League Play-Off

Estádio Itahum
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) Irakeanos's Moisés Vander 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. In the 3rd minute the ball was on its way in behind Irakeanos's goalkeeper Ulisses Amaral, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Cristiano Linares received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Ulisses Amaral came out and tried to block the shot, but Cristiano Linares slotted it home off the left post making it 1-0 in the 7th minute. Dudu Nogueira showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Moisés Vander, who was totally free with the ball in the 16th minute. With a little luck, Irakeanos's Ulisses Amaral got control of the ball when David Cearense tried to sneak it across the goal line. The supporters of Irakeanos booed when Itahum was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 20 match minutes in a wonderful position. Eugênio Quadros didn't get a good kick on the ball. The audience was convinced that Moisés Vander's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Dudu Nogueira was relentless in the 25th minute of the game. When Eliseu Coutinho fell near the penalty area in the 33rd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Irakeanos's protests and gave Eliseu Coutinho a yellow card for diving instead. In a very dangerous position, a player in Irakeanos fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 32nd minute. Penalty! Ulisses Amaral had in the 34thth minute some difficulties stopping Cristian Nóbrega's well aimed penalty as it nearly passed him on his left side, but he still managed to hold the ball. After 34 minutes of play, Itahum's Cristian Nóbrega made it 2-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Ulisses Amaral was left in no man's land by his defense there! In the 37th minute Cristiano Linares shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Ulisses Amaral saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Bernardinho Pernambucano during the 40th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After 40 played minutes Irakeanos got a freekick which was hit by Bernardinho Pernambucano. The audience thought a goal was coming when David Cearense got free with Ulisses Amaral in the 43rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 3-0 at half-time.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Cristiano Linares to make the kick off. David Cearense took the ball and in the 54 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Ulisses Amaral. Ulisses Amaral dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 4-0. Moisés Vander in the 59thth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Dudu Nogueira, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. Cristiano Linares fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 60th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ulisses Amaral having to interfere. Rafinha Varela charged in rather forcefully in the 63rd minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Rafinha Varela the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After a rather tough play, Irakeanos's Rafinha Varela got a free kick in the 63rd minute. The supporters of Itahum booed when Irakeanos was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 66 match minutes in a wonderful position. Bernardinho Pernambucano didn't get a good kick on the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by David Cearense in the 81st minute of play forced Irakeanos's goalkeeper Ulisses Amaral to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. A collision led to Irakeanos getting a freekick after 83 minutes play. Victor Freire hit a great ball. With his leg Dudu Nogueira managed to avoid a goal in the 89thth minute, when Irakeanos's Moisés Vander fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Irakeanos's Ulisses Amaral played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by David Cearense in the 91st minute of play. If Moisés Vander had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 94th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 95 minutes into the game, Rafinha Varela recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Dudu Nogueira. Rafinha Varela showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 4-1. Itahum were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Irakeanos for a fine match.