League Play-Off

Estadio Alvorge
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. Carlos Andrade started the match with the kick off. If Lúcio Figueiredo had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 4th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Carlos Andrade in the 7th minute of play forced Esporoes's goalkeeper Armando Domingues to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Basílio Viana sent away a hard shot on goal in the 9th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Carlos Andrade fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 17th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Armando Domingues having to interfere. Carlos Andrade might have been able to make a better finish in the 21st minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Armando Domingues. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Carlos Andrade ran back to his position shaking his head. Tiago Monteiro's late challenge caught a Esporoes's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Tiago Monteiro helped the player get up and apologised. Rogério Garcia placed the ball on the penalty spot and got himself ready to shoot. Post out! The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Nuno Torres during the 31st minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. A collision led to SC Alvorge getting a freekick after 32 minutes play. Nuno Torres hit a great ball. In the 34th minute of the match Rogério Garcia shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Pedro Guerreiro showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Pedro Guerreiro showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Lúcio Figueiredo, who was totally free with the ball in the 36th minute. SC Alvorge's Nuno Torres got his second yellow card of the match in the 39th minute. The referee ordered Nuno Torres off the ground. After a rather tough play, SC Alvorge's Nuno Torres got a free kick in the 40th minute. Pedro Guerreiro took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from João Amaral, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when João Amaral stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Lúcio Figueiredo struck a weak shot in the 52nd minute. Pedro Guerreiro didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Esporoes. Pedro Guerreiro made an important save on a dangerous shot by Lúcio Figueiredo in the 54th minute. 57 minutes into the match, SC Alvorge's Óscar Miranda sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Armando Domingues narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Lúcio Figueiredo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 60th minute. Pedro Guerreiro tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. With his leg Pedro Guerreiro managed to avoid a goal in the 62ndth minute, when Esporoes's Lúcio Figueiredo fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. An unexpected shot in the 64th minute by Lúcio Figueiredo got the crowd on their feet, but to their dismay it went out on the left side. Manuel Fontes hit a great freekick 68 minutes into the match. Basílio Viana 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. João Amaral received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 72nd minute. Pedro Guerreiro tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Armando Domingues made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Basílio Viana in the 77th minute of play. After a defensive mix-up in Esporoes's zone, Delfim Gaspar stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Armando Domingues came out of the goal and Delfim Gaspar tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 78th match minute, Esporoes was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Abel Carneiro to maneuver through the defense. In a very dangerous position, a player in Esporoes fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 80th minute. Penalty! The referee gave SC Alvorge a penalty, 82 minutes into the game. The penalty shot was made by Manuel Setúbal, who made a well placed shot into the net to the right of Esporoes's Armando Domingues. 1-0. Delfim Gaspar charged in rather forcefully in the 84th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Delfim Gaspar the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. In the 84th match minute, SC Alvorge was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Delfim Gaspar to maneuver through the defense. Lúcio Figueiredo recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 86th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. After 88 minutes of play, Esporoes's Lúcio Figueiredo made it 1-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Pedro Guerreiro was left in no man's land by his defense there! Armando Domingues made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Basílio Viana in the 97th minute of play. The Esporoes supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing Esporoes would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.