, as he clipped a delicate lob over the keeper, but the ball glanced harmlessly off the crossbar. G. Palluzzi seemed highly inexperienced when, after 35 minutes, he was caught dilly-dallying with the ball and allowed E. Robazza to intercept and strike home the goal for M.A.C. to make the score 2 - 1. M.A.C. solidified their lead at the 36 minute mark, as E. Robazza dribbled the ball through the opposing central defence and scored to make it 3 - 1. The referee showed M.A.C.'s V. Sposari the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. P. Torresi of atletico had to be helped off the pitch as an injury meant he was unable to finish the game. G. Battisti came in to finish the match. The teams went for the halftime break at 3 - 1. M.A.C. enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 53 percent of possession.

The atletico players spent the break getting a rerun of the team's tactical organisation and regained a solid organisation when the game started again. Cheers filled the stadium as M. Malandrino broke through the visitors' central defence to put away the ball to increase the lead to 4 - 1 to M.A.C.. The M.A.C. players could smell victory in the air. M. Malandrino wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for H. Nicht after 59 minutes. M.A.C.'s counterattacks were lethal to the opposing defence, allowing P. Cesareo to score easily from the right flank for 5 - 1. The players of M.A.C. now seemed to think the job was done and acted more defensively, just waiting for the ref to blow the final whistle. A. Turunen neatly controlled the ball after a short corner, and knocked it on to G. Palluzzi who had the whole net open before him, but only managed to hit the post. After 75 minutes, S. Østergaard chose the right corner while taking his penalty, humiliating the home keeper, who dived in the wrong direction. The goal reduced the home lead to 5 - 2. N. Giani wanted to play on, but the M.A.C. coach had other ideas, and he was replaced 80 minutes into the game by L. Lemut. R. Zmole left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 84 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. S. Bonfigli was the replacement. Possession in this half belonged to M.A.C., who controlled the ball 52 percent of the time.

Most important M.A.C. player was P. Cesareo. L. Lemut on the other hand, had a terrible day. The most dominating atletico player was without a doubt S. Østergaard. On the other hand, D. Malatesta's play was disheartening. The match ends 5 - 2.