League Play-Off

Clarendon Hills Stad
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) River Plate's Rick Lim 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. The supporters of Paradise booed when River Plate was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 3 match minutes in a wonderful position. Loren Christie didn't get a good kick on the ball. If Mark Cherry had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 4th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After a defensive mix-up in River Plate's zone, Austin Pierce stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Archie Blankenship came out of the goal and Austin Pierce tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After a defensive mix-up in River Plate's zone, Cory Suggs stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Archie Blankenship came out of the goal and Cory Suggs tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After a rather tough play, River Plate's Loren Christie got a free kick in the 14th minute. Cory Suggs recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 19th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. The supporters of Paradise booed when River Plate was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 20 match minutes in a wonderful position. Johnson Stover didn't get a good kick on the ball. With an all-out effort, River Plate's Merlin Sheffield threw himself towards the right post 22 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Johnson Stover, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. In the 23rd minute, Austin Pierce 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. Cory Suggs received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 25th minute. Archie Blankenship tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Cory Suggs had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 26th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 29 minutes into the game, Rick Lim recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Merlin Sheffield. Rick Lim showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 1-0. Brant Lind took the ball and in the 33 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Merlin Sheffield. Merlin Sheffield dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 2-0. Mark Cherry's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Archie Blankenship read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 36th minute of play. Cory Suggs blasted a shot towards the goal in the 37th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Archie Blankenship having to make a save. In the 40th minute Cory Suggs shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Archie Blankenship saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Cory Suggs received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 42nd minute. Archie Blankenship tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 44th minute Rick Lim shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Merlin Sheffield saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Mark Cherry fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 45th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Archie Blankenship having to interfere. Af the end of the first half the score was 2-0. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Mark Cherry was the one to do the kick off. Paradise's Merlin Sheffield played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Rick Lim in the 53rd minute of play. Brant Lind kicked well hit freekick during the 57th minute of the match. In the 58th minute, Cody Skaggs hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Austin Pierce struck a weak shot in the 63rd minute. Archie Blankenship didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Paradise. Merlin Sheffield came out of the goal in the 65th minute to try and stop a shot by River Plate's Benny Vargas. But to his dismay, Benny Vargas quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-0. An unexpectedly hard shot by Rick Lim in the 69th minute of play forced Paradise's goalkeeper Merlin Sheffield to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Mark Cherry sent away a hard shot on goal in the 71st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Merlin Sheffield showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Brant Lind in the 75th minute of the match. After having played for 83 minutes, Cory Suggs managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Paradise's supporters crossed their fingers, but Cory Suggs was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Cody Skaggs might have been able to make a better finish in the 87th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Archie Blankenship. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Cody Skaggs ran back to his position shaking his head. Cody Skaggs sent away a hard shot on goal in the 87th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After a defensive mix-up in River Plate's zone, Cory Suggs stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Archie Blankenship came out of the goal and Cory Suggs tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Brant Lind in the 93rd minute of play forced Paradise's goalkeeper Merlin Sheffield to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. River Plate's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.