Hercules 2 - 3 Vétérans

It was an exceptionally sunny day for the crowd of 3668 that came out to TNT Arena. was the appointed referee with assistance provided by and . Hercules decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. Lineup: Belmonte - Plejdrup, van Rootselaar, Popescu - Sarikoski, Olteanu, Vos, Mäkelä, Terva-aho - MacDonald, Averre.

Vétérans had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. Starters: Bompas - Gens, Leymarie, Royer - Boulongne, Cernea, Wehren, Rodrigues, Thoreau - Pinel, Goury.

Today, Hercules's strategy involved concentrating on the flanks for their attacks, taking advantage of their excellent level with that tactic. Vétérans immediately set off using their weak skill at pressing their opponents. With 6 minutes gone, Tarmo Sarikoski suddenly found himself completely free on the right wing when a counterattack by Hercules caught their opponents by surprise. Only a great save by the opposing keeper prevented him from scoring. The visiting Geoffrey Thoreau was booed thoroughly by the home crowd 10 minutes into the game, after he broke through the middle and scored, resulting in the visitors taking the lead. 0 - 1 was the score. Hercules's Hans Plejdrup left the field after 21 minutes because of a nasty blow to the shin. His replacement was Richie Franck. Some things can only be learned through experience, and Ilie Cernea should take his lesson to heart after nearly gifting Hercules a goal with 23 minutes of the match played. At this time in the match, Vétérans were using their skill at pressing to successfully stifle the game. After 28 minutes of play, Xavier MacDonald evened things up for Hercules with an impressive goal coming up the middle. 1 - 1. The terraces were silenced after 32 minutes when Vétérans's Bruno Pinel put the guests ahead 1 - 2, following an attack on the right. 1 - 2 was the score after the first half. Vétérans claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 68 percent.

The corner kick from Giorgio van Rootselaar was powerfully met by the head of Stefan Popescu to make the score 2 - 2. The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave Saen Vos from Hercules a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 57 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! As the 69 minute mark approached, the Vétérans coach decided it was time for a substitution. Ekkehard Wehren reluctantly made way for Flavien Barbaud on the pitch. Hercules had to make a substitution after 70 minutes. Richie Franck limped off the field and was replaced by Teemu Lehtikangas. 2 - 3 was the score with 76 minutes played, after José Gens cut through the central defence and chipped home a goal for Vétérans. Content with how the game was proceeding, the Vétérans coach let Teemu Mäkiranta replace Pascal Rodrigues after 79 minutes. Geoffrey Thoreau left the field with a smile on his face as he was substituted 80 minutes into the game, as his team was in the lead. Vincent Goller was the replacement. Possession in this half belonged to Vétérans, who controlled the ball 71 percent of the time.

The most dominating Hercules player was without a doubt Diego Belmonte. However, Stefan Popescu made a disastrous appearance. Most important Vétérans player was Ilie Cernea. Raphaël Royer turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 2 - 3.