League Play-Off

Estádio Nilopolis
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Serginho Linares took the kick off in the first half of the match. Eriberto Costa took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Hortêncio dos Santos, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 14 minutes into the game, João Paulo Rossi cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 0-1. Diego Queirós was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Nelson das Neves 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. Cocau EC's defense didn't have a chance, in the 23rd minute, when Hortêncio dos Santos scored to the left of an out of position Eriberto Costa, making the score, 1-1. Enrique Branco charged in rather forcefully in the 26th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Enrique Branco the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After 26 played minutes Nilopolis got a freekick which was hit by Enrique Branco. Serginho Linares received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 27th minute. Diego Queirós tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. João Paulo Rossi recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 31st minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. If Nelson das Neves had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 32nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Régis Amorim's late challenge caught a Nilopolis's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Régis Amorim helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Cocau EC getting a freekick after 35 minutes play. Régis Amorim hit a great ball. 45 minutes into the game, Michel Botelho was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Cocau EC's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Nilopolis the free kick. In the 45th minute, Michel Botelho hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After 45 played minutes, Nilopolis's Sílvio Luiz Braga shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Eriberto Costa 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 Nilopolis reached it. Eriberto Costa made a fantastic save in the 48th minute, when Nelson das Neves sent off a good shot on target. The first half was very even, with the score at 1-1 when the whistle went for half-time. The players welcomed the break and quickly retired to the dressing rooms.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Hortêncio dos Santos was the one to do the kick off. Cocau EC's Eriberto Costa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Nelson das Neves in the 52nd minute of play. Cocau EC's Eriberto Costa played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Hortêncio dos Santos in the 54th minute of play. Nelson das Neves sent away a hard shot on goal in the 56th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After some fancy dribbling in the 63rd minute, Nelson das Neves managed to get in a good position for a shot. Nilopolis's supporters rose to their feet, but Nelson das Neves was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Eriberto Costa breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. With a little luck, Nilopolis's Diego Queirós got control of the ball when João Paulo Rossi tried to sneak it across the goal line. 67 minutes into the match, Cocau EC's goal looked a bit too open when Nelson das Neves came free, but Eriberto Costa reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Serginho Linares in the 75th minute of play forced Nilopolis's goalkeeper Diego Queirós to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 76 played minutes Nilopolis got a freekick which was hit by Enrique Branco. Eurico Tande's late challenge caught a Cocau EC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Eurico Tande helped the player get up and apologised. After 77 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for Nilopolis! Nelson das Neves fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 89th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Eriberto Costa having to interfere. Hortêncio dos Santos might have been able to make a better finish in the 90th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Eriberto Costa. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Hortêncio dos Santos ran back to his position shaking his head. Nelson das Neves sent away a hard shot on goal in the 91st minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. After a rather tough play, Cocau EC's Régis Amorim got a free kick in the 93rd minute. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Nelson das Neves in the 96th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Eriberto Costa saved Cocau EC from getting behind. Eriberto Costa showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Nelson das Neves, who was totally free with the ball in the 99th minute.