Giudicarie 4 - 2 Calcio (366014473)

A brilliantly sunny day had enticed a crowd of 40057 to Animal arena. Kim Jansson was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Cao Bao-Quoc and Karol 'Freiherr' Durajczyk. A 3-4-3 alignment was the formation of choice for Giudicarie. Starters: Maggiore - Mala, Chiarito, Arcangeli - Sarabia, Pieniniemi, Quintero, Hiriart - Minucci, Arconte, Sauer.

Calcio decided to use a 2-5-3 set up. The following players had been chosen: Gomozov - Järvinen, Riihiniemi - Urfer, Murawski, Maheut, Dubij, Sapiežinskas - Dinç, Piednoël, Pszczółka.

Calcio seemed to prefer attacking in the middle. Calcio took the lead 3 minutes into the game, making the score 0 - 1 after some elegant movement down the middle. H. Pszczółka was the scorer. The Giudicarie equaliser came after 10 minutes when A. Arconte floated in a free kick making the score 1 - 1. Giudicarie took the lead 17 minutes in, as T. Pieniniemi broke through on the left and put the 2 - 1 shot just beyond the reach of the outstretched keeper. Giudicarie managed to extend their lead to 3 - 1 when R. Minucci cut in neatly from the left side and struck a fine shot past the away team's goalkeeper. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave A. Hiriart from Giudicarie a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 29 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! F. Maggiore made a brilliant save 35 minutes into the match, blocking a rocket of a shot from J. Murawski on the right hand side. After 37 minutes of play, Calcio's G. Urfer unexpectedly struck an inside out ball from no angle at all and E. Dinç slotted it into the net for 3 - 2. J. Murawski really should have scored when he was chosen by fate to confront a wide open goal following a great play by G. Urfer after a corner. With 39 minutes played, Giudicarie's M. Chiarito almost extended the lead, but his shot from the left glanced off the top of the bar to fall behind the net. Halftime score was 3 - 2. Possession in this half belonged to Calcio, who controlled the ball 53 percent of the time.

P. Sapiežinskas found it hard to catch his breath today in the stifling heat. T. Pieniniemi left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 64 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. F. Uldanck was the replacement. A. Hiriart wanted to play on, but the Giudicarie coach had other ideas, and he was replaced 64 minutes into the game by S. Di Brandimarte. The coach of Giudicarie was happy with the game so far, but still wanted to change the line up. After 70 minutes, G. Stame came on for A. Arconte. After 72 minutes, a couple of quick and successful challenges followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area by G. Stame might have resulted in another goal for Giudicarie. However, K. Gomozov made a spectacular save. H. Pszczółka of Calcio was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. Giudicarie's D. Mala increased the lead to 4 - 2, after he saw his shot go between the legs of the advancing goalkeeper following some good play down the right wing after 74 minutes. Calcio players heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their wing attacks to the middle instead. S. Piednoël had a couple of good opportunities to reply, but the home team's keeper F. Maggiore was simply unbeatable. 83 minutes in, Calcio's J. Murawski received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Several players seemed a little dazed by the warm weather, and were repeatedly tricked by the clever and agile H. Pszczółka. Calcio's W. Dubij tried his best to narrow the score with a well placed free kick, but it wasn't quite good enough and F. Maggiore managed to block the shot. Calcio enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 55 percent of possession.

Giudicarie's best player was M. Chiarito. J. Quintero turned in a dismal performance, however. H. Pszczółka performed admirably for Calcio. On the other hand, P. Sapiežinskas's play was disheartening. The match ends 4 - 2.