League Play-Off

Estádio Meruoca
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Meruoca's Luiz Fábio Bastos started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. When Ernesto Proença fell near the penalty area in the 5th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Paranatama's protests and gave Ernesto Proença a yellow card for diving instead. Ernesto Proença kicked well hit freekick during the 5th minute of the match. After 6 played minutes, Meruoca's Amauri Souza shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Luís Fabiano Veloso 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 Meruoca reached it. In the 6th match minute, Paranatama was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Fabiano de Queiroz to maneuver through the defense. Luís Fabiano Veloso came out of the goal in the 7th minute to try and stop a shot by Meruoca's Mateus Favoretto. But to his dismay, Mateus Favoretto quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-0. After 10 played minutes Meruoca got a freekick which was hit by Edmundo Brasil. When Mateus Favoretto came up free with the goalie in the 16th minute, the Meruoca 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 Mateus Favoretto couldn't finish the play. When Meruoca's Luiz Fábio Bastos in the 17th minute got a chance for a shot 17th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Paranatama's goalie prevented a goal. Geraldo Queirós received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 19th minute. Tibúrcio do Valle tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 24 minutes, Geraldo Queirós made it 1-1 with a short kick to the right side. Meruoca's Tibúrcio do Valle tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. Tibúrcio do Valle took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Geraldo Queirós, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Meruoca's Tibúrcio do Valle played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Armindo Matos in the 28th minute of play. When Jairo Velasco fell near the penalty area in the 32nd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Paranatama's protests and gave Jairo Velasco a yellow card for diving instead. After 32 played minutes Paranatama got a freekick which was hit by Jairo Velasco. Tibúrcio do Valle made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Armindo Matos in the 34th minute of play. Tibúrcio do Valle made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Armindo Matos in the 38th minute of play. Luís Fabiano Veloso was out of position in the 44 minute of play, and Luiz Fábio Bastos capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Luiz Fábio Bastos really showed his touch with that goal: 2-1. With a little luck, Paranatama's Luís Fabiano Veloso got control of the ball when Mateus Favoretto tried to sneak it across the goal line.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Armindo Matos was the one to do the kick off. Tibúrcio do Valle made a fantastic save in the 52nd minute, when Geraldo Queirós sent off a good shot on target. Edmundo Brasil's late challenge caught a Paranatama's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Edmundo Brasil helped the player get up and apologised. In the 59th match minute, Meruoca was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Edmundo Brasil to maneuver through the defense. Geraldo Queiróss short, quick shot in the 62ndth minute got Tibúrcio do Valle to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Armindo Matos struck a weak shot in the 64th minute. Tibúrcio do Valle didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Paranatama. When Claudinho Terra fell near the penalty area in the 67th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Meruoca's protests and gave Claudinho Terra a yellow card for diving instead. The supporters of Paranatama booed when Meruoca was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 67 match minutes in a wonderful position. Claudinho Terra didn't get a good kick on the ball. Mateus Favoretto sent away a hard shot on goal in the 71st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Geraldo Queirós who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 80thth minute tested the skills of Tibúrcio do Valle when he managed to save the team from getting behind. Tibúrcio do Valle came out of the goal in the 82nd minute to try and stop a shot by Paranatama's Geraldo Queirós. But to his dismay, Geraldo Queirós quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-2. If Mateus Favoretto had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 85th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Mateus Favoretto in the 88th minute of play forced Paranatama's goalkeeper Luís Fabiano Veloso to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. If Armindo Matos had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 91st minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. In the 95th minute of the match, Geraldo Queirós got a very nice opportunity to score, but Tibúrcio do Valle was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. Both teams had looked equal from kick-off, and no-one was surprised when the match finally ended in a draw.