League

Estádio Opa
Spectators: 6673 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1673, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Dadá Hoffmann took the kick off in the first half of the match. In the 4th minute Delfim Abreu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gilberto Barreto saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The supporters of Japi booed when Opa was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 5 match minutes in a wonderful position. Carlos Augusto Tinoco didn't get a good kick on the ball. After some fancy dribbling in the 6th minute, Delfim Abreu managed to get in a good position for a shot. Japi's supporters rose to their feet, but Delfim Abreu was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Gilberto Barreto breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Gilberto Barreto showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Delfim Abreu, who was totally free with the ball in the 9th minute. Pedrão Nascimento fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 11th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Gilberto Barreto having to interfere. With an all-out effort, Opa's Luiz Fabiano Porto threw himself towards the right post 15 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Dadá Hoffmann, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. Dadá Hoffmann received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 17th minute. Luiz Fabiano Porto tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Japi's Delfim Abreu got a good chance for a goal in the 19th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Pedrão Nascimento in the 20th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Gilberto Barreto saved Opa from getting behind. In the 22nd minute, Luís Paulo Vieira hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Opa's Gilberto Barreto played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Pedrão Nascimento in the 26th minute of play. In the 28thth minute of the game Dadá Hoffmann who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Japi's Luiz Fabiano Porto was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Gilberto Barreto showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Vítor Leal in the 32nd minute of the match. After some careless play in the Opa defense, Delfim Abreu kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Gilberto Barreto. The Opa fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Gilberto Barreto should have stopped the shot. Luiz Fabiano Porto made an important save on a dangerous shot by Ricardinho Abraão in the 45th minute. If Delfim Abreu had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 47th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After the first half Japi were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Pedrão Nascimento made a kick off. Pedrão Nascimento received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 52nd minute. Gilberto Barreto tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 62 minutes, Carlos Augusto Tinoco mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Opa and the Japi players grew even worse after the yellow card. The audience was convinced that Pedrão Nascimento's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Gilberto Barreto was relentless in the 64th minute of the game. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Duda Toledo during the 64th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After 70 played minutes Opa got a freekick which was hit by Carlos Augusto Tinoco. In the 75th minute, Pedrão Nascimento got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. After 81 minutes of play, Japi's Delfim Abreu made it 0-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Gilberto Barreto was left in no man's land by his defense there! After a rather tough play, Japi's Delfim Abreu got a free kick in the 85th minute. Pedrão Nascimento fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 96th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Gilberto Barreto having to interfere. The Opa supporters were disappointed that their team didn't take anything from the match, despite matching Japi's performance. The match ended with a win for Japi.