League Play-Off

Hernani
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Balaguer's Berriotxoa Balcells 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. After some careless play in the Balaguer defense, Raymon Reina kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Leal Soldado. The Balaguer fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Leal Soldado should have stopped the shot. Balaguer's Leal Soldado played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Lorencio Cuervas in the 9th minute of play. After 10 played minutes Balaguer got a freekick which was hit by Santi Baños. Leal Soldado made a fantastic save in the 11th minute, when Raymon Reina sent off a good shot on target. Berriotxoa Balcells might have been able to make a better finish in the 13th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Ponciano Roman. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Berriotxoa Balcells ran back to his position shaking his head. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Berriotxoa Balcells in the 14th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Ponciano Roman saved Hernani from getting behind. After a defensive mix-up in Balaguer's zone, Raymon Reina stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Leal Soldado came out of the goal and Raymon Reina tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. When the match had gone on for 18 minutes, Lorencio Cuervas put it in 2-0 from a short distance just to the right of Leal Soldado. 21 minutes into the game, Santo Olmos was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Balaguer's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Hernani the free kick. After a rather tough play, Balaguer's Santo Olmos got a free kick in the 22nd minute. Santi Baños kicked well hit freekick during the 24th minute of the match. Raymon Reina sent away a hard shot on goal in the 30th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The audience was convinced that Lorencio Cuervas's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Leal Soldado was relentless in the 32nd minute of the game. After 33 played minutes Hernani got a freekick which was hit by Galo Serrano. Lorencio Cuervas recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 42nd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lorencio Cuervas in the 46th minute of play forced Balaguer's goalkeeper Leal Soldado to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The home fans were very happy to see their team leading 2-0 at half-time.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Lorencio Cuervas to strike the kick off in the second half. In the 55th minute Raymon Reina shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Leal Soldado saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 55 played minutes Balaguer got a freekick which was hit by Santi Baños. If Raymon Reina had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 57th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. With a little luck, Hernani's Ponciano Roman got control of the ball when Aire Odín tried to sneak it across the goal line. If Raymon Reina had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 67th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Leal Soldado took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Raymon Reina, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Lorencio Cuervas received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 71st minute. Leal Soldado tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 73rdth minute of the game Raymon Reina who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Balaguer's Leal Soldado was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. After a defensive mix-up in Balaguer's zone, Lorencio Cuervas stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Leal Soldado came out of the goal and Lorencio Cuervas tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 78th minute Raymon Reina shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Leal Soldado saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. When Raymon Reina came up free with the goalie in the 80th minute, the Hernani 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 Raymon Reina couldn't finish the play. In the 82nd minute, Bonifacio Clos sent off a long shot on goal, but the shot was nowhere near the goal and Balaguer's Leal Soldado didn't even have to move. When Raymon Reina came up free with the goalie in the 89th minute, the Hernani 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 Raymon Reina couldn't finish the play. Leal Soldado showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Raymon Reina in the 93rd minute of the match. Leal Soldado showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Lorencio Cuervas in the 94th minute of the match. When the referee ended the match the Hernani players were able to celebrate. They had won a fair victory and recieved the ovations of their fans.