League Play-Off

Estadio Messejana
Spectators: 33 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Cristiano Reis got the match started through his kick off. Humberto Assis made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Cristiano Reis in the 3rd minute of play. After 8 minutes of play, Novelhos's Cláudio Dias made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Humberto Assis was left in no man's land by his defense there! In the 21st minute of the match Messejana got a corner. Novelhos's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Daniel Sousa ran over to the corner to take the kick. The corner ended in Daniel Sousa almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Novelhos's Lúcio Ferreira did a great save. After 25 played minutes Novelhos got a freekick which was hit by Ricardo Sá. Diamantino Soares sent away a hard shot on goal in the 26th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Lúcio Ferreira showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Diamantino Soares in the 29th minute of the match. Cláudio Dias fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 32nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Humberto Assis having to interfere. In the 36th minute, Ricardo Sá hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 38 minutes had been played when some careless play by Novelhos's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Daniel Sousa was slow to take the kick. During this time Messejana's players had a chance to rest. The corner led Messejana's Daniel Sousa to fire away a dangerous shot which Lúcio Ferreira despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. Jorge Lisboa hit a great freekick 40 minutes into the match. After recieving a nice pass, Messejana's Daniel Sousa tried to score from far away in the 41st minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. Messejana's António Antunes got a good chance for a goal in the 44th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Diamantino Soares received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 46th minute. Lúcio Ferreira tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-1 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Diamantino Soares made a kick off. In the 51st minute, Ricardo Sá hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After some fancy dribbling in the 53rd minute, Diamantino Soares managed to get in a good position for a shot. Messejana's supporters rose to their feet, but Diamantino Soares was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Lúcio Ferreira breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Cristiano Reis received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 56th minute. Humberto Assis tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If António Antunes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 61st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Novelhos's Lúcio Ferreira played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Diamantino Soares in the 64th minute of play. If António Antunes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 66th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Humberto Assis showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cristiano Reis, who was totally free with the ball in the 72nd minute. Diamantino Soares fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 78th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Lúcio Ferreira having to interfere. After 88 minutes, Basílio Ferreira mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Messejana and the Novelhos players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 88th match minute, Messejana was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Basílio Ferreira to maneuver through the defense. Lúcio Ferreira showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from António Antunes in the 91st minute of the match. Cristiano Reis received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 93rd minute. Humberto Assis tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Novelhos eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.