League Play-Off

Villa Celina
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. Leopoldo Eusko started the match with the kick off. 5 minutes into the match, Yupandú FC's goal looked a bit too open when Marcelino Santos came free, but Severino Lucero reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 6th minute Igor Colon shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Maximino Cordaro saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Marcelino Santos in the 7th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Severino Lucero saved Yupandú FC from getting behind. After some fancy dribbling in the 9th minute, Leopoldo Eusko managed to get in a good position for a shot. Yupandú FC's supporters rose to their feet, but Leopoldo Eusko was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Maximino Cordaro breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. The audience was convinced that Leopoldo Eusko's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Maximino Cordaro was relentless in the 11th minute of the game. With 14 minutes on the clock, Melquiades Patxi commited a dangerous tackle. The referee had no choice but to show him the red card. After 13 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for River Plate! In the 18th minute, Godfredo Sol hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Maximino Cordaro made an important save on a dangerous shot by Camilo Kaiet in the 26th minute. In the 28th minute of the match, Camilo Kaiet got a very nice opportunity to score, but Maximino Cordaro was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Leopoldo Eusko in the 32nd minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Maximino Cordaro prevented the ball from getting in the gole. In the 35th minute of the match, Leopoldo Eusko tried to roll the ball into the goal by the right post, but Maximino Cordaro saw his intentions and got control of the ball before it passed the line. Severino Lucero showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Marcelino Santos in the 40th minute of the match. After some fancy dribbling in the 46th minute, Camilo Kaiet managed to get in a good position for a shot. Yupandú FC's supporters rose to their feet, but Camilo Kaiet was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Maximino Cordaro breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After some careless play in the River Plate defense, Camilo Kaiet kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Maximino Cordaro. The River Plate fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Maximino Cordaro should have stopped the shot. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 2-1.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Marcelino Santos stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. In the 55th minute, River Plate's Marcelino Santos ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Severino Lucero. Severino Lucero yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 2-2. In the 58th match minute, River Plate was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Humberto Henrico to maneuver through the defense. Maximino Cordaro took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Leopoldo Eusko, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Marcelino Santos's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 65thth minute, Severino Lucero skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. When Justo Louis fell near the penalty area in the 67th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Yupandú FC's protests and gave Justo Louis a yellow card for diving instead. The supporters of River Plate booed when Yupandú FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 67 match minutes in a wonderful position. Justo Louis didn't get a good kick on the ball. Marcelino Santos fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 71st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Severino Lucero having to interfere. 75 minutes into the game, River Plate's Marcelino Santos nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Severino Lucero made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-3. In the 79th match minute, Yupandú FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Francisco Gaitan to maneuver through the defense. Damian Larra fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 83rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Severino Lucero having to interfere. In the 87th match minute, Yupandú FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Leopoldo Eusko to maneuver through the defense. River Plate's Maximino Cordaro played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Leopoldo Eusko in the 90th minute of play. After 93 played minutes, Yupandú FC's Francisco Gaitan shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Maximino Cordaro 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 Yupandú FC reached it. Maximino Cordaro showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Camilo Kaiet, who was totally free with the ball in the 96th minute. The River Plate supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing River Plate would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.