League Play-Off

Mal pais Cartago
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Chunche Arrieta got the match started through his kick off. 3 minutes into the match, Mal pais AFC's Aurelio Mena sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Pablo Martinez narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Braulio Avila received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 5th minute. Marco Villegas tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 11 minutes into the match, Bijagual's Braulio Avila sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Marco Villegas narrowly saved just below the crossbar. The supporters of Bijagual booed when Mal pais AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 12 match minutes in a wonderful position. Bennie Mora didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 13th minute of the match Manrique Echavarria sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Marco Villegas skillfully saved the ball. Bijagual's Willie Jarquin got a good chance for a goal in the 18th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. After a rather tough play, Mal pais AFC's Leonel Matamoros got a free kick in the 23rd minute. The supporters of Bijagual booed when Mal pais AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 24 match minutes in a wonderful position. Bennie Mora didn't get a good kick on the ball. Mal pais AFC's Warner Saenz suffered a sprained foot after 26 minutes and couldn't finish the game. In a very dangerous position, a player in Bijagual fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 26th minute. Penalty! Pablo Martinez went to the wrong direction when Diego Jara was taking care of the penalty kick which however missed the goal. Leonel Matamoros received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 32nd minute. Pablo Martinez tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The supporters of Bijagual booed when Mal pais AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 33 match minutes in a wonderful position. Benito Guardia didn't get a good kick on the ball. Otilio Sarmiento fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marco Villegas having to interfere. 37 minutes into the game, Bijagual's Chunche Arrieta nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Marco Villegas made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 0-1. In the 44th minute, Chunche Arrieta ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Marco Villegas was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-2. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-2 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Aurelio Mena stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Pablo Martinez made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Aurelio Mena in the 55th minute of play. After a defensive mix-up in Bijagual's zone, Aurelio Mena stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Pablo Martinez came out of the goal and Aurelio Mena tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Aurelio Mena in the 60th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Pablo Martinez prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Pablo Martinez made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Leonel Matamoros in the 61st minute of play. A collision led to Bijagual getting a freekick after 61 minutes play. Willie Jarquin hit a great ball. The crowd rose to their feet as Chunche Arrieta kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Marco Villegas. That made the score 0-3 in the 64 minute of play. Marco Villegas showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Chunche Arrieta, who was totally free with the ball in the 72nd minute. In the 74th minute, Willie Mendez hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Manrique Echavarria was probably a little too eager to shoot when he, in the 75th played minute, shot the ball from way out. The shot was hard, but the ball flew wide of the goal. After 82 minutes, Andrei Wanchope mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Bijagual and the Mal pais AFC players grew even worse after the yellow card. 84 minutes into the match, Bijagual's goal looked a bit too open when Aurelio Mena came free, but Pablo Martinez reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Chunche Arrieta fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 86th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marco Villegas having to interfere. Marco Villegas showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Chunche Arrieta, who was totally free with the ball in the 90th minute. If Aurelio Mena had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 95th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Bijagual eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.