League Play-Off

Estadio Espariz
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Pedro Vale got the match started through his kick off. The crowd rose to their feet as Pedro Vale kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Hugo Nascimento. That made the score 1-0 in the 8 minute of play. The supporters of Arouca booed when Espariz was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 12 match minutes in a wonderful position. Vasco Nogueira didn't get a good kick on the ball. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Lourenço Sousa in the 17th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Filipe Carneiro prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Hugo Nascimento made an important save on a dangerous shot by Vasco Nogueira in the 19th minute. Filipe Carneiro stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Lourenço Sousa's shot from short distance in the 21st minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lourenço Sousa in the 23rd minute of play forced Espariz's goalkeeper Filipe Carneiro to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 26 minutes into the match, Arouca's goalkeeper Hugo Nascimento had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Vasco Nogueira. With his leg Hugo Nascimento managed to avoid a goal in the 27thth minute, when Espariz's Vasco Nogueira fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. If Henrique Antunes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 29th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 41st minute the ball was on its way in behind Espariz's goalkeeper Filipe Carneiro, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. A hard shot by Cândido Ferreira from long distance, 44 minutes into the match, got Hugo Nascimento's attention. Through a fast twist with his body, he could stop the ball from going in on his right side. 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 1-0.

In the 53rd minute, Humberto Oliveira hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The audience cheered when Jorge Leite's long shot passed Hugo Nascimento's right side. It was 2-0, 54 minutes into the match. In the 60th minute of the match Humberto Oliveira shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Filipe Carneiro showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. With his leg Filipe Carneiro managed to avoid a goal in the 64thth minute, when Arouca's Henrique Antunes fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. 68 minutes into the match, Espariz's goal looked a bit too open when Lourenço Sousa came free, but Filipe Carneiro reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Lourenço Sousa struck a weak shot in the 75th minute. Filipe Carneiro didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Arouca. Arouca's Lourenço Sousa got a good chance for a goal in the 83rd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Henrique Antunes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 84th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lourenço Sousa in the 86th minute of play forced Espariz's goalkeeper Filipe Carneiro to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 86th minute, Lourenço Sousa left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Arouca fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-1. Filipe Carneiro showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Lourenço Sousa, who was totally free with the ball in the 95th minute. In the 96th match minute, Espariz was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cristiano Gomes to maneuver through the defense. Espariz's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.