League Play-Off

Estadio Merlaes
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Rodrigo Gomes got the match started through his kick off. Miguel Andrade fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 6th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Vítor Simões having to interfere. SC Junca's Albertino Abreu played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Rodrigo Gomes in the 8th minute of play. Rodrigo Gomes received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 9th minute. Albertino Abreu tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 11 minutes, Carlos Melo mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the SC Junca and the SC Merlaes players grew even worse after the yellow card. A collision led to SC Junca getting a freekick after 11 minutes play. Carlos Melo hit a great ball. Albertino Abreu made a fantastic save in the 13th minute, when André Aleixo sent off a good shot on target. André Aleixo sent away a hard shot on goal in the 15th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Sérgio Martins hit a great freekick 16 minutes into the match. Vítor Simões showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Miguel Andrade, who was totally free with the ball in the 21st minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Rodrigo Gomes in the 23rd minute of play forced SC Junca's goalkeeper Albertino Abreu to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The supporters of SC Junca booed when SC Merlaes was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 26 match minutes in a wonderful position. Mariano Moutinho didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 30 played minutes SC Merlaes got a freekick which was hit by Rui Dantas. Vítor Simões showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Armando Moutinho in the 31st minute of the match. When Álvaro Soares came up free with the goalie in the 37th minute, the SC Junca 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 Álvaro Soares couldn't finish the play. André Aleixo recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 39th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. André Aleixo sent away a hard shot on goal in the 44th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Bernardo Anjos during the 48th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 48th minute, Bernardo Anjos hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 1-0.

The wind increased when Miguel Andrade made the kick off in the second half. Miguel Andrade sent away a hard shot on goal in the 63rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. André Aleixo sent away a hard shot on goal in the 65th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. In the 66th minute, André Aleixo 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. After having played for 70 minutes, Rodrigo Gomes managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. SC Merlaes's supporters crossed their fingers, but Rodrigo Gomes was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. After 74 played minutes, SC Merlaes's Tomás Melo shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Albertino Abreu 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 SC Merlaes reached it. Rodrigo Gomes fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 75th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Albertino Abreu having to interfere. After some fancy dribbling in the 80th minute, Rodrigo Gomes managed to get in a good position for a shot. SC Merlaes's supporters rose to their feet, but Rodrigo Gomes was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Albertino Abreu breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. With a little luck, SC Merlaes's Vítor Simões got control of the ball when Álvaro Soares tried to sneak it across the goal line. In the 90th minute, João Cabral fired away a shot on goal. He put a little to much spin on the ball and sent it just wide of the right post. Álvaro Soares recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 92nd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Carlos Almeida's late challenge caught a SC Junca's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Carlos Almeida helped the player get up and apologised. In the 97th minute, Carlos Almeida hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. SC Merlaes's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.