League

Estádio Manoel B.
Spectators: 7215 (Terracing: 5412, Seating: 1660, VIP seats: 143) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Fernandinho Freitas made the kick off which started today's match. Juvenal Cabral hit a great freekick 4 minutes into the match. After 5 played minutes, Ajacio's Nilton da Costa shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Nildo Arruda 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 Ajacio reached it. If Fabiano Bittencourt had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 8th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Juvenal Cabral's late challenge caught a Ajacio's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Juvenal Cabral helped the player get up and apologised. After 10 played minutes Esporte Clube Vitória got a freekick which was hit by Juvenal Cabral. An unexpectedly hard shot by Fabiano Bittencourt in the 13th minute of play forced Esporte Clube Vitória's goalkeeper Nildo Arruda to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Nildo Arruda showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from William de Medeiros in the 17th minute of the match. When the match clock showed 19 minutes, the score became 0-1 when Fabiano Bittencourt sped through Esporte Clube Vitória's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Nildo Arruda. After some fancy dribbling in the 23rd minute, William de Medeiros managed to get in a good position for a shot. Ajacio's supporters rose to their feet, but William de Medeiros was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Nildo Arruda breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. If Fabiano Bittencourt had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 25th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Ajacio's William de Medeiros got a good chance for a goal in the 27th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Esporte Clube Vitória's Nildo Arruda played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Fabiano Bittencourt in the 29th minute of play. After a rather tough play, Esporte Clube Vitória's Juvenal Cabral got a free kick in the 33rd minute. 36 minutes into the match, Esporte Clube Vitória's goal looked a bit too open when William de Medeiros came free, but Nildo Arruda reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After some careless play in the Esporte Clube Vitória defense, Fabiano Bittencourt kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Nildo Arruda. The Esporte Clube Vitória fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Nildo Arruda should have stopped the shot. Nildo Arruda showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Fabiano Bittencourt in the 44th minute of the match.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Fabiano Bittencourt was the one to do the kick off. If Enio Prestes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 52nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. William de Medeiros 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. Nildo Arruda had great luck who in the 60thth minute grab hold of the ball when Fabiano Bittencourt from a short distance tried to put the ball inside the right post. A collision led to Esporte Clube Vitória getting a freekick after 60 minutes play. Juvenal Cabral hit a great ball. Ajacio's Ronaldinho Guimarães played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Enio Prestes in the 64th minute of play. Nildo Arruda made an important save on a dangerous shot by William de Medeiros in the 69th minute. Fabiano Bittencourt fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 71st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Nildo Arruda having to interfere. In the 73rd minute the ball was on its way in behind Esporte Clube Vitória's goalkeeper Nildo Arruda, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Fabiano Bittencourt sent away a hard shot on goal in the 79th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After a rather tough play, Ajacio's Arnaldo Romero got a free kick in the 81st minute. Ronaldinho Guimarães made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Fernandinho Freitas in the 83rd minute of play. In the 87th minute Fabiano Bittencourt shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nildo Arruda saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Ronaldinho Guimarães came out of the goal in the 90th minute to try and stop a shot by Esporte Clube Vitória's Enio Prestes. But to his dismay, Enio Prestes quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-3. After having played for 96 minutes, William de Medeiros managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Ajacio's supporters crossed their fingers, but William de Medeiros was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Ajacio played a much better game than Esporte Clube Vitória and deserved their victory. The Esporte Clube Vitória players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.