Rückwärts 1 - 0 SCHMIDDI (353495057)

20600 fans braved the pouring rain at RSV Arena. Sylvester Leonhard was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Atte Pohjanlahti and Daan Boulanger. Rückwärts decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. The following players took the field: Génovèse - Coe, Tobiassen, Poledno - Girshovich, Abaurre, Charbonnel, Ketterer, Stegherr - Maizena, Barut.

SCHMIDDI had chosen a strategic 5-3-2 formation. They fielded: Hins - Pasiña, Friedrichs, Aydıntuğ, Himmelsbach, Kytlica - Lovriha, Hüttner, Herander - Takamaa, Płocha.

Rückwärts clearly preferred using their ability to attack in the middle. SCHMIDDI used their ability to concentrate their attacks in the middle of the pitch, rather than on the wings. C. Himmelsbach was uncomfortable with the soggy pitch as he couldn't move the ball around with his usual grace. Many thought Y. Barut ought to have been awarded a penalty 16 minutes into the game, as he went down trying to dribble around M. Hins after a determined run through the middle. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave Ö. Aydıntuğ from SCHMIDDI a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 24 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! Unfortunately for Rückwärts, M. Poledno was injured when the game became more physical, and he had to leave the field. T. Lucius replaced him. After 33 minutes of play, R. Ketterer gave the home team a 1 - 0 lead after an attack coming in from the right. It was 1 - 0 at the break. Rückwärts enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 61 percent of possession.

G. Stegherr left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 46 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. V. Shufflebotham was the replacement. Although the whole team were struggling to impress, SCHMIDDI's G. Hüttner was singled out as being the problem as he was called off the pitch after 50 minutes. B. Lavigne was given a chance to change things around. SCHMIDDI needed a fresh pair of legs on the field, and after 66 minutes F. Herander made way for S. Iceta. A scuffle developed as players from both sides clashed following a tussle in the centre of the field 66 minutes into the match. After regaining order and consulting his linesman, the referee called SCHMIDDI's T. Takamaa to one side and produced a red card for the player. H. Pasiña didn't let the weather get him down and made some great moves on the pitch in spite of the rain. Rückwärts had a good opportunity to attack on the wing, but remembered their instructions to go for middle attacks. Y. Barut could have increased the lead after 78 minutes, but his shot hit the post after a nice combination in the middle of the park. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Rückwärts, with 63 percent of the ball.

Rückwärts's best player was A. Maizena. T. Lucius was a disappointment, however. H. Pasiña performed admirably for SCHMIDDI. However, C. Himmelsbach made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 1 - 0.