League

Romeirão
Spectators: 6431 (Terracing: 5431, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Cosenza Calcio's Rodriguinho Salles 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. Olavo Novaes's late challenge caught a Nacional Futebol Clube's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Olavo Novaes helped the player get up and apologised. Luís Guilherme Azevedo recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 8th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Didi Tepedino fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 18th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Luisinho Correia having to interfere. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Rodriguinho Salles in the 20th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Igor Araújo saved Nacional Futebol Clube from getting behind. Igor Araújo took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Ademir Ferreira, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Rodriguinho Salles struck a weak shot in the 26th minute. Igor Araújo didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Cosenza Calcio. Cosenza Calcio's Genílson Costa managed, thanks to a brazen rush, stole the ball on a throw-in made by Geovanni Freire in the 28 minute of the game. In the 34th minute of the match Geovanni Freire shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Luisinho Correia showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Luisinho Correia showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Luís Guilherme Azevedo in the 35th minute of the match. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Rodriguinho Salles in the 39th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Igor Araújo saved Nacional Futebol Clube from getting behind. In the 47th minute, Ademir Ferreira ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Igor Araújo was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-1. After the first half Cosenza Calcio were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The wind increased when Luís Guilherme Azevedo made the kick off in the second half. Didi Tepedino sent away a hard shot on goal in the 54th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 59 minutes into the match, Cosenza Calcio's goal looked a bit too open when Kléberson Araújo came free, but Luisinho Correia reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 64 minutes into the game, Luís Guilherme Azevedo cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-1. Luisinho Correia was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Cosenza Calcio were furious when Olavo Novaes was red carded, 69 minutes into the game, but the referee dismissed their protests. Nestor Mesquita kicked well hit freekick during the 76th minute of the match. Igor Araújo made a fantastic save in the 84th minute, when Rodriguinho Salles sent off a good shot on target. After a rather tough play, Nacional Futebol Clube's Kléberson Araújo got a free kick in the 86th minute. Rodriguinho Salles succeeded to score despite a near miss that spronge from right pole into the goal to 1-2 in the 87th playminute. 90 minutes into the match, Rodriguinho Salles had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Igor Araújo. Nacional Futebol Clube's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Rodriguinho Salles was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-3. An unexpectedly hard shot by Didi Tepedino in the 96th minute of play forced Cosenza Calcio's goalkeeper Luisinho Correia to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Cosenza Calcio eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.