League Play-Off

Estadio Franca
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Daniel Amorim kicked off to start the match. Filipe Bessa sent away a hard shot on goal in the 6th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 13 minutes into the match, Filipe Bessa notched a goal, 0-2, to the right of SC Franca's Nuno Sá. Nuno Sá was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. João Machado fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 17th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Paulo Tavares having to interfere. Nuno Sá made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Filipe Bessa in the 22nd minute of play. Delfim Ribeiro received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 38th minute. Paulo Tavares tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Delfim Ribeiro's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Paulo Tavares read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 41st minute of play. In the 43rd minute Daniel Amorim shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nuno Sá saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Luck had favoured the away team in the first, and they walked off with a 1-2 lead.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. João Machado was the one to do the kick off. When Delfim Ribeiro came up free with the goalie in the 53rd minute, the SC Franca 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 Delfim Ribeiro couldn't finish the play. Delfim Ribeiro sent away a hard shot on goal in the 55th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. With a couple of smart ball manuevers João Machado in the 58th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Paulo Tavares saved SC Novelhos from getting behind. Filipe Bessa in the 62ndth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Nuno Sá, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. SC Franca's Nuno Sá played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Daniel Amorim in the 64th minute of play. After a defensive mix-up in SC Franca's zone, Filipe Bessa stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Nuno Sá came out of the goal and Filipe Bessa tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 73rd minute, João Cabral hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 75 minutes into the match, SC Novelhos's goal looked a bit too open when João Machado came free, but Paulo Tavares reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 79th minute, Daniel Amorim 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. Nuno Sá showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Daniel Amorim, who was totally free with the ball in the 83rd minute. Daniel Amorim scored 1-3 in the 83rd match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Nuno Sá, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. After having played for 90 minutes, João Machado managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. SC Franca's supporters crossed their fingers, but João Machado was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. SC Novelhos's Daniel Amorim got a good chance for a goal in the 95th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. The SC Novelhos supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing SC Novelhos would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.