22 Aug 2014, 04:50 pm
*Played 16th August*
Quote:Alexandria 0-1 Hamland
25' - J. Scott
Watch this match here!
Quote:Tellia 1-1 Senya (AET; 1-4 on penalties)
22' - M. Zajc
58' - A. Danetskë
The last quarter-final of this year's World Cup produced the first major upset as Senya overcame the odds to beat 2012 champions Tellia on penalties. After a strong start to the tournament, the Tellians have since struggled to dominate matches, even though they topped their group with six points. Senya have had a similar run, also finishing with six points, but placed second in their group behind Alexandria. The game began at a slow pace, as Senya's defensive formation controlled play, and ten minutes passed by before either 'keeper had anything to do, with Simone Di Maggio taking a goalkick after a Barnaby Hands shot flew wildly over. Tellia started to push forward after the tedium of the opening exchanges, and Gianluca Salmoiraghi tested Sileman Bɏankarlënœ from close range with a header before the Tellians went ahead. Salmoiraghi acted the pivot in a forward move which went through Luigi Donatello before ending-up at the feet of Marko Zajc. The winger escaped Aleks Mëa's sights and laced the ball down low past Bɏankarlënœ with the young stopper unable to react quick enough to make a touch. The match remained an open affair following the goal, but both Bɏankarlënœ and Di Maggio did their part in keeping it to 1-0 going into the break; Danetskë had a well-placed volley tipped wide via the outside of the post just after half an hour, while the Senyan 'keeper saved point-blank from Donatello's scuffed effort.
Senya returned from the break with some pace on the counter, and struck within 15 minutes after stopping a promising Tellian attack. Salmoiraghi was pick-pocketed inside the Senyan half and Markœ Minyorletsken unleashed Barnaby Hands down the left. Leaving Valérien Hertz on his heels, the winger made his way into the corner before finding a cross into the mixer, where Alesandrœ Danetskë repositioned himself between di Montezemolo and Sgarbini to connect scruffily with a flicked header that skidded off the turf before bouncing off the post and over the line as Di Maggio scrambled in vain. With the score level and still over half an hour left, there was still much action to go. Senya closed ranks after scoring, hoping not to concede immediately, and weathered a storm which saw Donatello, Zajc and captain Sezer Özker all try their luck with shots from around the box. The Senyans' best effort before the match was up fell to scorer Danetskë, but there was a lack of a decisive touch this time as his weak shot was palmed away strongly. The score failed to be modified within the regulation ninety and the first extra time of these championships was required.
Both sides approached the additional thirty minutes' action warily, with neither attempting any unnecessarily hopeful passes or risking anything in their own halves in the first 15. Senyan substitute Marœtika Lëberdan could only find the stands with his first-half shot as a tiring Salmoiraghi was levered off the ball before pulling the trigger after a run forward. The final quarter of an hour's action had one notable contentious decision, with Loreto Quaglio being dragged-down by Mëa on the edge of Senya's area, with the referee awarding a penalty with just four minutes to go. Mëa protested vocally against his booking, claiming the contact was outside the box, but a confident-looking Donatello stepped-up to take the spot kick. Bɏankarlënœ was helpless as he dived to his right, but the Tellian forward's high shot cleared the middle of the bar by a matter of inches to instill anguish before the penalty shootout's coming. Donatello was substituted in the final minute of extra time to add to his woes as his teammates were unable to do any better after the final whistle.
Penalties
B. Hands - Scored
S. Özker - Saved
A. Danetskë - Scored
G. Salmoiraghi - Scored
J. Maytek - Scored
M. Zajc - Missed
M. Minyorletsken - Scored