League Play-Off

HIGHWAY TO HELL
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Oliveira Cardoso started the match with the kick off. In the 4th minute, João Cunha ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Noel Coimbra was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-1. With a couple of smart ball manuevers João Cunha in the 9th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Noel Coimbra saved King Dragon from getting behind. In the 14th minute João Cunha shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Noel Coimbra saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Noel Coimbra stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Oliveira Cardoso's shot from short distance in the 16th minute. 18 minutes into the match, SC Candosa's goal looked a bit too open when Valério Moreira came free, but Rui Matias reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 20 played minutes SC Candosa got a freekick which was hit by Francisco Paredes. Rui Matias took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Valério Moreira, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 23rd minute, João Cunha left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The SC Candosa fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-2. After 27 played minutes, King Dragon's Germano Guterres shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Rui Matias came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in King Dragon reached it. Rui Matias made an important save on a dangerous shot by Jerónimo Domingues in the 29th minute. Noel Coimbra showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from João Cunha in the 34th minute of the match. King Dragon's Noel Coimbra played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Oliveira Cardoso in the 41st minute of play. When Abílio Fidalgo fell near the penalty area in the 45th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored King Dragon's protests and gave Abílio Fidalgo a yellow card for diving instead. The supporters of SC Candosa booed when King Dragon was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 45 match minutes in a wonderful position. Abílio Fidalgo didn't get a good kick on the ball. After the first half SC Candosa were leading 0-2. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Valério Moreira stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. After a defensive mix-up in King Dragon's zone, Oliveira Cardoso stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Noel Coimbra came out of the goal and Oliveira Cardoso tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Valério Moreira sent away a hard shot on goal in the 58th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Jerónimo Domingues had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 60th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Rui Matias showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Valério Moreira in the 62nd minute of the match. If Valério Moreira had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 64th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Delfim Fernandes charged in rather forcefully in the 68th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Delfim Fernandes the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. A collision led to SC Candosa getting a freekick after 68 minutes play. Delfim Fernandes hit a great ball. In the 71st minute of the match King Dragon got a corner. SC Candosa's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Pascoal Brochado ran over to the corner to take the kick. Noel Coimbra made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Oliveira Cardoso in the 73rd minute of play. If João Cunha had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 74th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 76th minute, Abílio Fidalgo hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After a rather tough play, King Dragon's Valério Moreira got a free kick in the 79th minute. King Dragon's Noel Coimbra proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 80th minute of the match, managed to save King Dragon from getting a goal against them. If João Cunha had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 82nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. João Cunha received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 86th minute. Noel Coimbra tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 90th minute, Delfim Fernandes hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 94th minute the ball was on its way in behind King Dragon's goalkeeper Noel Coimbra, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. When the match was over SC Candosa could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than King Dragon throughout the match.