Sorrento 7 - 4 Manchester (389433895)

31216 fans braved the pouring rain at Estadio Communale. David Krajíček was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Fabio Manfredi and Per-Erik Kyhlell. Sorrento had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. They fielded: Berland - Godholt, Myśliński, Giacomin - Ruart, Mereu, Ribers, Duisić, Ardeleanu - Matsi, Hricko.

A 3-5-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Manchester. Starters: Bănuţă - Treitinger, Rösch, Muijs - Martinell, Vidro, Richard, Kalkuš, Lumiste - Mpanos, Mariánek.

Manchester mostly ignored the flanks in favour of their ability to attack in the middle. 18 minutes of the match played, and a comedy of errors by the home side gave the visitors a chance at the lead, but F. Mariánek, after finding himself dashing down on goal from the left with only the keeper to beat, sliced his shot horribly wide. Almost all the way down to the corner flag, Manchester's T. Martinell somehow managed to get a perfect pass into the middle, impossible to miss for F. Mariánek, who struck for 0 - 1. The crowd roared in delight as H. Matsi finished off a spectacular series of passes through the middle to even the score for Sorrento 27 minutes into the match. 1 - 1. 1 - 2 was the score with 30 minutes played, after Z. Kalkuš cut through the central defence and chipped home a goal for Manchester. 31 minutes into the match, a typically brave header by B. Hricko from G. Ruart's cross looped just over the opposing goalkeeper's desperate reach. Goal for Sorrento, making the score 2 - 2. The crowd gasped as G. Mereu of Sorrento was flattened by an opponent after 32 minutes and had to be carried off. J. Rasschaert came in off the bench. Central attacks were the recipe of the day for Manchester, as they moved the ball from the wings to the middle with startling regularity. A mistake by the home side's central defence after 35 minutes allowed F. Mariánek to score for Manchester. The scoreboard now read 2 - 3. L. Ardeleanu showed the skills that make him a real crowd pleaser as he, after 36 minutes, wove through the guests' entire central defence and put the 3 - 3 equaliser away. They were singing the praises of L. Ardeleanu 40 minutes into the match after his speculative chip from the middle of the penalty box found its way over the visitors' keeper to make the score 4 - 3 to Sorrento. Halftime score was 4 - 3. Sorrento claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 57 percent.

Sorrento increased the lead as L. Ardeleanu struck to make the score 5 - 3 after an attack from the left left him unmarked in front of the keeper. This third goal completed a hattrick for L. Ardeleanu. Manchester had a good opportunity to attack on the wing, but remembered their instructions to go for middle attacks. With 74 minutes showing on the scoreboard clock, Manchester showed some good skill and were able to reduce the score to 5 - 4 when T. Martinell got past the home side's central defenders right in front of the goal. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. B. Hricko squirmed through their central defence after 83 minutes, increasing the lead to 6 - 4. J. Rasschaert slipped and slithered in the wet grass. His usual rapid runs were nowhere to be seen today. Sorrento solidified their lead at the 86 minute mark, as B. Hricko dribbled the ball through the opposing central defence and scored to make it 7 - 4. By then B. Hricko had scored three goals - a hat trick! Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Sorrento, with 55 percent of the ball.

H. Matsi performed admirably for Sorrento. On the other hand, A. Giacomin's play was disheartening. Manchester's top performer was clearly F. Mariánek. D. Rösch turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 7 - 4.