Hassels 5 - 2 best (394200584)

A scorching day at Asselkeller, where 4127 spectators were in place for today's match. Alfredo Durastante was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Luis Massot and Jorge Agulha. Hassels started off with a 3-4-3 lineup. Starters: Ghiuţă - Szathmári, Ballmann, Wiedebach - Leimser, Renskär, D'Avack, Ciuró - Ravensburg, Desiato, Reyna.

best decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. The following players took the field: Ahtinen - Vâgu, Ochocki, Opilec - Kovacevic, Maloney, Zumel, Budiczki, Żołądź - Belu, Topholm.

best were relying on their ability to counter-attack. M. Ravensburg caused the crowd to go mental with his goal up the middle after 5 minutes. This gave Hassels the 1 - 0 lead. As M. Ravensburg had, completely unprovoked, swept the legs out from under an opponent in front of a linesman, the referee gave the Hassels player a red card without batting an eyelid. Due to a severely mistimed tackle, S. Belu of best spent some time on the grass writhing in agony before he could get up and continue the game. After 23 minutes, Hassels sent a free kick in high over the penalty box. In what looked like a well-rehearsed move, the ball was headed backwards and reached J. Ciuró, who had plenty of space to place a well aimed shot - 2 - 0. 26 minutes into the game, Hassels seemed to suffer a certain amount of confusion and they fell to a inadequate level of organisation. With 33 minutes showing on the scoreboard clock, best showed some good skill and were able to reduce the score to 2 - 1 when S. Belu got past the home side's central defenders right in front of the goal. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave A. Opilec from best a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 36 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! 2 - 1 was the score after the first half. best enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 55 percent of possession.

During the break, Hassels's coach went through the team's tactics yet again, getting them up to solid organisation. Always quick on his feet, best's S. Belu sped down the field after 58 minutes, but his pass to J. Topholm was just a bit too far ahead for him to get a good shot off. After 61 minutes a well-practised indirect free kick routine by Hassels was easily anticipated by the defenders. The players forward were so well marked, they were left with few viable options. With 63 minutes played, J. Reyna could have brought this one home for Hassels as he charged up on the left, but his hooked ball went just a bit too high. 79 minutes into the game, Hassels seemed a little tentative in their play as their organization fell to passable. With 80 minutes played, R. Żołądź came in from the right and could have evened the score, but the defenders successfully repelled the attack by best. best tied it all up, 82 minutes in, after a spectacular goal by S. Belu, who miraculously broke through the home side's central defence, making it 2 - 2. As the 85 minute mark approached, the Hassels coach decided it was time for a substitution. S. Leimser reluctantly made way for P. Abella on the pitch. After 86 minutes, a counter attack by best was converted into a decent free kick opportunity. However, the indirect free kick routine was easily anticipated by the defenders. A textbook example of how to defend a free kick - the attackers were left with few viable options. J. Reyna's technique was perfect on this sunny day and led to some breathtaking tricks that bamboozled the defence. 88 minutes in, Hassels's P. Ballmann received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Possession was split evenly between the teams.

After the regular 90 minutes, the agony of extra time followed. The Hassels players spent the break getting a rerun of the team's tactical organisation and regained a solid organisation when the game started again. At 103 minutes played, P. Ballmann came in from the right with the intention of giving Hassels the lead, but his rocket of a shot rattled the crossbar. With the score still deadlocked after extra time, the teams took to the field for a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner.

Boy, does J. Reyna of Hassels know how to treat a football or what?! He's curled that shot past the keeper and into the top corner of the goal - a great penalty! 3 - 2. best's J. Topholm looked nervous even as he was putting the ball on the spot. He didn't take much of a run up, and his weak shot was easily saved by the keeper. Hassels's P. Abella kept his cool as he faced down M. Ahtinen. His composure paid off as he scored easily for 4 - 2. Clearly nervous from the start, best's R. Vâgu took a long run up, but could only blast the ball over the bar. The score remains 4 - 2. Oooh - how unlucky! Hassels's R. Ghiuţă attempt hit the underside of the bar, but rebounded down into the grateful arms of M. Ahtinen. The score stays 4 - 2. best's M. Kovacevic didn't look like he was confident as he stepped up, and produced a badly struck penalty - right into the arms of R. Ghiuţă. The score remained 4 - 2. Hassels's P. Ballmann was relaxed as he smoothly put the ball in the net. 5 - 2! best's M. Ahtinen drove the ball hard to the corner but couldn't get it past the outstretched arm of R. Ghiuţă. The score remains 5 - 2. Hassels's J. Ciuró cockily booted the ball with a short-and-fast instep. The penalty, going just wide of the mark, didn't produce a goal. best's R. Żołądź looked like he knew exactly where he wanted to put the ball, but unfortunately his shot went wide of the left hand post. Still 5 - 2. Hassels's top performer was clearly J. Reyna. On the other hand, G. D'Avack's play was disheartening. The most dominating best player was without a doubt D. Maloney. M. Ahtinen was a disappointment, however. The match ends 5 - 2.