League Play-Off

Vara
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. Afonso Valente started the match with the kick off. 3 minutes into the match, Choes's goal looked a bit too open when Domingos Monteiro came free, but Pedro Azevedo reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The crowd rose to their feet as Domingos Monteiro kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Pedro Azevedo. That made the score 1-0 in the 5 minute of play. If Alexandre Brás had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 9th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. After 10 minutes, Luís Barbosa mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Choes and the Vara players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 10th minute, Luís Barbosa hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After 12 played minutes Choes got a freekick which was hit by Joel Pinheiro. 13 minutes into the match, Choes's goal looked a bit too open when Domingos Monteiro came free, but Pedro Azevedo reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The audience thought a goal was coming when Alexandre Brás got free with Pedro Azevedo in the 15th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. After 23 minutes of play, Vara's Alexandre Brás made it 2-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Pedro Azevedo was left in no man's land by his defense there! 45 minutes into the match, Emílio Paredes notched a goal, 2-1, to the right of Vara's Viriato Almeida. Viriato Almeida was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. When the referee blew for the end of the half the home team players were clearly happier, as they went in to the break leading 2-1.

The wind increased when Domingos Monteiro made the kick off in the second half. Vara's Alexandre Brás got a good chance for a goal in the 52nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Pedro Azevedo made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Domingos Monteiro in the 54th minute of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Emílio Paredes got free with Viriato Almeida in the 56th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Choes's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Lucas Resende in the 58th minute. The corner led Choes's Lucas Resende to fire away a dangerous shot which Viriato Almeida despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. If Emílio Paredes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 60th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 63rd minute, Alexandre Brás 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 66 minutes, Afonso Valente managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Choes's supporters crossed their fingers, but Afonso Valente was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Afonso Valente fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 68th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Viriato Almeida having to interfere. Alexandre Brás took the ball and in the 71 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Pedro Azevedo. Pedro Azevedo dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 3-1. Pedro Azevedo came out of the goal in the 79th minute to try and stop a shot by Vara's Alexandre Brás. But to his dismay, Alexandre Brás quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 4-1. Emílio Macedo hit a great freekick 82 minutes into the match. Emílio Paredes struck a weak shot in the 83rd minute. Viriato Almeida didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Choes. Domingos Monteiro fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 88th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Pedro Azevedo having to interfere. In the 90th match minute, Choes was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Daniel Morais to maneuver through the defense. Manuel Alves took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 91st minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Pedro Azevedo. Choes's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered when the referee blew the final whistle. Vara had won after a very even match.