League Play-Off

Estádio Esquerda
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Raimundo Pombal took the kick off in the first half of the match. In the 2nd minute, Ademar Albuquerque hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 5th minute, Geovani Baiano fired away a killer shot towards the goal that, to the delight of Cauã Souza, passed just outside the right post. In the 6th match minute, Currais FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Germano Magalhães to maneuver through the defense. In the 11th minute, Geovani Baiano 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 audience thought a goal was coming when Pedro Luiz das Neves got free with Cauã Souza in the 15th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. After 19 minutes, Fabiano Figueiredo mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Esquerda and the Currais FC players grew even worse after the yellow card. The supporters of Currais FC booed when Esquerda was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 19 match minutes in a wonderful position. Fabiano Figueiredo didn't get a good kick on the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Raimundo Pombal in the 20th minute of play forced Esquerda's goalkeeper Jeremias Pinheiro to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 24th minute Nicolas Bittencourt shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jeremias Pinheiro saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Osmar Neiva's late challenge caught a Esquerda's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Osmar Neiva helped the player get up and apologised. After some fancy dribbling in the 27th minute, Pedro Luiz das Neves managed to get in a good position for a shot. Esquerda's supporters rose to their feet, but Pedro Luiz das Neves was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Cauã Souza breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. An unexpectedly hard shot by Nicolas Bittencourt in the 31st minute of play forced Esquerda's goalkeeper Jeremias Pinheiro to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 34 minutes into the game, Currais FC's Nicolas Bittencourt nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Jeremias Pinheiro made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 0-2. If Nicolas Bittencourt had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 37th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. If Raimundo Pombal had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 44th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. When Pedro Luiz das Neves came up free with the goalie in the 46th minute, the Esquerda 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 Pedro Luiz das Neves couldn't finish the play. Currais FC's Nicolas Bittencourt got a good chance for a goal in the 48th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 0-2.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Geovani Baiano to make the kick off. In a very dangerous position, a player in Currais FC fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 53rd minute. Penalty! Ademar Albuquerque hit a great freekick 57 minutes into the match. Nicolas Bittencourt succeeded to score despite a near miss that spronge from right pole into the goal to 1-3 in the 59th playminute. In the 63rd minute the ball was on its way in behind Esquerda's goalkeeper Jeremias Pinheiro, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Denílson Abraão lost his temper 67 minutes into the game and shoved another player to the ground. He was immediately shown a red card. In the 67th minute, one of Currais FC:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Currais FC. Nildo Amaral shot the penalty kick right outside the post. In the 72nd minute the ball was on its way in behind Currais FC's goalkeeper Cauã Souza, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. 78 minutes into the match, Pedro Luiz das Neves notched a goal, 2-3, to the right of Currais FC's Cauã Souza. Cauã Souza was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. After a defensive mix-up in Currais FC's zone, Geovani Baiano stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Cauã Souza came out of the goal and Geovani Baiano tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Nicolas Bittencourt got free with Jeremias Pinheiro in the 85th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 86th minute, Currais FC's Sílvio Meireles ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Jeremias Pinheiro. Jeremias Pinheiro yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 2-4. With his leg Jeremias Pinheiro managed to avoid a goal in the 92ndth minute, when Currais FC's Nicolas Bittencourt fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Nicolas Bittencourt blasted a shot towards the goal in the 93rd minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Jeremias Pinheiro having to make a save. Hílton Toledo hit a great freekick 94 minutes into the match. The long shot by Zé Roberto Azevedo in the 96th minute really tested Jeremias Pinheiro's skills. The ball was on its way into the goal to the left of him when he managed to stretch himself and save the shot and avoid a goal. In the 100th match minute, Esquerda was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Washington Varela to maneuver through the defense. The long shot by Zé Roberto Azevedo in the 101st minute really tested Jeremias Pinheiro's skills. The ball was on its way into the goal to the left of him when he managed to stretch himself and save the shot and avoid a goal. The away crowd were delighted with the way their team had played and cheered loudly when the final whistle sounded. Currais FC walked away with the win, even though the match was close until the end.