Cerezo 3 - 0 Tigers (386936655)

A brilliantly sunny day had enticed a crowd of 58076 to SKI stadium. Kristoffer Sommervold was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Jouni Hulkki and Walter Barnat. Cerezo decided to use a 4-4-2 set up. Lineup: Kasaya - 藤木 (Fujiki), Mozzanica, Molovski, 久保田 (Kubota) - Forgani, Kikugawa, Raykov, Fukumitsu - Noura, Boon Guang.

Tigers had chosen a strategic 5-3-2 formation. They fielded: Kanagaki - Yamamoto, Ihara, Nagano, Ishihara, Kasamatsu - Egawa, Terauchi, Miyama - Kahaya, 野口 (Noguchi).

Counter-attacking seemed to be the preferred strategy of Tigers. With 22 minutes played, the home side managed to get a 1 - 0 lead as R. Noura flipped the ball in after a cross from the right. Coming from the right, 賢. 藤木 (Fujiki) almost managed to score another goal for Cerezo, but his header was tipped over the bar by the visitors' keeper. Tigers were able to draw a foul with their counterattacks, but the shot from T. Kahaya went into the arms of the keeper. Halftime score was 1 - 0. Cerezo claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 66 percent.

Tigers's counterattack was impressive and was only stopped by a shocking foul. Somehow, the referee's cards remained in his pocket - a terrible decision! T. Kahaya's resulting free kick was easily saved by the keeper. C. Boon Guang of Cerezo received a yellow card after 86 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. With 88 minutes gone, a long pass from the defence of Tigers resulted in a counterattack that set 高. 野口 (Noguchi) free through the middle, but the keeper made a spectacular diving save. The head of C. Boon Guang connected with a corner kick after 89 minutes, and the ball ended up with H. Raykov of Cerezo who blasted the ball into the net, making the score 2 - 0. R. Noura increased Cerezo's lead to 3 - 0 with a penalty spot cannonball. Tigers's counterattacks created a good chance for T. Egawa on the right after 89 minutes, but he could only look on with dismay as his strike rebounded off the crossbar. Good work by the Tigers defensive line after 89 minutes produced a good counterattack chance, which cut elegantly down the middle of the pitch and found T. Egawa alone in front of the goal, but his shot whistled just wide. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Cerezo, with 66 percent of the ball.

Cerezo's top performer was clearly J. Kasaya. However, P. Forgani made a disastrous appearance. Most important Tigers player was 高. 野口 (Noguchi). T. Kahaya was a disappointment, however. The match ends 3 - 0.