League Play-Off

Pichincha
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Bernardo Refugio started the match with the kick off. An unexpectedly hard shot by Bernardo Refugio in the 5th minute of play forced Balde's goalkeeper Vicente Ixaka to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 5 minutes, Fermin Otsando mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Balde and the Pichincha players grew even worse after the yellow card. When Carmelo Guillelmus fell near the penalty area in the 6th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Balde's protests and gave Carmelo Guillelmus a yellow card for diving instead. If Bernardo Refugio had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 11th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Vicente Ixaka showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Bernardo Refugio in the 13th minute of the match. Vicente Ixaka took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Angelo Jobo, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After having played for 20 minutes, Mateo Firme managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Pichincha's supporters crossed their fingers, but Mateo Firme was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Lorenzo Lizardi sent away a hard shot on goal in the 21st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Vicente Ixaka had great luck who in the 26thth minute grab hold of the ball when Bernardo Refugio from a short distance tried to put the ball inside the right post. Romulo Guillem kicked well hit freekick during the 29th minute of the match. After 30 played minutes, Pichincha's Bernardo Refugio shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Vicente Ixaka 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 Pichincha reached it. Vicente Ixaka was out of position in the 31 minute of play, and Bernardo Refugio capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Bernardo Refugio really showed his touch with that goal: 1-0. A hard shot 36 in the game by Bernardo Refugio from a close distance when the talented Vicente Ixaka managed to make a qualified save. Balde's players were relieved. Mateo Firme hit a great freekick 37 minutes into the match. When Bernardo Refugio came up free with the goalie in the 41st minute, the Pichincha 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 Bernardo Refugio couldn't finish the play. Pichincha's Angelo Jobo got a good chance for a goal in the 42nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 46 minutes into the game, Balde's Prospero Cuartio nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Pastor Rocio made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-1. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

If Angelo Jobo had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 51st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Balde's Prospero Cuartio got a good chance for a goal in the 54th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 56 minutes into the match, Pichincha's Bernardo Refugio sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Vicente Ixaka narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After a defensive mix-up in Balde's zone, Lorenzo Lizardi stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Vicente Ixaka came out of the goal and Lorenzo Lizardi tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Bernardo Refugio fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 61st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Vicente Ixaka having to interfere. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Bernardo Refugio in the 63rd managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Vicente Ixaka saved Balde from getting behind. Bernardo Refugio recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 64th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. In the 68th minute, Bernardo Refugio made a precise shot to the right of Vicente Ixaka. Balde's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 2-1. 71 minutes into the game, Bernardo Refugio cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 3-1. Vicente Ixaka was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Bernardo Refugio received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 76th minute. Vicente Ixaka tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 78th minute, Mateo Firme hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 81 minutes into the game, Cristo Bide cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 4-1. Vicente Ixaka was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. If Bernardo Refugio had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 86th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Angelo Jobo in the 86th minute of play forced Balde's goalkeeper Vicente Ixaka to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 87 minutes into the match, Bernardo Refugio had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Vicente Ixaka. Balde's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Bernardo Refugio was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 5-1. If Bernardo Refugio had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 92nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. There were very few away supporters still in the ground by the end of the match. Most of them had left early, disgusted by the way their team had been torn apart. Pichincha fully deserved thier win.