Prized/Friendly Cup

Zeche Zollverein
Spectators: 38 (Terracing: 29, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) GREEK ARMY's Vassilis Lazarakis started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. After some careless play in the Rot-Weiss-Essen defense, Süruri Şanalp kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Uwe Ziege. The Rot-Weiss-Essen fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Uwe Ziege should have stopped the shot. Süruri Şanalp recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 8th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. After a defensive mix-up in Rot-Weiss-Essen's zone, Süruri Şanalp stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Uwe Ziege came out of the goal and Süruri Şanalp tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Alkis Kalaboukas made a fantastic save in the 13th minute, when Ebbo Böse sent off a good shot on target. In the 18th minute, Sofoklis Kolomitrousis hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After some fancy dribbling in the 19th minute, Xavi Haberer managed to get in a good position for a shot. Rot-Weiss-Essen's supporters rose to their feet, but Xavi Haberer was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Alkis Kalaboukas breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After a rather tough play, Rot-Weiss-Essen's Gunther Schößler got a free kick in the 21st minute. A collision led to Rot-Weiss-Essen getting a freekick after 24 minutes play. Maurizio Brink hit a great ball. 34 minutes into the match, GREEK ARMY's Kasper Elssen broke free and took a long shot that unfortunately flew wide. A fine initiative that could have resulted in a goal. After 35 minutes, Nikos Tatsis mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the GREEK ARMY and the Rot-Weiss-Essen players grew even worse after the yellow card. After a rather tough play, GREEK ARMY's Nikos Tatsis got a free kick in the 35th minute. Uwe Ziege showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Vassilis Lazarakis in the 38th minute of the match. After a rather tough play, Rot-Weiss-Essen's Helmut Malinowski got a free kick in the 40th minute. Alkis Kalaboukas didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Hannes Kapell went, in the 46th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-1 was the resulting score. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

Alkis Kalaboukas showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Erkan Fostiropoulos, who was totally free with the ball in the 54th minute. 58 minutes into the match, GREEK ARMY's goal looked a bit too open when Xavi Haberer came free, but Alkis Kalaboukas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Hannes Kapell took the ball and in the 59 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Alkis Kalaboukas. Alkis Kalaboukas dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 2-1. Nikos Tatsis hit a great freekick 61 minutes into the match. Gunther Schößler kicked well hit freekick during the 64th minute of the match. Vassilis Lazarakis was really disappointed when he shot the ball just outside the right post instead of scoring a goal in the 65th minute. GREEK ARMY's manager could be seen on the sidelines shaking his head and muttering to himself as his team had just wasted another chance. Ebbo Böse's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Alkis Kalaboukas read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 76th minute of play. Süruri Şanalp might have been able to make a better finish in the 82nd minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Uwe Ziege. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Süruri Şanalp ran back to his position shaking his head. 86 minutes into the match, GREEK ARMY's goal looked a bit too open when Ebbo Böse came free, but Alkis Kalaboukas reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Süruri Şanalp fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 93rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Uwe Ziege having to interfere. After 95 minutes of play, GREEK ARMY's Süruri Şanalp made it 2-4 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Uwe Ziege was left in no man's land by his defense there! The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched GREEK ARMY eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.