League Play-Off

Arena Itaqueira
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when João Trigo kicked off to start the match. Armando Guimarães's late challenge caught a Palestra Eterno's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Armando Guimarães helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of Palestra Eterno booed when Gaivotas da Fiel was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 3 match minutes in a wonderful position. Armando Guimarães didn't get a good kick on the ball. After some fancy dribbling in the 4th minute, Fred Melo managed to get in a good position for a shot. Palestra Eterno's supporters rose to their feet, but Fred Melo was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Ciro Meireles breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Agostinho Carvalho might have been able to make a better finish in the 8th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Ciro Meireles. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Agostinho Carvalho ran back to his position shaking his head. Agostinho Carvalho scored 0-1 in the 9th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Ciro Meireles, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Fred Melo's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Ciro Meireles read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 13th minute of play. When Palestra Eterno's Samuel McGhee in the 14th minute got a chance for a shot 14th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Gaivotas da Fiel's goalie prevented a goal. If Jorge Messias had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 15th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The audience was convinced that Samuel McGhee's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Ciro Meireles was relentless in the 16th minute of the game. In the 20th minute of the match Sérgio Gerber shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Ciro Meireles showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Augusto Valadares hit a great freekick 25 minutes into the match. The Palestra Eterno fans' excitement grew in the 27th match minute when Palestra Eterno's Samuel McGhee looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 0-2 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. When the match had gone on for 30 minutes, Samuel McGhee put it in 0-3 from a short distance just to the right of Ciro Meireles. In the 34th minute Agostinho Carvalho shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Ciro Meireles saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. When Agostinho Carvalho came up free with the goalie in the 40th minute, the Palestra Eterno 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 Agostinho Carvalho couldn't finish the play. After some fancy dribbling in the 44th minute, Samuel McGhee managed to get in a good position for a shot. Palestra Eterno's supporters rose to their feet, but Samuel McGhee was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Ciro Meireles breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Ciro Meireles showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jorge Messias, who was totally free with the ball in the 47th minute. Jorge Messias recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 48th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-4 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

Cafu Queiroz tried in the 52nd minute to hit away a contribution but miss-kicked the ball which ended up in his own goal and left an unhappy Ciro Meireles a with quite unnecessary self made goal. Result 0-5. The crowd rose to their feet as Palestra Eterno's Jorge Messias slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Ciro Meireles. That made the score 0-6 after 55 minutes of play. In the 62ndth minute of the game Samuel McGhee who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Gaivotas da Fiel's Ciro Meireles was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. After a rather tough play, Gaivotas da Fiel's Armando Guimarães got a free kick in the 67th minute. After a rather tough play, Gaivotas da Fiel's Augusto Valadares got a free kick in the 70th minute. Jorge Messias received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 72nd minute. Ciro Meireles tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Válbson Pinheiro had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 75th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Válbson Pinheiro in the 79th minute of play forced Palestra Eterno's goalkeeper Aníbal Galvão to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Samuel McGhee received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 80th minute. Ciro Meireles tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Jorge Messias struck a weak shot in the 82nd minute. Ciro Meireles didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Palestra Eterno. Agostinho Carvalho might have been able to make a better finish in the 90th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Ciro Meireles. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Agostinho Carvalho ran back to his position shaking his head. Samuel McGhee's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 92ndth minute, Ciro Meireles skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. In the 96th minute, Samuel McGhee made a precise shot to the right of Ciro Meireles. Gaivotas da Fiel's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 0-8. When the match was over Palestra Eterno could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than Gaivotas da Fiel throughout the match.