League Play-Off

Grecia Limon
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Cartago FC's Baltazar Colon 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. Cartago FC's Jesus Kamakiri proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 6th minute of the match, managed to save Cartago FC from getting a goal against them. When Antonio Varela fell near the penalty area in the 11th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Grecia FC's protests and gave Antonio Varela a yellow card for diving instead. Antonio Varela hit a great freekick 11 minutes into the match. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Baltazar Colon in the 13th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Irvin Maroto saved Grecia FC from getting behind. Grecia FC's Irvin Maroto played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Baltazar Colon in the 17th minute of play. Heriberto Mesa sent away a hard shot on goal in the 18th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. When Cartago FC's Baltazar Colon in the 20th minute got a chance for a shot 20th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Grecia FC's goalie prevented a goal. When Baltazar Colon came up free with the goalie in the 22nd minute, the Cartago FC fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Baltazar Colon couldn't finish the play. Jesus Kamakiri made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Manuel Merino in the 25th minute of play. After having played for 26 minutes, Abel Calvo managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Grecia FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Abel Calvo was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. In the 32nd minute Manuel Merino shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jesus Kamakiri saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Jesus Kamakiri showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Manuel Merino in the 33rd minute of the match. Manuel Merino received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 35th minute. Jesus Kamakiri tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 40 minutes into the game, Cartago FC's Leon Solis nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Irvin Maroto made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 0-1. 45 minutes into the match, Grecia FC's goal looked a bit too open when Heriberto Mesa came free, but Irvin Maroto reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 48th minute Baltazar Colon shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Irvin Maroto saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Manuel Merino was the one to do the kick off. In a very dangerous position, a player in Grecia FC fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 58th minute. Penalty! Jorge Pacheco walked up to take care of the penalty kick. He was aiming for the top corner, but the ball went just outside the post. After 61 played minutes, Cartago FC's Rex Montealegre shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Irvin Maroto 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 Cartago FC reached it. When Manuel Merino came up free with the goalie in the 63rd minute, the Grecia FC fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Manuel Merino couldn't finish the play. Baltazar Colon received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 65th minute. Irvin Maroto tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After a rather tough play, Grecia FC's Nelson Ortega got a free kick in the 68th minute. If Manuel Merino had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 74th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Abel Calvo fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 76th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jesus Kamakiri having to interfere. 77 minutes into the match, Grecia FC's Manuel Merino sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Jesus Kamakiri narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Heriberto Mesa blasted a shot towards the goal in the 82nd minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Irvin Maroto having to make a save. The crowd rose to their feet as Heriberto Mesa kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Irvin Maroto. That made the score 0-3 in the 95 minute of play. When the match was over Cartago FC could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than Grecia FC throughout the match.