xavi_xispas 1 - 6 Tg-Jiu (393944284)

Clouds darkened the skies at xavi_xispa Arena as 2562 spectators turned up for the match. Joachim Friedrich Campbell was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Magnus Åkerblom and Keimpe Hoppe. xavi_xispas started off with a 2-5-3 lineup. They fielded: Marañón - Špaček, Anello - Gil Cano, Homola, Zoydo, Pancioni, Urueta - Guerrero, Huinaguenta, Martínez.

Tg-Jiu had chosen a strategic 2-5-3 formation. The following players took the field: Baratta - Gil, De Sario - Dincă, Rogeon, Sumberg, Sultz, Pozzoni - Cardone, Keller, Stănescu.

Tg-Jiu clearly preferred using their ability to attack in the middle. The visiting Z. Keller was booed thoroughly by the home crowd 18 minutes into the game, after he broke through the middle and scored, resulting in the visitors taking the lead. 0 - 1 was the score. After 22 minutes, Tg-Jiu's C. Rogeon burst through the central defence and let loose a cannonball of a shot, scoring for 0 - 2. A defender managed to keep the ball from crossing the goal-line after a curling shot coming in from the right from M. Cardone after 25 minutes, and prevented Tg-Jiu from going up another goal. The visitors nearly scored again after 30 minutes, but a superb save by M. Marañón kept V. Stănescu's free kick out of the net. The visitors' Ø. Sumberg took advantage of a misunderstanding between the home side's goalie and centre backs 35 minutes into the match. 0 - 3 for Tg-Jiu. It was 0 - 3 at the break. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Tg-Jiu, with 54 percent of the ball.

Although the whole team were struggling to impress, xavi_xispas's A. Urueta was singled out as being the problem as he was called off the pitch after 46 minutes. B. Gesquiere was given a chance to change things around. With 46 minutes played, the xavi_xispas coach decided a substitution may help turn the game around. L. Trombone came on, T. Špaček had to leave the fray. The xavi_xispas captaincy was handed to B. Gesquiere. The bench was restless, and with 46 minutes passed xavi_xispas's coach gave A. Casamayor the opportunity the player had been hoping for. V. Pancioni reluctantly left the field. With things not going too well on the field, the xavi_xispas coach made the decision to swap the positions of A. Casamayor and F. Huinaguenta with 46 minutes played. M. Cardone received a delicate pass through the home side's central defence after 50 minutes, and chipped it past the flailing keeper to score making it 0 - 4. The Tg-Jiu fans went wild, whilst the home fans started to think about leaving early. B. Gesquiere's early cross saw the defenders caught out of position and the alert R. Martínez was able to pounce and roll the ball past the hapless goalkeeper to score for xavi_xispas. 1 - 4. It was obvious that team Tg-Jiu had instructions to attack in the middle instead of on the wings. After 72 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for J. Gil who increased Tg-Jiu's lead to 1 - 5. The players of Tg-Jiu now seemed to think the job was done and acted more defensively, just waiting for the ref to blow the final whistle. After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, L. Trombone got himself booked. The manager of xavi_xispas was not happy. P. Guerrero almost reduced the deficit, having drawn the entire left side defence away, but the shot went straight into the arms of the goalkeeper. After 82 minutes, an incisive pass through the middle gave M. Cardone a chance to increase the lead for Tg-Jiu, and he did not disappoint. The score was then 1 - 6. Tg-Jiu enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 60 percent of possession.

xavi_xispas's top performer was clearly A. Casamayor. However, N. Anello made a disastrous appearance. C. Rogeon performed admirably for Tg-Jiu. V. Stănescu was a disappointment, however. The match ends 1 - 6.