League

Sportivo Luqueño
Spectators: 7399 (Terracing: 5550, Seating: 1702, VIP seats: 147) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Conrado Salbatore started the match with the kick off. An unexpectedly hard shot by Bartolo Matthew in the 8th minute of play forced Sanford's goalkeeper Gonzalo Mel to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 12 minutes into the match, Sanford's goal looked a bit too open when Gaston Xabat came free, but Gonzalo Mel reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. A collision led to Iván De Pineda getting a freekick after 13 minutes play. Cliff Keyworth hit a great ball. In the 14th minute of the match Ubaldo Lluques shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Igor Cordarin showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. After 16 played minutes Iván De Pineda got a freekick which was hit by Cliff Keyworth. A collision led to Iván De Pineda getting a freekick after 18 minutes play. Cliff Keyworth hit a great ball. A collision led to Sanford getting a freekick after 23 minutes play. Guido Cisco hit a great ball. 27 minutes into the game, Conrado Salbatore was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Sanford's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Iván De Pineda the free kick. After a rather tough play, Sanford's Conrado Salbatore got a free kick in the 27th minute. Jonas Valadares scored 1-0 in the 35th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Gonzalo Mel, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. If Gaston Xabat had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 39th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Gonzalo Mel came out of the goal in the 41st minute to try and stop a shot by Iván De Pineda's Jonas Valadares. But to his dismay, Jonas Valadares quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-0. In the 44th minute Gaston Xabat shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gonzalo Mel saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. When the referee blew for the end of the half the home team players were clearly happier, as they went in to the break leading 2-0.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Jonas Valadares stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Gaston Xabat made a precise shot to the right of Gonzalo Mel. Sanford's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 3-0. 55 minutes into the match, Sanford's goal looked a bit too open when Jonas Valadares came free, but Gonzalo Mel reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Gaston Xabat sent away a hard shot on goal in the 56th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Gonzalo Mel made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Jonas Valadares in the 58th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gaston Xabat in the 59th minute of play forced Sanford's goalkeeper Gonzalo Mel to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 61 minutes into the match, Sanford's goal looked a bit too open when Gaston Xabat came free, but Gonzalo Mel reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Conrado Salbatore in the 64th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Igor Cordarin saved Iván De Pineda from getting behind. Gaston Xabat took the ball and in the 66 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Gonzalo Mel. Gonzalo Mel dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 4-0. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Jonas Valadares in the 69th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Gonzalo Mel saved Sanford from getting behind. Iván De Pineda's Igor Cordarin played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Conrado Salbatore in the 71st minute of play. In the 78th minute, Jonas Valadares left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Iván De Pineda fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 5-0. In the 93rd minute, Guido Cisco left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Sanford fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 5-2. Sanford's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.