Arçais 1 - 2 Catalunia (385871470)

Clouds darkened the skies at Le Bunker as 30456 spectators turned up for the match. Nil Karachev was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Kelmin Dermience and Jose Oliva. Arçais started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. The following players took the field: Déri - Lyapichev, Barthel, Gost - Taake, Pignolet, Radigales, Parra, Helbert - Wael, Wingeshausen.

A 4-3-3 alignment was the formation of choice for Catalunia. Lineup: Acević - Berrozo, Buchler, Gallart, Reizinho - Johannessen, Starkas, Gualano - Gajser, Bruken, Paradís.

Catalunia clearly had decided to counter-attack when they could. J. Gallart was first to reach a ball launched long through the center from Catalunia's defence 5 minutes into the game. He managed to keep his cool and beat the goalkeeper to make the score 0 - 1. After 14 minutes, Arçais sent a free kick in high over the penalty box. In what looked like a well-rehearsed move, the ball was headed backwards and reached L. Wael, who had plenty of space to place a well aimed shot - 1 - 1. Catalunia almost scored after a swift counterattack 17 minutes into the game, but M. Gualano put the shot from the left flank just outside the goal. 32 minutes had elapsed when a great chance for Arçais to take the lead after a good cross from the right found M. Pignolet alone with the keeper, but he chipped it to the wrong side of the post. 1 - 1 was the score after the first half. Arçais claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 73 percent.

W. Wingeshausen would have preferred to play on, but his coach decided otherwise. T. Wäisänen entered the game for Arçais as the match clock showed 60 minutes. Arçais could have put themselves ahead after 65 minutes but L. Wael missed a volley shot on a ball coming in from the right. After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, L. Buchler got himself booked. The manager of Catalunia was not happy. Catalunia took the lead after H. Bruken curved a free kick into the net. 1 - 2 T. Parra was just a finger's breadth away from an equaliser for Arçais with a strike from the left, but P. Acević managed to ward the shot off for a corner. L. Buchler remonstrated furiously with the referee after Catalunia had another decision go against them. The referee had no alternative but to show him another yellow card and send him from the pitch. B. Berrozo of Catalunia was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. Possession in this half belonged to Arçais, who controlled the ball 73 percent of the time.

B. Taake performed admirably for Arçais. A. Lyapichev on the other hand, had a terrible day. Most important Catalunia player was B. Gajser. On the other hand, T. Starkas's play was disheartening. The match ends 1 - 2.