League Play-Off

Imbau
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Denílson Bezerra got the match started through his kick off. Manuel Travassos hit a great freekick 3 minutes into the match. Ademar Vasconcelos charged in rather forcefully in the 10th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Ademar Vasconcelos the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. The supporters of Imbau EC booed when ELESTE F.C. was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 11 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ademar Vasconcelos didn't get a good kick on the ball. Manoel Albuquerque was probably a little too eager to shoot when he, in the 11th played minute, shot the ball from way out. The shot was hard, but the ball flew wide of the goal. Luiz Sergipano was out of position in the 13 minute of play, and Denílson Bezerra capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Denílson Bezerra really showed his touch with that goal: 1-0. After some fancy dribbling in the 18th minute, Denílson Bezerra managed to get in a good position for a shot. Imbau EC's supporters rose to their feet, but Denílson Bezerra was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Luiz Sergipano breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After 24 played minutes Imbau EC got a freekick which was hit by Luís Eduardo Campidelis. The audience held their breath when Ademar Vasconcelos in the 25th minute of the game managed to trick the opponents defenses and fired away a shot outside the goal on the Válter Varela's left hand side. 27 minutes into the match, Manuel Travassos had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Válter Varela. Imbau EC's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Manuel Travassos was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-1. Lúcio Antunes charged in rather forcefully in the 32nd minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Lúcio Antunes the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. The supporters of ELESTE F.C. booed when Imbau EC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 32 match minutes in a wonderful position. Lúcio Antunes didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 33 played minutes, ELESTE F.C.'s Humberto Abraão shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Válter Varela 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 ELESTE F.C. reached it. Imbau EC's Denílson Bezerra got a good chance for a goal in the 35th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 38 minutes into the match, Denílson Bezerra dribbled the ball past the defender and swiftly kicked the ball to the left of Luiz Sergipano, 2-1. If Jefferson Gomes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 42nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Lúcio Antunes was shown his second yellow card after 43 minutes, following a rather ugly tackle on opponent. That was the end of his participation in the match. Manuel Travassos received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 47th minute. Válter Varela tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Manuel Travassos stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Imbau EC's Válter Varela proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 56th minute of the match, managed to save Imbau EC from getting a goal against them. In the 64th match minute, Imbau EC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Luiz Eduardo Tepedino to maneuver through the defense. Humberto Abraão was probably a little too eager to shoot when he, in the 65th played minute, shot the ball from way out. The shot was hard, but the ball flew wide of the goal. After 66 minutes, Clóvis Baiano mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Imbau EC and the ELESTE F.C. players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 66th minute, Clóvis Baiano hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 70th minute, Manuel Travassos made a precise shot to the right of Válter Varela. Imbau EC's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 2-2. In the 75th minute Manuel Travassos shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Válter Varela saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Luisinho Loyola had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 76th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. If Manuel Travassos had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 81st minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. 81 minutes into the game, ELESTE F.C.'s Luisinho Loyola nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Válter Varela made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-3. 88 minutes into the match, ELESTE F.C.'s Luisinho Loyola sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Válter Varela narrowly saved just below the crossbar. The Imbau EC fans had already started to leave before the final whistle blew. ELESTE F.C. were clearly better and deserved to take the win.