League Play-Off

Estádio Manica
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) Itajiba's Leonel de Lara started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. After 3 played minutes Itajiba got a freekick which was hit by Edvaldo Linares. In the 4th minute, Emerson Guerra sent off a long shot on goal, but the shot was nowhere near the goal and Itajiba's Luisão Rodrigues didn't even have to move. In the 7th minute, Noel Rocha hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Adriano Toledo received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 10th minute. Albertinho Andrade tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. A collision led to Manica getting a freekick after 11 minutes play. Sérgio Branco hit a great ball. In the 12th match minute, Itajiba was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Custódio Senna to maneuver through the defense. After having played for 20 minutes, Dorian Eger managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Manica's supporters crossed their fingers, but Dorian Eger was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Válter Santana 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. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Válter Santana in the 25th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Luisão Rodrigues prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Thiago Alves's late challenge caught a Manica's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Thiago Alves helped the player get up and apologised. In the 25th match minute, Itajiba was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Thiago Alves to maneuver through the defense. 30 minutes into the match, Dorian Eger had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Luisão Rodrigues. Itajiba's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Dorian Eger was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-0. When Sérgio Branco fell near the penalty area in the 32nd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Manica's protests and gave Sérgio Branco a yellow card for diving instead. The supporters of Itajiba booed when Manica was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 32 match minutes in a wonderful position. Sérgio Branco didn't get a good kick on the ball. Luisão Rodrigues made a fantastic save in the 37th minute, when Dorian Eger sent off a good shot on target. If Dorian Eger had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 39th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The crowd rose to their feet as Manica's Válter Santana slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Luisão Rodrigues. That made the score 2-0 after 41 minutes of play. If Válter Santana had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 44th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. If Válter Santana had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 48th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

In the 52ndth minute of the game Dorian Eger who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Itajiba's Luisão Rodrigues was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. When Manica's Dorian Eger in the 54th minute got a chance for a shot 54th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Itajiba's goalie prevented a goal. Adriano Toledo sent away a hard shot on goal in the 59th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Válter Santana had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 68th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 70 minutes into the game, Manica's Válter Santana nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Luisão Rodrigues made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 3-0. After some fancy dribbling in the 77th minute, Adriano Toledo managed to get in a good position for a shot. Itajiba's supporters rose to their feet, but Adriano Toledo was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Albertinho Andrade breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Válter Santana sent away a hard shot on goal in the 80th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The audience was convinced that Válter Santana's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Luisão Rodrigues was relentless in the 82nd minute of the game. Dorian Eger sent away a hard shot on goal in the 83rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After some fancy dribbling in the 85th minute, Válter Santana managed to get in a good position for a shot. Manica's supporters rose to their feet, but Válter Santana was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Luisão Rodrigues breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 88th minute, Pedro Luís Dante hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Luisão Rodrigues made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Dorian Eger in the 91st minute of play. Luisão Rodrigues didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Válter Santana went, in the 92nd minute, to the upper right corner, 4-0 was the resulting score. When Válter Santana came up free with the goalie in the 96th minute, the Manica 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 Válter Santana couldn't finish the play.