Happy ending for Ticino
Thursday, June 26, 2003
Article summary
Ticino Amateur earned their first win of the tournament after overcoming Principado de Asturias Amateur 1-0.
Article body
Positive mood
With the Spanish side needing to win by at least four goals to have any chance of reaching the UEFA Regions' Cup final, they started the game in positive mood and should have taken the lead after just seven minutes.
Off the post
Rubén Fernández Rodríguez suddenly found himself free inside the Swiss side's penalty area, but although his shot beat goalkeeper Luigi Polito, it clattered against the goalpost and bounced away to safety.
Chances missed
Miguel Sánchez Baragueño's side never gave up, though, forcing Ticino to defend deep as they poured through on goal, but as in so many of their games in the tournament, they failed to convert their chances.
Patelli goal
They were made to curse their finishing when Ticino scored what proved to be the only goal of the game in the first half. After a swift counterattack, Simone Patelli found himself free in the area, and beat the Spanish goalkeeper with a low shot.
Hopes fade
The second half took on a familiar pattern with Fabrizio Vavassori's side continuing to keep Asturias at bay, but as news filtered through of Piemonte Vallle d'Aosta's win against Württemberg Amateur at the Carl Zeiss stadium in Aalen-Oberkochen, Spanish hopes dwindled to nothing.
Third place
The result leaves Asturias at the foot of the Group A table with two points after draws in their opening two games. Ticino finish third after taking three points from their final game, but are a point behind Württemberg who beat them 4-0 in their opening match.