League Play-Off

Farid Richa
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Merexildo Entero started the match with the kick off. 3 minutes into the match, Ejército de Cristo Rey's goal looked a bit too open when Bautista Cabello came free, but Zarando Notes reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 4th match minute, Ejército de Cristo Rey was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Arotza Herbon to maneuver through the defense. Jose Ribadass short, quick shot in the 8thth minute got Zarando Notes to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. When Arotza Herbon was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 11 minutes had been played. In the 11th minute, Arotza Herbon hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. If Guipuzkoa Reve had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 19th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Guipuzkoa Reve fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 24th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Richie Brufau having to interfere. Zarando Notes showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Bautista Cabello in the 26th minute of the match. After a rather tough play, Hapoel Iribarren's Bautista Cabello got a free kick in the 28th minute. After 31 minutes, Jose Ribadas mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Hapoel Iribarren and the Ejército de Cristo Rey players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 37th match minute, Hapoel Iribarren was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Aaron Oquendo to maneuver through the defense. In the 39th minute, Maura Urtiaga ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Richie Brufau was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-1. After the first half Ejército de Cristo Rey were leading 0-1. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Bautista Cabello was the one to do the kick off. A nice corner shot did that Balesio Saer got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Zarando Notes quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. A collision led to Hapoel Iribarren getting a freekick after 55 minutes play. Tipi Sobejano hit a great ball. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Merexildo Entero during the 56th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. A collision led to Ejército de Cristo Rey getting a freekick after 56 minutes play. Merexildo Entero hit a great ball. Zarando Notes showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jose Ribadas, who was totally free with the ball in the 57th minute. When the match had gone on for 61 minutes, Cefero Oterino took a quick shot and it went in 0-2 without a chance for Richie Brufau to make any attempt to save it. Cefero Oterino sent away a hard shot on goal in the 67th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Zarando Notes showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jose Ribadas, who was totally free with the ball in the 69th minute. After a defensive mix-up in Hapoel Iribarren's zone, Cefero Oterino stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Richie Brufau came out of the goal and Cefero Oterino tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Merexildo Entero sent away a hard shot on goal in the 80th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The supporters of Ejército de Cristo Rey booed when Hapoel Iribarren was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 89 match minutes in a wonderful position. Aaron Oquendo didn't get a good kick on the ball. The supporters of Hapoel Iribarren booed when Ejército de Cristo Rey was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 90 match minutes in a wonderful position. Indartsu Viguera didn't get a good kick on the ball. After some careless play in the Ejército de Cristo Rey defense, Jose Ribadas kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Zarando Notes. The Ejército de Cristo Rey fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Zarando Notes should have stopped the shot. Hapoel Iribarren's Richie Brufau proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 95th minute of the match, managed to save Hapoel Iribarren from getting a goal against them. The Hapoel Iribarren fans had already started to leave before the final whistle blew. Ejército de Cristo Rey were clearly better and deserved to take the win.