League Play-Off

São Januário
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) Os Namoral's Tales Alvarenga 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. When Zeca Paiva fell near the penalty area in the 6th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Os Namoral's protests and gave Zeca Paiva a yellow card for diving instead. Zeca Paiva kicked well hit freekick during the 6th minute of the match. Luiz Paulo Carneiro kicked well hit freekick during the 8th minute of the match. Flávio Guerra was probably a little too eager to shoot when he, in the 8th played minute, shot the ball from way out. The shot was hard, but the ball flew wide of the goal. After having played for 11 minutes, Luizinho Nogueira managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Vasco da Gama's supporters crossed their fingers, but Luizinho Nogueira was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. In the 13th minute the ball was on its way in behind Os Namoral's goalkeeper Edgar Sergipano, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. 0-1 became the score in the 16th minute when Tião Leme elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. In the 21st minute Os Namoral were awarded a corner. Eurico Berger went to the cornerflag to take it. Edgar Sergipano made an important save on a dangerous shot by Pedro Paulo Jacinto in the 23rd minute. In the 24th minute, Os Namoral's goalie took a deep sigh of relief after Pedro Paulo Jacinto fired away a hard shot that went just outside the left post. Luizão Salgado showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Tião Leme in the 27th minute of the match. If Luizinho Nogueira had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 28th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Tião Leme received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 30th minute. Luizão Salgado tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Edgar Sergipano made an important save on a dangerous shot by Pedro Paulo Jacinto in the 32nd minute. After some careless play in the Vasco da Gama defense, Tião Leme kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Luizão Salgado. The Vasco da Gama fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Luizão Salgado should have stopped the shot. 38 minutes into the match, Os Namoral's goalkeeper Edgar Sergipano had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Pedro Paulo Jacinto. Edgar Sergipano made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Luizinho Nogueira in the 40th minute of play. In the 44th minute, Tião Leme got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Edgar Sergipano was out of position in the 47 minute of play, and Luizinho Nogueira capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Luizinho Nogueira really showed his touch with that goal: 1-2. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 1-2 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

The wind increased when Luizinho Nogueira made the kick off in the second half. Luizão Salgado didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Tião Leme went, in the 57th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-3 was the resulting score. Luizinho Nogueira received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 64th minute. Edgar Sergipano tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 67th match minute, Os Namoral was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Zeca Paiva to maneuver through the defense. In the 69th minute Pedro Paulo Jacinto shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Edgar Sergipano saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Walmir Furtado's late challenge caught a Os Namoral's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Walmir Furtado helped the player get up and apologised. Walmir Furtado hit a great freekick 73 minutes into the match. Edgar Sergipano showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Luizinho Nogueira in the 77th minute of the match. Tião Leme sent away a hard shot on goal in the 86th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Luizinho Nogueira might have been able to make a better finish in the 88th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Edgar Sergipano. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Luizinho Nogueira ran back to his position shaking his head. 90 minutes into the match, Vasco da Gama's goalkeeper Luizão Salgado had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Tião Leme. Pedro Paulo Jacinto fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 92nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Edgar Sergipano having to interfere. The away crowd were delighted with the way their team had played and cheered loudly when the final whistle sounded. Os Namoral walked away with the win, even though the match was close until the end.