League Play-Off

Enzo Francescoli
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The supporters of Club Atletico Ballester booed when Sauce was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 4 match minutes in a wonderful position. Virgilio Egun didn't get a good kick on the ball. Melquiades Duardo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 11th minute. Pastor Baristo tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Oscar Christobal sent away a hard shot on goal in the 19th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 22 minutes into the match, Melquiades Duardo had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Pastor Baristo. Sauce's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Melquiades Duardo was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-0. The supporters of Club Atletico Ballester booed when Sauce was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 26 match minutes in a wonderful position. Victoriano Primeiro didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 27th minute, Sergio Petri 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. The crowd rose to their feet as Melquiades Duardo kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Pastor Baristo. That made the score 3-0 in the 29 minute of play. Virgilio Egun sent away a hard shot on goal in the 34th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Oscar Christobal had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 38th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Sergio Petri's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Pastor Baristo read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 43rd minute of play. Melquiades Duardo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 45th minute. Pastor Baristo tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The home fans were very happy to see their team leading 3-0 at half-time.

The wind increased when Melquiades Duardo made the kick off in the second half. Segundo Eron's late challenge caught a Sauce's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Segundo Eron helped the player get up and apologised. In the 53rd match minute, Club Atletico Ballester was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Segundo Eron to maneuver through the defense. Oscar Christobal sent away a hard shot on goal in the 55th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 62 minutes in the game, Virgilio Egun dribbled his way through the penalty area and after maneuvering past an opponent, drilled a quick shot at the goal. The ball looked like it was going in, but it was hit a bit too hard and flew over the goal. 63 minutes into the game, Hilario Cidro was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Club Atletico Ballester's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Sauce the free kick. In the 64th match minute, Club Atletico Ballester was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Hilario Cidro to maneuver through the defense. When Oscar Christobal fell near the penalty area in the 65th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Sauce's protests and gave Oscar Christobal a yellow card for diving instead. Oscar Christobal kicked well hit freekick during the 65th minute of the match. With a little luck, Club Atletico Ballester's Erasmo Castulo got control of the ball when Oscar Christobal tried to sneak it across the goal line. When Virgilio Egun, who was free, got the in front of the goal in the 71 minute he wasn't focused and tipped the ball just over the goal. The Erasmo Castulo was delighted since the ball would have got in if it had gone under the crossbar. Pastor Baristo stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Melquiades Duardo's shot from short distance in the 77th minute. After a defensive mix-up in Sauce's zone, Segundo Eron stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Pastor Baristo came out of the goal and Segundo Eron tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Sergio Petri scored 4-0 in the 82nd match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Pastor Baristo, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. When Oscar Christobal came up free with the goalie in the 91st minute, the Sauce 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 Oscar Christobal couldn't finish the play. Club Atletico Ballester were awarded a corner in the 97th minute after Sauce's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Siro Errapel took the corner. Siro Errapel made a great header on Club Atletico Ballester's corner, it was just that Sauce's Pastor Baristo managed to reach the ball for a save. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered when the referee blew the final whistle. Club Atletico Ballester had won after a very even match.