Official Cup

Cardenzan Arena
Spectators: 166 (Terracing: 125, Seating: 38, VIP seats: 3) Luponero FC's Laurence Johnson 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. It seemed to be an obvious goal in the 3rd minute, but Eraldo Cannone got his fingers on the ball or the save, leaving Luponero FC hanging dry this time. After 4 minutes Luponero FC's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Emanuele Morelli who took care of the corner kick. A well-hit corner resulted in Carmine Milani heading the ball towards the goal, but to his dismay he misdirected it and missed the goal completely. 10 minutes had been played when some careless play by Luponero FC's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Emanuele Morelli was slow to take the kick. During this time LIVIOFOREVER's players had a chance to rest. The corner ended in Giuliano Galfrè almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Luponero FC's Eraldo Cannone did a great save. Eraldo Cannone made an important save on a dangerous shot by Carlos Fernando de Sena in the 12th minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Laurence Johnson in the 16th minute of play forced LIVIOFOREVER's goalkeeper Fabiano Rago to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Fabiano Rago showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Laurence Johnson in the 21st minute of the match. After 22 minutes of play, Luponero FC's Roman Kon made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Fabiano Rago was left in no man's land by his defense there! 25 minutes into the match, Luponero FC's goal looked a bit too open when Giuliano Galfrè came free, but Eraldo Cannone reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Eraldo Cannone showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Emanuele Morelli, who was totally free with the ball in the 29th minute. In the 32ndth minute of the game Laurence Johnson who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but LIVIOFOREVER's Fabiano Rago was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. 34 minutes into the match, LIVIOFOREVER's Emanuele Morelli sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Eraldo Cannone narrowly saved just below the crossbar. LIVIOFOREVER's Fabiano Rago played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Ignaz Ecke in the 35th minute of play. After some careless play in the LIVIOFOREVER defense, Ignaz Ecke kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Fabiano Rago. The LIVIOFOREVER fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Fabiano Rago should have stopped the shot.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Emanuele Morelli stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. After 53 played minutes Luponero FC got a freekick which was hit by Roman Kon. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Emanuele Morelli in the 54th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Eraldo Cannone prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Eraldo Cannone showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Carlos Fernando de Sena, who was totally free with the ball in the 73rd minute. LIVIOFOREVER's Fabiano Rago proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 77th minute of the match, managed to save LIVIOFOREVER from getting a goal against them. Ciccio Cherubini hit a great freekick 78 minutes into the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Carlos Fernando de Sena in the 81st minute of play forced Luponero FC's goalkeeper Eraldo Cannone to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. If Youri van Eycken had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 88th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The audience was convinced that Emanuele Morelli's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Eraldo Cannone was relentless in the 90th minute of the game. 92 minutes into the match, Youri van Eycken had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Eraldo Cannone. Luponero FC's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Youri van Eycken was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 3-2. Youri van Eycken sent away a hard shot on goal in the 95th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Luponero FC's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.