H.C.Brasov 9 - 1 AJ (365268552)

Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 20446 to Tampa. Ragner Bojsen was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Sergio Radwan and Anastasios Stavridis. H.C.Brasov started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Rízquez - Garcia Jr., Tortora, Gângioveanu - Lukáts, Neubauer, Jongepier, Schönbrodt, Grković - Uri, Hottinen.

AJ had chosen a strategic 3-2-3 formation. The following players had been chosen: Putz - Puul, Iernuţan, Buzariu - Ulici, Musteatã - Paştina, Moldovan, Goby.

H.C.Brasov clearly preferred using their ability to attack in the middle. After a fine move down the middle D. Schönbrodt nearly gave the home side a goal after 8 minutes. However the finishing shot went just wide. 9 minutes into the game, F. Goby finished off a AJ left wing counterattack, making the score 0 - 1. 10 minutes into the game, L. Lukáts had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came M. Tepper. Some fine passing in the middle of the pitch, carving open the away defence, should have led to a goal for H.C.Brasov, but N. Gângioveanu's shot went over the bar. With 18 minutes played, C. Jongepier of H.C.Brasov fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee was unimpressed, and booked him for diving. With 23 minutes having been played, H.C.Brasov scored to make it 1 - 1. A dribble down the left wing, followed by a shot which took a wicked bounce off a defender resulted in the keeper having no chance. Everyone thought it'd been an own goal, but N. Gângioveanu was marked down as the scorer. 24 minutes into the game, AJ had difficulty finding their positions and their organisation dropped to passable. After 26 minutes of play, Z. Garcia Jr. gave the home team a 2 - 1 lead after an attack coming in from the right. After 35 minutes, M. Tepper put H.C.Brasov ahead 3 - 1 when he rose to head in a cross from the right wing. At this point, it was obvious that the players of H.C.Brasov lowered the tempo and became more defensively oriented. D. Schönbrodt's lack of experience almost gave AJ a goal after 39 minutes, but the shot went right into the keeper's arms. The teams went for the halftime break at 3 - 1. H.C.Brasov had most of the ball, with 80 percent of possession.

During the break, AJ's coach went through the team's tactics yet again, getting them up to solid organisation. Ð. Grković's early cross saw the defenders caught out of position and the alert M. Uri was able to pounce and roll the ball past the hapless goalkeeper to score for H.C.Brasov. 4 - 1. H.C.Brasov's Ð. Grković increased the lead to 5 - 1, after he saw his shot go between the legs of the advancing goalkeeper following some good play down the right wing after 61 minutes. 76 minutes in, H.C.Brasov's M. Uri received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. H.C.Brasov solidified their lead at the 81 minute mark, as M. Tepper dribbled the ball through the opposing central defence and scored to make it 6 - 1. After 82 minutes, following yet another great corner, M. Tepper's flick on at the near post reached M. Uri, who was just wide with his snapshot - the ball went out for a goal kick. The home side's Z. Garcia Jr. curled a free kick home after 86 minutes, putting H.C.Brasov ahead 7 - 1. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. Ð. Grković squirmed through their central defence after 88 minutes, increasing the lead to 8 - 1. 89 minutes in, AJ appeared unsure on how to play and their organisation was only inadequate. A magnificent combination in the middle resulted in H.C.Brasov's N. Gângioveanu increasing the lead to 9 - 1. H.C.Brasov enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 86 percent of possession.

H.C.Brasov's best player was D. Schönbrodt. On the other hand, M. Uri's play was disheartening. AJ's top performer was clearly Ş. Moldovan. However, D. Buzariu made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 9 - 1.