Head coach Gerardo Seoane made a bold tactical choice by sending out an entirely new starting lineup for the second half. In the initial fifteen minutes, both teams struggled to create any significant threat on goal. As the match continued, the weather took a turn for the worse, with heavy rain beginning to pour down from the 60th minute onwards. Despite the challenging conditions, the Foals harnessed their dominant performance and found the breakthrough in the 77th minute when Marvin Friedrich found the back of the net, extending their lead to 2-0.
In the first half, Jonas Omlin stood guard in goal, behind a resolute back four comprised of Kevin Diks, Ko Itakura, Nico Elvedi, and Lukas Ullrich. The midfield duo of Julian Weigl and Jens Castrop anchored the team in defensive roles, while the attacking trio of Franck Honorat, Kevin Stöger, and Wael Mohya supported center-forward Haris Tabaković with creativity and flair.
The second half saw a completely fresh Foals lineup take the field, with Moritz Nicolas stepping in as goalkeeper. The defensive line now featured Joe Scally, Marvin Friedrich, Fabio Chiarodia, and Luca Netz, who formed a solid back four. They were supported by Philipp Sander and Rocco Reitz in midfield, enhancing both defense and attack. Noah Pesch, Oscar Fraulo, and Grant-Leon Ranos showcased their attacking prowess in midfield, while Shio Fukuda donned the striker’s mantle, leading the offensive charge.
Notably absent from the squad was Robin Hack, who had only returned to team training a mere week prior. Additionally, Tim Kleindienst continued his rehabilitation from a knee injury, and Nathan Ngoumou was sidelined due to recovery from an Achilles tear, contributing to the reshaped lineup.
