U23 World League

Hall of Valhalla
Spectators: 7499 (Terracing: 5625, Seating: 1725, VIP seats: 149) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Attilio Iob got the match started through his kick off. Villa Gordiani's Ciro Del Vecchio proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 10th minute of the match, managed to save Villa Gordiani from getting a goal against them. After 12 minutes, Petruț Crivac mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the PHOENIX Cluj-Napoca and the Villa Gordiani players grew even worse after the yellow card. Petruț Crivac kicked well hit freekick during the 12th minute of the match. PHOENIX Cluj-Napoca's Calistrat Şerbănescu was standing unmarked in front of the goal when he, in the 19th play minute, got the ball and easily drilled it into the goal. In the 24th minute, Alberigo Biscotti hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After a defensive mix-up in Villa Gordiani's zone, Calistrat Şerbănescu stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Ciro Del Vecchio came out of the goal and Calistrat Şerbănescu tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Calistrat Şerbănescu sent away a hard shot on goal in the 28th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 33rd minute, Attilio Iob ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Vlad Covrig was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-1. Calistrat Şerbănescu had several of the Villa Gordiani's defenders around him in the penalty area when he, after 37 minutes of play, received a pass and succeeded in some way to shoot a shot which went straight ahead into goal. This resulted in a 2-1 score and a disappointed Ciro Del Vecchio as he didn't even see the shot coming. If Damian Cârlan had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 40th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Dennis Stumpo during the 45th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 2-1.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Calistrat Şerbănescu was the one to do the kick off. In the 52nd minute Amedeo Scarpa shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Vlad Covrig saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 54thth minute of the game Sebastian Istodor who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Villa Gordiani's Ciro Del Vecchio was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. PHOENIX Cluj-Napoca were awarded a corner in the 55th minute after Villa Gordiani's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Sebastian Istodor took the corner. The corner went over the outstretched arms of Villa Gordiani's goalie and right to Eric Astafei. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. Villa Gordiani's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. Ciro Del Vecchio made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Damian Cârlan in the 57th minute of play. When the match clock showed 66 minutes, the score became 4-1 when Calistrat Şerbănescu sped through Villa Gordiani's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Ciro Del Vecchio. An unexpectedly hard shot by Calistrat Şerbănescu in the 69th minute of play forced Villa Gordiani's goalkeeper Ciro Del Vecchio to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Ferruccio Gelsomini charged in rather forcefully in the 69th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Ferruccio Gelsomini the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. Ferruccio Gelsomini kicked well hit freekick during the 69th minute of the match. In the 70th minute of the match Olimpiu Fecioru sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Ciro Del Vecchio skillfully saved the ball. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Calistrat Şerbănescu in the 73rd minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Ciro Del Vecchio prevented the ball from getting in the gole. A collision led to PHOENIX Cluj-Napoca getting a freekick after 74 minutes play. Olimpiu Fecioru hit a great ball. Vlad Covrig made a fantastic save in the 75th minute, when Attilio Iob sent off a good shot on target. Calistrat Şerbănescu struck a weak shot in the 76th minute. Ciro Del Vecchio didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for PHOENIX Cluj-Napoca. In the 79th match minute, PHOENIX Cluj-Napoca was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Petruț Crivac to maneuver through the defense. Villa Gordiani's Enzo Bearzot got a good chance for a goal in the 83rd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. When the match had gone on for 87 minutes, Calistrat Şerbănescu put it in 5-1 from a short distance just to the right of Ciro Del Vecchio. If Sebastian Istodor had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 91st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. PHOENIX Cluj-Napoca's Calistrat Şerbănescu got a good chance for a goal in the 94th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. When the referee ended the match the PHOENIX Cluj-Napoca players were able to celebrate. They had won a fair victory and recieved the ovations of their fans.