Zola 3 - 2 Pipperos (392600216)

36709 spectators had come to New Zola Team Arena this cloudy day. Mustafa Karl was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Antonio Ortíz de Gaete and Per Harding. A 3-5-2 alignment was the formation of choice for Zola. Starters: Schopenhauer - Pomatta, Illiani, Cometa - Pellacani, Vagnozzi, Bokšić, Warszawa, Zanni - Bruijnaers, Trotha.

Pipperos started off with a 3-4-3 lineup. The following players had been chosen: Garnier - Giganti, Mazzara, Aniceto - Conforti, Teofilo, Ustara, Carrozzo - Edmond, Chave, Caplan.

Zola were mostly trying to use their skill at attacking on the flanks. 0 - 1 was the score with 19 minutes played, after M. Caplan cut through the central defence and chipped home a goal for Pipperos. 22 minutes in, and Zola were able to score the equalising goal to make it 1 - 1 when D. Warszawa picked up a pass coming in from the right and chipped it past the away team's keeper. 35 minutes into the match, the referee signalled for a Zola substitution. C. Scali came on for R. Pomatta. 1 - 1 was the score after the first half. Zola enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 56 percent of possession.

After 47 minutes, Pipperos's D. Chave made his way through the middle and nonchalantly placed the ball out of the keeper's reach, putting the visitors up 1 - 2. Zola put pressure on the visitors' central defence 63 minutes into the game, but J. Trotha couldn't find an opening. After 68 minutes, Zola switched D. Illiani with S. Belina, hoping for a quick impact on the pitch. After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, A. Bokšić got himself booked. The manager of Zola was not happy. After 75 minutes, Zola 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 C. Scali, who had plenty of space to place a well aimed shot - 2 - 2. Zola had a chance to take the lead after S. Belina's dazzling drive up the left, but the opportunity fizzled out as his shot went just over the bar after 79 minutes. Slack defending gave Zola a chance to take the lead with 84 minutes played, but S. Belina's cross from the left flank was fumbled in front of the goal and easily dealt with by the opposition. C. Aniceto of Pipperos received a yellow card after 87 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Zola had most of the ball, with 51 percent of possession.

As neither team was able to break the deadlock before the end of regular play, the teams took to the field again for extra time. After 91 minutes, the Zola manager redeployed his men. S. Cometa swapped positions with Z. Pellacani. D. Chave would have preferred to play on, but his coach decided otherwise. G. Pacewicz entered the game for Pipperos as the match clock showed 91 minutes. After 91 minutes, the Pipperos coach wanted to see a new face on the pitch, waving P. Conforti off the field. P. Granitsas took his place. As the 91 minute mark approached, the Pipperos coach decided it was time for a substitution. C. Aniceto reluctantly made way for P. Arslaner on the pitch. 93 minutes into the match and the home team took a 3 - 2 lead after breaking through on the left. The scorer for Zola was D. Bruijnaers. With that Zola had won the game in extra time. D. Bruijnaers performed admirably for Zola. Z. Pellacani turned in a dismal performance, however. The most dominating Pipperos player was without a doubt M. Caplan. N. Garnier on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 3 - 2.