League Play-Off

Farid Richa
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Lizbeth Gatnau kicked off to start the match. 4 minutes in the game, Emanuel Sanchez fired away an excellent shot, which passed to the side of the right post without Mero Tixido having to interfere. The audience was convinced that Lizbeth Gatnau's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Mero Tixido was relentless in the 6th minute of the game. Mero Tixido came out of the goal in the 7th minute to try and stop a shot by Unión Lara F.C.'s Emanuel Sanchez. But to his dismay, Emanuel Sanchez quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-0. Bela Atienza made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Txilar Planes in the 13th minute of play. Bela Atienza showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Txilar Planes, who was totally free with the ball in the 17th minute. Txilar Planes received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 21st minute. Bela Atienza tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Emanuel Sanchez came free with the goalkeeper in the 27th minute of the match, and shot straight on target. The shot was a little too simple and Mero Tixido could save by the left post. Mosquito's Mero Tixido played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Lizbeth Gatnau in the 30th minute of play. Emanuel Sanchez came free with the goalkeeper in the 32nd minute of the match, and shot straight on target. The shot was a little too simple and Mero Tixido could save by the left post. A nice corner shot did that Ricart Villabol got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Mero Tixido quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. If Txilar Planes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 36th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After 42 minutes, Aitor Miñano mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Unión Lara F.C. and the Mosquito players grew even worse after the yellow card. Aitor Miñano kicked well hit freekick during the 42nd minute of the match. Lizbeth Gatnau sent away a hard shot on goal in the 46th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. Emanuel Sanchez might have been able to make a better finish in the 47th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Mero Tixido. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Emanuel Sanchez ran back to his position shaking his head.

The wind increased when Txilar Planes made the kick off in the second half. Lizbeth Gatnau's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Mero Tixido read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 55th minute of play. The supporters of Unión Lara F.C. booed when Mosquito was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 56 match minutes in a wonderful position. Koldobika Zabarte didn't get a good kick on the ball. After a rather tough play, Mosquito's Baleren Villaquiran got a free kick in the 59th minute. If Lizbeth Gatnau had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 62nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 66th minute Lizbeth Gatnau shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Mero Tixido saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Roderigo Magadan's late challenge caught a Unión Lara F.C.'s player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Roderigo Magadan helped the player get up and apologised. Emanuel Sanchez sent away a hard shot on goal in the 68th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The audience thought a goal was coming when Markel Castejon got free with Bela Atienza in the 76th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 1-1 became the score in the 78th minute when Txilar Planes elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. The final whistle blew with the score still tied, and both teams left the pitch thinking about the missed chances that could have given their team the win.