League Play-Off

Marcelo Gallardo
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. Esteban Beti started the match with the kick off. La Cobra's Abelardo Celipe managed, thanks to a brazen rush, stole the ball on a throw-in made by Luisito Ganix in the 5 minute of the game. After some fancy dribbling in the 7th minute, Esteban Beti managed to get in a good position for a shot. La Cobra's supporters rose to their feet, but Esteban Beti was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Antonio Ralondo breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After having played for 11 minutes, Angel Firmin managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. San Andreas's supporters crossed their fingers, but Angel Firmin was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Tomás Rivero came out of the goal in the 13th minute to try and stop a shot by San Andreas's Norberto Marino. But to his dismay, Norberto Marino quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-1. If Norberto Marino had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 18th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. A collision led to San Andreas getting a freekick after 24 minutes play. Ismael Cordeiro hit a great ball. After some fancy dribbling in the 27th minute, Norberto Marino managed to get in a good position for a shot. San Andreas's supporters rose to their feet, but Norberto Marino was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Tomás Rivero breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Norberto Marino's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Tomás Rivero read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 31st minute of play. In the 42nd match minute, San Andreas was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Ismael Cordeiro to maneuver through the defense. If Angel Firmin had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 44th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Norberto Marino received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 47th minute. Tomás Rivero tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Samuel Sabino to strike the kick off in the second half. If Samuel Sabino had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 55th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Samuel Sabino could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 59th minute of the match, but Tomás Rivero made a huge save. Tomás Rivero made an important save on a dangerous shot by Javier Peruxu in the 60th minute. The supporters of San Andreas booed when La Cobra was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 61 match minutes in a wonderful position. Bernardo Dimas didn't get a good kick on the ball. Tomás Rivero showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Valentin Duarte in the 62nd minute of the match. A collision led to La Cobra getting a freekick after 63 minutes play. Jose Vasco hit a great ball. Angel Firmin blasted a shot towards the goal in the 64th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Tomás Rivero having to make a save. Samuel Sabino kicked well hit freekick during the 69th minute of the match. 71 minutes into the match, La Cobra's goal looked a bit too open when Angel Firmin came free, but Tomás Rivero reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 72nd play minute Samuel Sabino came free and shot an unsuspected shot which went into goal from the right pole behind a surprised Tomás Rivero. 0-3. Samuel Sabino could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 77th minute of the match, but Tomás Rivero made a huge save. The crowd rose to their feet as Javier Peruxu kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Tomás Rivero. That made the score 0-4 in the 78 minute of play. Tomás Rivero showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Ismael Cordeiro, who was totally free with the ball in the 84th minute. Tiburcio Mannuel's late challenge caught a San Andreas's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Tiburcio Mannuel helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of San Andreas booed when La Cobra was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 86 match minutes in a wonderful position. Tiburcio Mannuel didn't get a good kick on the ball. 89 minutes into the match, La Cobra's goal looked a bit too open when Angel Firmin came free, but Tomás Rivero reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The audience thought a goal was coming when Samuel Sabino got free with Tomás Rivero in the 90th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. If Angel Firmin had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 93rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. A sloppy throw-in by Luisito Ganix in the 95th minute of the game went astray and was snapped up by La Cobra's Jose Vasco. When the final whistle sounded San Andreas left the ground with the victory after a much better performance than La Cobra.