Maniac 5 - 4 Mortimers (378918840)

4185 spectators arrived at El Asador de nano, where weather conditions were pretty good for football. Amichai Makhlav was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Mario Mureddu and Jarkko Vuori. Maniac had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. Lineup: Boskovich - Badillo, Maseda, Soares - Salvo, Lixandru, Amaral, Molinaro, Češpiva - Datti, Mas.

Mortimers started off with a 2-5-3 lineup. The following players had been chosen: Mojani - Robledillo, Ibarburen - Venhuizen, Zupan, Petrilli, Iannuzzi, Pousada - Esquerdo, Badea, Obregón.

Today, Maniac's strategy involved concentrating on the flanks for their attacks. After 16 minutes a well-practised indirect free kick routine by Mortimers was easily anticipated by the defenders. The players forward were so well marked, they were left with few viable options. 22 minutes into the game, A. Esquerdo had a great chance to put his team ahead, but his kick from the left went wide. Maniac fans held their breath as P. Mas scampered down the left side. He successfully avoided all challenges and cracked home the shot for 1 - 0! Mortimers had a chance to level the score as A. Esquerdo suddenly found himself free in the middle of the box with only the keeper to beat, but he misjudged the finish, and only managed to hit the bar. Mortimers tied it all up, 32 minutes in, after a spectacular goal by T. Venhuizen, who miraculously broke through the home side's central defence, making it 1 - 1. E. Lixandru behaved like an inexperienced youth player after 33 minutes as he gave the ball away to S. Zupan. Lucky for him though, there was no goal. After some beautiful movement down the left wing, P. Mas scored for Maniac putting them ahead 2 - 1, after 36 minutes. 2 - 1 was the halftime score. Neither team were able to dominate possession this half.

A. Pousada came close to levelling the score 49 minutes into the game, as he was set up with a through ball coming in from the left, but his shot hit the post. The visitors' A. Badea was alert after a cross coming in from the left, levelling the score at 2 - 2 after 52 minutes. Mortimers's H. Robledillo was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 63 minutes. The visitors' central defence should have had no trouble clearing the pass to S. Češpiva, but the Maniac player managed to shrug them off and fired a low shot past the keeper to give his team the lead. 3 - 2! After 68 minutes, Mortimers were awarded a free kick. Rather than shooting straight at goal, the taker went for an indirect variant which seemed to take his team mates a bit by surprise. A. Esquerdo did attempt a finish, but from an awkward position, sending the ball into the away fans. After a savage shot that could only be parried by the keeper, T. Venhuizen demonstrated his experience by being in just the right place to slot home the rebound. His goal for Mortimers 69 minutes into the match made the score 3 - 3. Many thought E. Datti ought to have been awarded a penalty 75 minutes into the game, as he went down trying to dribble around k. Mojani after a determined run through the middle. The home crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief when L. Petrilli was unable to put the ball in the net after his show of skill down the left 77 minutes into the match. He was seen beating the pitch in frustration at missing such a good chance to give his team the lead! As the 80 minute mark approached, the Maniac coach decided it was time for a substitution. S. Češpiva reluctantly made way for P. Caillat on the pitch. 85 minutes into the match, the referee signalled for a Maniac substitution. J. Estella came on for C. Amaral. G. Molinaro would have preferred to play on, but his coach decided otherwise. I. Tsatsarelis entered the game for Maniac as the match clock showed 85 minutes. Maniac enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 53 percent of possession.

Still tied after 90 minutes, the match continued into extra time. Against a lesser team, Mortimers could very well have succeeded with their smart indirect free kick routine after 110 minutes. A trio of passes took the ball all the way past the defenders, but by then the intended recipient was already blocked off and the keeper could make a leisurely save. Mortimers's Ó. Obregón could have put the guests one up after 111 minutes after chasing a through ball from the right, but J. Boskovich was as fast as a snake, grabbing the ball from under his nose. The result was still a draw, so the match had to be settled with penalties.

Maniac's M. Salvo looked like he knew exactly where he wanted to put the ball, but unfortunately his shot went wide of the left hand post. Still 3 - 3. Mortimers's H. Robledillo didn't look like he was confident as he stepped up, and produced a badly struck penalty - right into the arms of J. Boskovich. The score remained 3 - 3. Maniac's P. Caillat was relaxed as he smoothly put the ball in the net. 4 - 3! Mortimers's A. Esquerdo looked nervous even as he was putting the ball on the spot. He didn't take much of a run up, and his weak shot was easily saved by the keeper. Maniac's I. Tsatsarelis made no mistake. k. Mojani didn't have a chance. 5 - 3. Oooh - how unlucky! Mortimers's A. Pousada attempt hit the underside of the bar, but rebounded down into the grateful arms of J. Boskovich. The score stays 5 - 3. Clearly nervous from the start, Maniac's J. Estella took a long run up, but could only blast the ball over the bar. The score remains 5 - 3. Clearly nervous from the start, Mortimers's A. Iannuzzi took a long run up, but could only blast the ball over the bar. The score remains 5 - 3. Maniac's E. Lixandru penalty shot was very well placed but k. Mojani went the right way, blocking it spectacularly. The score was still 5 - 3. Mortimers's k. Mojani showed he has nerves of steel when it comes to penalties, easily changing the score to 5 - 4. The most dominating Maniac player was without a doubt P. Mas. On the other hand, M. Salvo's play was disheartening. Mortimers's top performer was clearly Ó. Obregón. A. Badea on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 5 - 4.