supercat 3 - 2 Atletico (367409575)

Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 24312 to El temple. Hakan Ögetürk was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Mugurel Mândrutã and Viktor Geut. supercat tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. They fielded: Segel - Peterka, Camporredondo, Vaižmužis - Herics, Velea, Velardo, Krashi, Pataki - Prorok, Caddeo.

Atletico started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. Lineup: Díaz - Aladal, Gundersen, Carolina - de Valdeorras, Berends, Rivero Pastor, Sagnard, Manyoses - Sá, Vilanó.

supercat were clearly looking ahead to the next match rather than focusing on the one at hand. supercat displayed their ability to play creatively. 16 minutes into the game, supercat had difficulty finding their positions and their organisation dropped to inadequate. Having been awarded a free kick in an awkward position after 19 minutes, supercat did not go for a shot but instead fired the ball hard into the 6 yard box. After a brief tussle with his marker, X. Camporredondo was able to power the ball past the keeper to make the score 1 - 0. Atletico were close to putting the equaliser away after 21 minutes as the opposing defence lost control of the ball to P. Sá in a scuffle towards the left of the goal, but in the end the ball was cleared over the dead ball line. With 22 minutes played, J. Rivero Pastor came in from the right and could have evened the score, but the defenders successfully repelled the attack by Atletico. P. Sá's lightning pace was too much for V. Peterka who could only look on as the Atletico player blasted one home. 1 - 1. 1 - 2 was the score with 41 minutes played, after G. Sagnard cut through the central defence and chipped home a goal for Atletico. The teams went for the halftime break at 1 - 2. Neither team were able to dominate possession this half.

The supercat had underestimated the opposition during the first half, but clearly realised the predicament they were in. That was timely, as they still had a chance to change the outcome of the game. The supercat players spent the break getting a rerun of the team's tactical organisation and regained a solid organisation when the game started again. As the game started to slip away for supercat, the manager decided to change the tactical approach. supercat tried to even things up by sending a long ball towards the centrally placed strikers, but the visitors' defence got the best of this rather direct style of play. Unhappy with the result so far in the game, the supercat manager used a brief break in play after 60 minutes to give the players new directives. 63 minutes into the game, supercat seemed a little tentative in their play as their organization fell to passable. 64 minutes in, supercat appeared unsure on how to play and their organisation was only inadequate. The supercat coach was desperate to reverse his team's fortunes in the game, and ordered his team to change strategy. J. Krashi showed the skills that make him a real crowd pleaser as he, after 65 minutes, wove through the guests' entire central defence and put the 2 - 2 equaliser away. After 78 minutes M. Prorok made a speedy advance and dropped the ball to C. Caddeo who shuffled it past the keeper. The score was now 3 - 2. With 82 minutes played, C. Caddeo could have brought this one home for supercat as he charged up on the left, but his hooked ball went just a bit too high. Neither team was controlling the possession at this point in the match, with the stats showing a 50:50 split.

Most important supercat player was J. Krashi. However, X. Camporredondo made a disastrous appearance. G. Sagnard performed admirably for Atletico. T. Aladal on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 3 - 2.