League Play-Off

Estádio Strangers
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Antônio Moraes started the match with the kick off. João Augusto Gomes's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Orlando Castro read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 3rd minute of play. João Augusto Gomes received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 9th minute. Orlando Castro tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 10th match minute, Calabar was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cássio Braga to maneuver through the defense. An unexpectedly hard shot by Falcão Palmeira in the 12th minute of play forced Calabar's goalkeeper Orlando Castro to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Gualter Pirani hit a great freekick 12 minutes into the match. When Sidnei Souza, who was free, got the in front of the goal in the 18 minute he wasn't focused and tipped the ball just over the goal. The Kléber de Barros was delighted since the ball would have got in if it had gone under the crossbar. After some fancy dribbling in the 21st minute, João Augusto Gomes managed to get in a good position for a shot. The Strangers's supporters rose to their feet, but João Augusto Gomes was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Orlando Castro breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Tiaguinho Macedo kicked well hit freekick during the 24th minute of the match. After having played for 25 minutes, Michel Cardozo managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Calabar's supporters crossed their fingers, but Michel Cardozo was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Antônio Moraes in the 27th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Kléber de Barros saved The Strangers from getting behind. Kléber de Barros showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Antônio Moraes, who was totally free with the ball in the 31st minute. Sidnei Souza received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 33rd minute. Kléber de Barros tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Antônio Moraes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 35th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After a defensive mix-up in The Strangers's zone, Antônio Moraes stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Kléber de Barros came out of the goal and Antônio Moraes tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. João Augusto Gomes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 40th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. An unexpectedly hard shot by Luciano Veiga in the 42nd minute of play forced Calabar's goalkeeper Orlando Castro to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 46th minute Calabar were awarded a corner. Michel Cardozo went to the cornerflag to take it. Michel Cardozo made a great header on Calabar's corner, it was just that The Strangers's Kléber de Barros managed to reach the ball for a save. The fans had the chance to grab some refreshments as the whistle went for half-time. The score stood at 0-0 after a close first half.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Luciano Veiga was the one to do the kick off. With an all-out effort, Calabar's Kléber de Barros threw himself towards the right post 53 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Antônio Moraes, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. If Sidnei Souza had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 55th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Kléber de Barros made an important save on a dangerous shot by Sidnei Souza in the 57th minute. Luciano Veiga 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. Kléber de Barros made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Antônio Moraes in the 74th minute of play. When João Augusto Gomes came up free with the goalie in the 76th minute, the The Strangers 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 João Augusto Gomes couldn't finish the play. João Augusto Gomes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 78th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. The audience was convinced that Antônio Moraes's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Kléber de Barros was relentless in the 79th minute of the game. Orlando Castro showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Luciano Veiga, who was totally free with the ball in the 83rd minute. In the 84th minute, Sidnei Souza reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Kléber de Barros. The goal made the score 0-1. Luciano Veiga sent away a hard shot on goal in the 94th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. João Augusto Gomes might have been able to make a better finish in the 95th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Orlando Castro. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. João Augusto Gomes ran back to his position shaking his head. Luciano Veiga recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 96th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. If João Augusto Gomes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 97th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The Calabar supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing Calabar would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.