League Play-Off

Genervino da Fonseca
Spectators: 33 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Norberto Batista got the match started through his kick off. After some fancy dribbling in the 10th minute, Hélio Souza managed to get in a good position for a shot. CRAC FC's supporters rose to their feet, but Hélio Souza was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Luís Gustavo Carioca breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Júlio Maranhense received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 12th minute. Luís Gustavo Carioca tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Hélio Souza blasted a shot towards the goal in the 14th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Luís Gustavo Carioca having to make a save. A collision led to Ceres AD getting a freekick after 19 minutes play. Ulysses Furtado hit a great ball. Júlio Maranhenses short, quick shot in the 21stth minute got Luís Gustavo Carioca to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. CRAC FC's Hélio Souza was standing unmarked in front of the goal when he, in the 22nd play minute, got the ball and easily drilled it into the goal. With a little luck, Ceres AD's Luís Gustavo Carioca got control of the ball when Júlio Maranhense tried to sneak it across the goal line. Nico Fontes showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Norberto Batista, who was totally free with the ball in the 28th minute. Luís Gustavo Carioca made an important save on a dangerous shot by Júlio Maranhense in the 30th minute. 33 minutes into the match, CRAC FC's Hélio Souza sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Luís Gustavo Carioca narrowly saved just below the crossbar. With 34 minutes on the clock, Claudinho Meirelles commited a dangerous tackle. The referee had no choice but to show him the red card. 34 minutes into the game, one of Ceres AD:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. Luís Gustavo Carioca had in the 36thth minute some difficulties stopping Ronaldinho Veiga's well aimed penalty as it nearly passed him on his left side, but he still managed to hold the ball. The audience thought a goal was coming when Júlio Maranhense got free with Luís Gustavo Carioca in the 38th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. If Hélio Souza had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 41st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Júlio Maranhense sent away a hard shot on goal in the 44th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Júlio Maranhense's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 45thth minute, Luís Gustavo Carioca skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. Júlio Maranhense scored 2-0 in the 47th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Luís Gustavo Carioca, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Af the end of the first half the score was 2-0. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

The wind increased when Hélio Souza made the kick off in the second half. After a rather tough play, CRAC FC's Aníbal Rocha got a free kick in the 53rd minute. Luís Gustavo Carioca made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Hélio Souza in the 58th minute of play. Júlio Maranhense took the ball and in the 59 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Luís Gustavo Carioca. Luís Gustavo Carioca dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 3-0. José Carlos da Rocha hit a great freekick 62 minutes into the match. Hélio Souza sent away a hard shot on goal in the 65th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Júlio Maranhense received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 67th minute. Luís Gustavo Carioca tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 69 minutes of play, CRAC FC's Aníbal Rocha made it 4-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Luís Gustavo Carioca was left in no man's land by his defense there! In the 77th minute Júlio Maranhense shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Luís Gustavo Carioca saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 79 minutes, Hélio Souza made it 5-0 with a short kick to the right side. Ceres AD's Luís Gustavo Carioca tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. Júlio Maranhense sent away a hard shot on goal in the 86th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 89th minute the ball was on its way in behind Ceres AD's goalkeeper Luís Gustavo Carioca, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Luís Gustavo Carioca took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Júlio Maranhense, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. When Augusto de Brito fell near the penalty area in the 97th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored CRAC FC's protests and gave Augusto de Brito a yellow card for diving instead. CRAC FC walked away with a well-earned victory that was much celebrated by the crowd.