Late goal thwarts Württemberg

Principado de Asturias Amateur are still in contention for the final after a late equaliser against Württemberg Amateur.

Hearts broken
Felix Quero Lopez broke German hearts in front of a large crowd at the Normannia stadium in Schwäbisch Gmünd as he curled a free-kick round the Württemberg wall and past goalkeeper Daniel Reber's outstretched left hand to score an 83rd-minute equaliser and make it 1-1.

Enthralling tie
In an enthralling tie played in good spirit, it seemed that Asturias would be made to pay for missing good chances in the opening period. Reber made a superb, point-blank save from Moisés Vázquez García after 17 minutes. Twelve minutes later, Oscar Pantin looked certain to score after Reber spilled Vázquez García's angled shot into his path, but the striker somehow managed to drag his shot across the face of goal and wide.

Good goalkeeping
The game was hotly contested throughout with both sides creating chances, and Reber winning praise for his decisiveness in coming to collect crosses. The game seemed to be turning in his side's way when they took the lead 12 minutes into the second half.

Local boy
Substitute Alexander Raaf, who plays in the Normanniastadion for his club side 1. FC Normannia Schwäbisch Gmünd, darted an excellent ball into the area for Ünal Demirkiran to drive a fierce shot beyond Asturias goalkeeper Alejandro Rebollo Cenal.

Near misses
However, the Spanish side never lost heart, with Alberto Bobes González glancing a header wide of the post after 78 minutes, and Reber being forced to make a diving save at the feet of a striker after Ramon Jonas Rozada teased a tempting ball into his area.

Late chances
Asturias even had chances to score a winning goal after Quero Lopez's equaliser, as Alberto José Martínez Morán missed the target with what looked like a free header three minutes into added time, but the German side had their share of chances too, with Bernd Eckhardt going close a minute later.

'Very hard game'
"It was a very hard game," said Württemberg coach Wolfgang Kopp after the game. "The result is OK. We now play against Italy and we both have a chance to get to the final." Should one of the two sides win, they will be through to the showpiece. However, should they draw 1-1 or 0-0, Asturias may be able to steal through by scoring more than four goals against Ticino.