Estudiantes 2 - 3 Inter m (388076885)

It had rained all day, but 28803 hardy fans still made it out to Estadio de Grande. Maciek Otworowski was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Art O'Malley and Gabor Moser. Estudiantes tactics involved an interesting 3-4-3 combination. The following players had been chosen: Gjana - Moorehouse, Ifrach, Pöyhölä - Oad, Vulker, Al-Kaleel, Riccio - Rosenberg, Mikhaylenko, Monteiro Figueiredo.

Inter m started off with a 2-5-3 lineup. The following players took the field: Nevin - Sims, Obolonenko - Marín Adán, Marcheselli, Pogač, Pires, Beltz - Hörnström, Rácz, Petitjean.

Estudiantes were mostly trying to use their skill at attacking on the flanks. I. Hörnström was struggling to make the ball dance with his usual trickery and panache, and the opposing players had little trouble shutting him down in these muddy conditions. Inter m had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially 13 minutes in when K. Rácz came up alone against D. Gjana who managed a block. Estudiantes fans held their breath as E. Vulker scampered down the left side. He successfully avoided all challenges and cracked home the shot for 1 - 0! S. Obolonenko came close to levelling the score 23 minutes into the game, as he was set up with a through ball coming in from the left, but his shot hit the post. It was 1 - 0 at the break. Inter m claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 68 percent.

Inter m needed a fresh pair of legs on the field, and after 54 minutes P. Pogač made way for W. Steppe. The bench was restless, and with 60 minutes passed Inter m's coach gave E. Pazderník the opportunity the player had been hoping for. A. Pires reluctantly left the field. With 65 minutes played, the Inter m coach decided a substitution may help turn the game around. E. Ampe came on, O. Marín Adán had to leave the fray. K. Rácz spent most of the time in a heap on the ground today, his normally rapid movement hindered by the slippery pitch. Estudiantes had a good opportunity to attack in the middle, but remembered their instructions to focus on wing attacks instead. Estudiantes's G. Riccio increased the lead to 2 - 0, after he saw his shot go between the legs of the advancing goalkeeper following some good play down the right wing after 73 minutes. A. Monteiro Figueiredo was having a great game - if anything the pouring rain seemed to be spurring him on! Inter m certainly deserved a goal after some stunning play down the left, but T. Petitjean just wasn't able to finish. Inter m fought on and, after 84 minutes, I. Hörnström was able to reduce the deficit to 2 - 1 after some excellent moves on the right side were finished off with an incredibly clever chip. Inter m tied it all up, 87 minutes in, after a spectacular goal by E. Ampe, who miraculously broke through the home side's central defence, making it 2 - 2. Some good play on the left wing created an opportunity for the visitors 87 minutes into the match, and E. Ampe wasn't about to let it go by. He got past the defenders and fired a shot that the keeper just missed. 2 - 3 for the visitors. Possession in this half belonged to Inter m, who controlled the ball 83 percent of the time.

Most important Estudiantes player was M. Moorehouse. On the other hand, H. Rosenberg's play was disheartening. T. Petitjean performed admirably for Inter m. U. Beltz on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 2 - 3.