League Play-Off

D.Afonso Henriques
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Armando Pereira started the match with the kick off. In the 9th minute Armando Pereira shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Amílcar Pinto saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After a rather tough play, Balugaes's Alexandre Soares got a free kick in the 10th minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Armando Pereira in the 11th minute of play forced Balugaes's goalkeeper Amílcar Pinto to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After a defensive mix-up in Vitoria SC's zone, Joel Marques stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Hermenegildo Ventura came out of the goal and Joel Marques tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After 15 minutes of play, Balugaes's Xavier Queirós made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Hermenegildo Ventura was left in no man's land by his defense there! Hermenegildo Ventura made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Joel Marques in the 18th minute of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 20th minute, Armando Pereira managed to get in a good position for a shot. Vitoria SC's supporters rose to their feet, but Armando Pereira was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Amílcar Pinto breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Xavier Queirós kicked well hit freekick during the 22nd minute of the match. In the 23rd minute, Evandro Loureiro sent off a long shot on goal, but the shot was nowhere near the goal and Balugaes's Amílcar Pinto didn't even have to move. Joel Marques fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 28th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Hermenegildo Ventura having to interfere. If Paulo Assis had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 32nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 37 minutes into the match, Balugaes's goal looked a bit too open when Armando Pereira came free, but Amílcar Pinto reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. When Balugaes's Paulo Assis in the 39th minute got a chance for a shot 39th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Vitoria SC's goalie prevented a goal. Amílcar Pinto made an important save on a dangerous shot by Jairo Vilanova in the 42nd minute. Jairo Vilanova might have been able to make a better finish in the 43rd minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Amílcar Pinto. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Jairo Vilanova ran back to his position shaking his head. In the 48th minute Paulo Assis shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Hermenegildo Ventura saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 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.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Paulo Assis was the one to do the kick off. When Joel Marques came up free with the goalie in the 52nd minute, the Balugaes 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 Joel Marques couldn't finish the play. Armando Pereira recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 53rd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. If Jairo Vilanova had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 55th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. If Jairo Vilanova had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 62nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Jairo Vilanova took the ball and in the 65 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Amílcar Pinto. Amílcar Pinto dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 1-1. 69 minutes into the match, Vitoria SC's goalkeeper Hermenegildo Ventura had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Joel Marques. Joel Marques's late challenge caught a Vitoria SC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Joel Marques helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, Balugaes's Joel Marques got a free kick in the 75th minute. Paulo Assis received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 78th minute. Hermenegildo Ventura tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Vitoria SC's Hermenegildo Ventura played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Paulo Assis in the 80th minute of play. In the last second Hermenegildo Ventura throw himself and got hold of the ball when Paulo Assis in the 81stth minute from his position got away a shot towards the right post. Balugaes's Paulo Assis got a good chance for a goal in the 86th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Paulo Assis received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 88th minute. Hermenegildo Ventura tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Amílcar Pinto showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jairo Vilanova, who was totally free with the ball in the 93rd minute. The audience thought a goal was coming when Joel Marques got free with Hermenegildo Ventura in the 97th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Vitoria SC were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Balugaes for a fine match.