NERD 3 - 1 stradin (382019713)

15103 fans braved the pouring rain at Burbank FuturStadium. Virgile Sévigny was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Harry Neuenschander and Ralph Prendergast. NERD had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. Starters: Bodzioch - Deibler, Caterina, Demir - Schipperheyn, Tritos, Cerrato, Pouch, Nucera - Spreafico, Pillitteri.

stradin decided to use a 4-5-1 set up. They fielded: Winnik - Ortega, 德峰 (Defeng) , Oppegård, Berbeglia - Comparini, Jonasson, Grzegorski, Setzinger, Matarasso - Sidenmar.

Using their counter-attacking abilities was the strategy of choice for stradin. Making his way up the middle 7 minutes into the match, C. Tritos almost managed to squeeze a goal past the visitors' keeper, but the alert S. Winnik blocked it to keep the score level. With 25 minutes played, seemingly due to lack of experience, Z. Grzegorski needlessly tripped an opponent just outside the penalty area, but the free kick that followed didn't succeed. NERD took the lead after 26 minutes as a result of L. Spreafico's peach of a shot from the right hand side of the box - placed beautifully in the top corner. 1 - 0. A cross coming in on the right hand side left M. Sidenmar alone in front of the goal after 29 minutes but his shot was woeful. S. Oppegård slipped and slithered in the wet grass. His usual rapid runs were nowhere to be seen today. The teams went for the halftime break at 1 - 0. Possession in this half belonged to NERD, who controlled the ball 62 percent of the time.

Always quick and a menace to his opponents, R. Nucera was very close to getting through after 59 minutes, but he could only put the ball into the keeper's arms. NERD put themselves up 2 - 0 when V. Cerrato broke through on the right, leaving the entire defence trailing in his wake. The coach of NERD was happy with the game so far, but still wanted to change the line up. After 65 minutes, M. Skwara came on for S. Schipperheyn. The visitors got one back when M. Sidenmar finished off a pass from the left and scored after 70 minutes. 2 - 1 was the score. The NERD players could smell victory in the air. R. Nucera wasn't in a hurry to leave the field as he was substituted for N. Jukola after 71 minutes. A great save by keeper S. Winnik after 71 minutes kept the visitors in the game after L. Spreafico struck from the left with a real cannonball. V. Caterina left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 77 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. L. Nativo was the replacement. A speedy charge from the left side of the field increased the lead of NERD to 3 - 1 as N. Jukola finished it off competently, firing in from an acute angle. The home side's V. Cerrato came close to extending the lead 84 minutes into the game. His shot came in from the right hand side but S. Winnik managed to save it with an unbelievable reaction stop. stradin had a great opportunity to score following a counterattack after 85 minutes, but J. Jonasson's shot from the left sailed high over the bar. NERD claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 69 percent.

Most important NERD player was G. Pillitteri. However, A. Bodzioch made a disastrous appearance. stradin's top performer was clearly B. Matarasso. S. Berbeglia on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 3 - 1.