League Play-Off

Meinedo
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. Vasco Veiga started the match with the kick off. Joaquim Festas recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 6th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. With his leg Vítor Castro managed to avoid a goal in the 8thth minute, when SC Meinedo's Nuno Soeiro fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. If Vasco Veiga had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 9th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Heitor Barbosa struck a weak shot in the 13th minute. Fábio Santarém didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Balsemao. Fábio Santarém made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Vasco Veiga in the 15th minute of play. In the 18th minute, Heitor Barbosa left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Balsemao fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-1. After 23 played minutes Balsemao got a freekick which was hit by Pedro Moreira. When Joaquim Festas came up free with the goalie in the 24th minute, the SC Meinedo 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 Joaquim Festas couldn't finish the play. SC Meinedo's Nuno Soeiro got a good chance for a goal in the 26th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Gaspar Nogueira's late challenge caught a SC Meinedo's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Gaspar Nogueira helped the player get up and apologised. After a very even first half the match was still tied. The players went to their respective dressing rooms to discuss the tactics for the second half.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Joaquim Festas to strike the kick off in the second half. After having played for 55 minutes, Nuno Soeiro managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. SC Meinedo's supporters crossed their fingers, but Nuno Soeiro was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Máximo Candal hit a great freekick 57 minutes into the match. Heitor Barbosa sent away a hard shot on goal in the 60th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 61 minutes, Aldo Lamego mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the SC Meinedo and the Balsemao players grew even worse after the yellow card. Vasco Veiga received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Fábio Santarém came out and tried to block the shot, but Vasco Veiga slotted it home off the left post making it 1-2 in the 62nd minute. When Jorge Carvalho fell near the penalty area in the 65th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Balsemao's protests and gave Jorge Carvalho a yellow card for diving instead. In the 65th minute, Jorge Carvalho hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 67 minutes into the match, Joaquim Festas had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Vítor Castro. Balsemao's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Joaquim Festas was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-2. When the match had gone on for 74 minutes, Vasco Veiga took a quick shot and it went in 2-3 without a chance for Fábio Santarém to make any attempt to save it. Fábio Santarém made a fantastic save in the 82nd minute, when Heitor Barbosa sent off a good shot on target. Vasco Veiga received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 83rd minute. Fábio Santarém tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After a rather tough play, Balsemao's Gaspar Nogueira got a free kick in the 86th minute. Nuno Soeiro received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 88th minute. Vítor Castro tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Fábio Santarém took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Vasco Veiga, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 94 minutes into the match, Balsemao's Heitor Barbosa sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Fábio Santarém narrowly saved just below the crossbar. When the final whistle was heard the away supporters stood up and showed their joy. Balsemao had managed to secure a win in what was a close match throughout.