Due to an all-day shower, 2294 paying spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog at
Ronaldo 9 Stadium.
Wendell Robertson was the appointed referee with assistance provided by
Paul M. Fjällmar and
Mikko Linkova.
Ronaldo9 had chosen a strategic 5-4-1 formation.
The following players took the field: Floreaga - Cotes, Mazzarotto, Sagredo, Daeseleer, Liva - Lancha Pacheco, Tēbeliņš, Sazak, Foy - Gago.
A 3-5-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Lavallois.
The following players had been chosen: Maillard - Urso, Salerno, Adamik - Durand, Becquet, Msallem, Martinez, Fère - Prestel, Ďurica.
For their match strategy, Lavallois had decided to use their ability to counter-attack whenever possible.
The boggy pitch disrupted the game, especially for technical players like
G. Liva.
Slack defending gave Ronaldo9 a chance to take the lead with 10 minutes played, but
I. Lancha Pacheco's cross from the left flank was fumbled in front of the goal and easily dealt with by the opposition.
Lavallois took the lead after 11 minutes making the score 0 - 1.
J. Adamik placed the ball out of reach for the home side's keeper after a fine move, coming in from the left.
D. Becquet did not have a good day today, often losing his footing on the muddy pitch.
Y. Sazak was just a finger's breadth away from an equaliser for Ronaldo9 with a strike from the left, but
D. Maillard managed to ward the shot off for a corner.
Halftime score was 0 - 1.
Possession in this half belonged to Ronaldo9, who controlled the ball 55 percent of the time.
80 minutes into the match, the visitors put themselves ahead 0 - 2 as
V. Durand finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick.
T. Ďurica came close to extending the visitors' lead when he found himself completely unmarked in front of the goal after a pass through the middle. He tried to lift the ball over
J. Floreaga but overcooked it and hit the bar instead.
After several obvious shirt pulling incidents,
T. Ďurica got himself booked. The manager of Lavallois was not happy.
With 88 minutes played,
A. Tēbeliņš was very close to reducing the score for Ronaldo9 with a low drive from the left, but a defender stuck his foot out just in the nick of time, blocking the shot to a corner.
Ronaldo9 enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 51 percent of possession.
Most important Ronaldo9 player was
Y. Sazak.
On the other hand,
A. Tēbeliņš's play was disheartening.
Lavallois's best player was
I. Prestel.
N. Fère on the other hand, had a terrible day.
The match ends 0 - 2.