League Play-Off

Nilton Santos
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) Igor Mandrak started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. In the 3rd minute Vladimir Ramalho shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Arnaldo Neves saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 6th minute Perivaldo Ramalho shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Rafael Luz saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Arnaldo Neves didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Vladimir Ramalho went, in the 8th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-0 was the resulting score. Arnaldo Neves made a fantastic save in the 13th minute, when Gerson Reis sent off a good shot on target. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Igor Mandrak in the 15th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Rafael Luz prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Rafael Luz showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Igor Mandrak in the 20th minute of the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Igor Mandrak in the 24th minute of play forced Botafogo's goalkeeper Rafael Luz to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The supporters of Malheiro booed when Botafogo was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 24 match minutes in a wonderful position. Mazinho da Silveira didn't get a good kick on the ball. After having played for 28 minutes, Gerson Reis managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Botafogo's supporters crossed their fingers, but Gerson Reis was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Gerson Reis sent away a hard shot on goal in the 30th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 36 played minutes, Botafogo's Giovanni Guimarães shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Arnaldo Neves came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Botafogo reached it. Gerson Reis sent away a hard shot on goal in the 38th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Perivaldo Ramalho recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 42nd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. If Gerson Reis had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 46th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 48th minute, Malheiro's goalie took a deep sigh of relief after Gerson Reis fired away a hard shot that went just outside the left post. When the referee blew for the end of the half the home team players were clearly happier, as they went in to the break leading 1-0.

Igor Mandrak fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 54th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Rafael Luz having to interfere. In the 56th minute, Vladimir Ramalho ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Arnaldo Neves was frozen by the shot and now it was 2-0. In the 58th match minute, Botafogo was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Marcelo Teles to maneuver through the defense. Malheiro's Arnaldo Neves played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Gerson Reis in the 61st minute of play. Perivaldo Ramalho received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 63rd minute. Rafael Luz tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Arnaldo Neves showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Gerson Reis, who was totally free with the ball in the 66th minute. With a little luck, Botafogo's Rafael Luz got control of the ball when Perivaldo Ramalho tried to sneak it across the goal line. Perivaldo Ramalho struck a weak shot in the 72nd minute. Rafael Luz didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Malheiro. In the 74th minute, Vladimir Ramalho left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Botafogo fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 3-0. In the 81st minute, Malheiro's Igor Mandrak dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 3-1. Arnaldo Neves took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Gerson Reis, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Igor Mandrak kicked well hit freekick during the 86th minute of the match. After having played for 90 minutes, Vladimir Ramalho managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Botafogo's supporters crossed their fingers, but Vladimir Ramalho was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Arnaldo Neves didn't succeed to prevent the ball from going into goal when Botafogo's Vladimir Ramalho shot an unexpected shot in the crossbar's under edge and made 4-1 in the ordered_time% minute. The audience thought a goal was coming when Perivaldo Ramalho got free with Rafael Luz in the 98th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. The referee blew his whistle, and the match came to a close. The players exchanged shirts and headed down the tunnel. The Botafogo fans cheered their team off the field, for while Malheiro had put up a good fight, they were unable to come out of the game with any points to show for their effort.