League Play-Off

Estadio Arnoso
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) José Alves made the kick off and thus started the match. If Gil Esteves had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 4th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 20 minutes into the game, Gil Esteves cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 0-1. Gil Vieira was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. 24 minutes had been played when some careless play by SC Merlaes's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Bernardo Figueiredo was slow to take the kick. During this time Arnoso's players had a chance to rest. 25 minutes into the game, Ricardo Silva was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. SC Merlaes's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Arnoso the free kick. After 25 played minutes SC Merlaes got a freekick which was hit by Ricardo Silva. In the 30th minute, Gil Esteves ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Gil Vieira was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-2. Viriato Leiria recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 35th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. When Viriato Leiria came up free with the goalie in the 41st minute, the Arnoso 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 Viriato Leiria couldn't finish the play. Viriato Leiria might have been able to make a better finish in the 43rd minute when he tried to place a hard shot over João Cunha. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Viriato Leiria ran back to his position shaking his head. With a little luck, SC Merlaes's João Cunha got control of the ball when Viriato Leiria tried to sneak it across the goal line. After a defensive mix-up in SC Merlaes's zone, José Alves stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. João Cunha came out of the goal and José Alves tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Disappointed in the 0-2 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Gil Esteves was the one to do the kick off. In the 54th minute SC Merlaes were awarded a corner. Gil Amaral went to the cornerflag to take it. The corner ended in Gil Amaral almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Arnoso's Gil Vieira did a great save. With a couple of smart ball manuevers José Alves in the 60th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg João Cunha saved SC Merlaes from getting behind. After having played for 62 minutes, Viriato Leiria managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Arnoso's supporters crossed their fingers, but Viriato Leiria was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. In the 64th minute, Vasco Tavares hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After a defensive mix-up in Arnoso's zone, Tiago Aleixo stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Gil Vieira came out of the goal and Tiago Aleixo tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. A collision led to SC Merlaes getting a freekick after 68 minutes play. Tiago Aleixo hit a great ball. In the 71st match minute, SC Merlaes was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Gil Amaral to maneuver through the defense. After 75 played minutes Arnoso got a freekick which was hit by Viriato Leiria. After 79 played minutes Gil Esteves rounded Arnoso's defense and shot a beautiful shot into goal via left pole - 0-3. After 83 played minutes, Arnoso's Lourenço Lopes shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper João Cunha 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 Arnoso reached it. In the 87th minute, Arnoso's goalie took a deep sigh of relief after Gil Esteves fired away a hard shot that went just outside the left post. After a rather tough play, Arnoso's Armindo Garcia got a free kick in the 88th minute. Gil Vieira showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Gil Esteves, who was totally free with the ball in the 90th minute. A hard shot 92 in the game by Tiago Aleixo from a close distance when the talented Gil Vieira managed to make a qualified save. Arnoso's players were relieved. When José Alves came up free with the goalie in the 93rd minute, the Arnoso 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 José Alves couldn't finish the play. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched SC Merlaes eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.