League Play-Off

Carpalho
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) Fail's Basílio Cabral 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. Ricardo Almeida charged in rather forcefully in the 4th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Ricardo Almeida the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. The supporters of Carpalho booed when Fail was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 5 match minutes in a wonderful position. Emanuel Henriques didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 6th minute of the match Lourenço Pinheiro shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but André Trindade showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. After 8 minutes of play Fail's Ricardo Almeida was too eager in his attempt to stop his opponent and brought him down. With that he got his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. Ricardo Almeida kicked well hit freekick during the 8th minute of the match. After 16 minutes of play, Fail's Álvaro Ferro made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Alfredo Matias was left in no man's land by his defense there! After 18 minutes of play Fail's Emanuel Henriques was too eager in his attempt to stop his opponent and brought him down. With that he got his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. In the 19th minute, Emanuel Henriques hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 20 minutes into the match, Fail's goal looked a bit too open when Miguel Esteves came free, but André Trindade reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Simão Azevedo fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 22nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without André Trindade having to interfere. With a little luck, Fail's André Trindade got control of the ball when Simão Azevedo tried to sneak it across the goal line. In the 25th minute Miguel Esteves shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but André Trindade saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Álvaro Ferro had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 27th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. A collision led to Carpalho getting a freekick after 29 minutes play. Paulo Vaz hit a great ball. 32 minutes into the match, Fail's goalkeeper André Trindade had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Miguel Esteves. After a defensive mix-up in Carpalho's zone, Basílio Cabral stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Alfredo Matias came out of the goal and Basílio Cabral tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Álvaro Ferro's late challenge caught a Carpalho's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Álvaro Ferro helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, Fail's Álvaro Ferro got a free kick in the 39th minute. In the 43rd minute the ball was on its way in behind Fail's goalkeeper André Trindade, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. After 44 played minutes Fail got a freekick which was hit by Basílio Cabral. Disappointed in the 0-1 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

André Trindade made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Simão Azevedo in the 57th minute of play. 58 minutes into the match, Fail's goal looked a bit too open when Simão Azevedo came free, but André Trindade reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. If Miguel Esteves had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 61st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. André Trindade made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Miguel Esteves in the 65th minute of play. When Paulo Vaz fell near the penalty area in the 66th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Carpalho's protests and gave Paulo Vaz a yellow card for diving instead. After 68 played minutes, Fail's Álvaro Ferro shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Alfredo Matias 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 Fail reached it. 75 minutes into the match, Miguel Esteves had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of André Trindade. Fail's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Miguel Esteves was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-1. After 78th play minutes Simão Azevedo shot 2-1, a short shot which went by André Trindade and just under the crossbar into goal. After 89 played minutes Fail got a freekick which was hit by Eusébio Fonseca. If Miguel Esteves had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 90th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Daniel Assis's late challenge caught a Carpalho's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Daniel Assis helped the player get up and apologised. In the 98th minute there was a penalty for Carpalho. Lourenço Pinheiro stepped forward and shot the ball to the right of a diving André Trindade. 4-1. Carpalho were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Fail for a fine match.