League

Humberto Badaró
Spectators: 7104 (Terracing: 5426, Seating: 1663, VIP seats: 15) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Manfredo Queiroz took the kick off in the first half of the match. Itajuipe EC's Boruc Motowski pulled a muscle in his back after 3 minutes and couldn't finish the game. Valdomiro Senna charged in rather forcefully in the 3rd minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Valdomiro Senna the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After 5 played minutes Sparta Rotterdam got a freekick which was hit by Valdomiro Senna. In the 7thth minute of the game Victor Mendiko who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Sparta Rotterdam's Elder Gonçalves was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Nilmar Ferreira in the 13th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Elder Gonçalves saved Sparta Rotterdam from getting behind. Victor Mendiko sent away a hard shot on goal in the 14th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Elder Gonçalves took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Nilmar Ferreira, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The supporters of Itajuipe EC booed when Sparta Rotterdam was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 18 match minutes in a wonderful position. Leopoldo Amaral didn't get a good kick on the ball. Sparta Rotterdam's Elder Gonçalves proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 20th minute of the match, managed to save Sparta Rotterdam from getting a goal against them. After 21 minutes, Leopoldo Amaral mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Sparta Rotterdam and the Itajuipe EC players grew even worse after the yellow card. The supporters of Itajuipe EC booed when Sparta Rotterdam was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 21 match minutes in a wonderful position. Leopoldo Amaral didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 23 minutes of play Sparta Rotterdam's Leopoldo Amaral was too eager in his attempt to stop his opponent and brought him down. With that he got his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. Leopoldo Amaral hit a great freekick 24 minutes into the match. If Joel Koehler had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 26th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. When Manfredo Queiroz came up free with the goalie in the 32nd minute, the Sparta Rotterdam fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Manfredo Queiroz couldn't finish the play. If Joel Koehler had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 40th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Victor Mendiko who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 42ndth minute tested the skills of Elder Gonçalves when he managed to save the team from getting behind. Victor Mendiko kicked well hit freekick during the 44th minute of the match. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 1-0 at half-time.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Victor Mendiko was the one to do the kick off. 52 minutes into the match, Sparta Rotterdam's goal looked a bit too open when Nilmar Ferreira came free, but Elder Gonçalves reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 54th minute, Victor Mendiko got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Itajuipe EC's Nilmar Ferreira got a good chance for a goal in the 56th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Nilmar Ferreira sent away a hard shot on goal in the 60th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. When Victor Mendiko came up free with the goalie in the 62nd minute, the Itajuipe EC fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Victor Mendiko couldn't finish the play. Victor Mendiko received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 64th minute. Elder Gonçalves tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Victor Mendiko in the 67th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Elder Gonçalves saved Sparta Rotterdam from getting behind. When André Luiz Vale fell near the penalty area in the 69th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Itajuipe EC's protests and gave André Luiz Vale a yellow card for diving instead. After some fancy dribbling in the 74th minute, Manfredo Queiroz managed to get in a good position for a shot. Sparta Rotterdam's supporters rose to their feet, but Manfredo Queiroz was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Cacá de Andrade breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 80thth minute of the game Victor Mendiko who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Sparta Rotterdam's Elder Gonçalves was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Nilmar Ferreira received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 81st minute. Elder Gonçalves tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Joel Koehler received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 84th minute. Elder Gonçalves tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Victor Mendiko sent away a hard shot on goal in the 87th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 89th minute of the match Samuel Mangueira shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Elder Gonçalves showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Victor Mendiko recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 93rd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. After 94 played minutes Sparta Rotterdam got a freekick which was hit by Manfredo Queiroz. Elder Gonçalves came out of the goal in the 95th minute to try and stop a shot by Itajuipe EC's Nilmar Ferreira. But to his dismay, Nilmar Ferreira quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-0. There was no doubt that Itajuipe EC were the better team. Itajuipe EC's players enjoyed the ovations of the crowd after the victory.