League Play-Off

Vermoim
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. Jacinto Martins started the match with the kick off. After 4 minutes of play, Cumeira's Sebastião Branco made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Manuel Moreira was left in no man's land by his defense there! 1-1 became the score in the 9th minute when Jacinto Martins elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. After having played for 15 minutes, Sebastião Branco managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Cumeira's supporters crossed their fingers, but Sebastião Branco was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. After 16 played minutes SC Vermoim got a freekick which was hit by Delfim Rocha. Sebastião Branco recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 22nd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. After 23 minutes, Hugo Branco mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the SC Vermoim and the Cumeira players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 25th match minute, SC Vermoim was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Delfim Rocha to maneuver through the defense. In the 28th minute the ball was on its way in behind SC Vermoim's goalkeeper Manuel Moreira, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Vasco Macedo took the ball and in the 37 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Jaime Esteves. Jaime Esteves dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 2-1. A collision led to SC Vermoim getting a freekick after 43 minutes play. Vasco Macedo hit a great ball. In the 43rd minute, SC Vermoim's Vasco Macedo fired away a free kick that almost went in the goal. Jaime Esteves was prepared for the shot, but didn't have to make a play as the shot flew over the goal. Jaime Esteves showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jacinto Martins, who was totally free with the ball in the 46th minute. The home fans were very happy to see their team leading 2-1 at half-time.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Fernando Cunha to make the kick off. In the 55th minute Jacinto Martins shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jaime Esteves saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Fernando Cunha did some fancy footwork in front of goal and succeeded to deceive the defenders so he could slam the ball in 2-2 to the left of a surprised Manuel Moreira 61 minutes into the match. Fernando Cunha sent away a hard shot on goal in the 70th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Fernando Cunha fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 72nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Manuel Moreira having to interfere. André Domingues kicked well hit freekick during the 73rd minute of the match. When Vasco Macedo came up free with the goalie in the 74th minute, the SC Vermoim 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 Vasco Macedo couldn't finish the play. Alexandre Campos kicked well hit freekick during the 75th minute of the match. 83 minutes into the game, Emílio Aleixo was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Cumeira's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave SC Vermoim the free kick. If Sebastião Branco had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 91st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The supporters of Cumeira booed when SC Vermoim was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 92 match minutes in a wonderful position. Hugo Branco didn't get a good kick on the ball. Manuel Moreira was a little too slow when Fernando Cunha got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 93rd minute. The score was now 2-3. Manuel Moreira took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Fernando Cunha, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Cumeira's supporters were very happy and cheered loudly because their team had won after a very close match.