League

Birmingham
Spectators: 6949 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1949, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Rodrigo Malheiro started the match with the kick off. Rodrigo Malheiro sent away a hard shot on goal in the 5th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Hector Jacinto was a little too slow when Rodrigo Malheiro got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 13th minute. The score was now 1-0. Viveque De Matos fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 17th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Hector Jacinto having to interfere. Ambrósio Dos Santos struck a weak shot in the 20th minute. Diamantino Mendes didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Bacup AFC. An unexpectedly hard shot by Paulo Gonçalves in the 23rd minute of play forced Birmingham AFC's goalkeeper Diamantino Mendes to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 24 minutes into the game, Ambrósio Dos Santos cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-1. Diamantino Mendes was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. In the 34th minute, Alda Curvelo hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The supporters of Bacup AFC booed when Birmingham AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 37 match minutes in a wonderful position. Tadeu Montoia didn't get a good kick on the ball. Alda Pepetela was probably a little too eager to shoot when he, in the 37th played minute, shot the ball from way out. The shot was hard, but the ball flew wide of the goal. After a defensive mix-up in Birmingham AFC's zone, Paulo Gonçalves stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Diamantino Mendes came out of the goal and Paulo Gonçalves tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Paulo Gonçalves's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Diamantino Mendes read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 47th minute of play.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Ambrósio Dos Santos was the one to do the kick off. Bacup AFC's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Alda Pepetela in the 53rd minute. Hector Jacinto came out of the goal in the 55th minute to try and stop a shot by Birmingham AFC's Rodrigo Malheiro. But to his dismay, Rodrigo Malheiro quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-1. Bacup AFC's Paulo Gonçalves got a good chance for a goal in the 59th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Hector Jacinto took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Rodrigo Malheiro, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After 69 played minutes Bacup AFC got a freekick which was hit by Camilo Dikaté. Diamantino Mendes made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ambrósio Dos Santos in the 72nd minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Ambrósio Dos Santos in the 74th minute of play forced Birmingham AFC's goalkeeper Diamantino Mendes to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After some fancy dribbling in the 77th minute, Rodrigo Malheiro managed to get in a good position for a shot. Birmingham AFC's supporters rose to their feet, but Rodrigo Malheiro was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Hector Jacinto breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. The audience was convinced that Viveque De Matos's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Hector Jacinto was relentless in the 90th minute of the game. If Ambrósio Dos Santos had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 92nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The referee blew his whistle, and the match came to a close. The players exchanged shirts and headed down the tunnel. The Birmingham AFC fans cheered their team off the field, for while Bacup AFC had put up a good fight, they were unable to come out of the game with any points to show for their effort.