League

Arena Blumenau
Spectators: 7966 (Terracing: 5976, Seating: 1832, VIP seats: 158) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Esteve Hodei made the kick off which started today's match. 4 minutes into the match, Blumenau Esporte Clube's goal looked a bit too open when Matouš Carda came free, but Luiz Fábio Leite reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Edvaldo de Toledo sent away a hard shot on goal in the 8th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. AFC - Curitiba's Duarte Mendes played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Bin Shevchenko in the 10th minute of play. Bin Shevchenko might have been able to make a better finish in the 13th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Duarte Mendes. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Bin Shevchenko ran back to his position shaking his head. An unexpectedly hard shot by Bin Shevchenko in the 13th minute of play forced AFC - Curitiba's goalkeeper Duarte Mendes to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Esteve Hodei in the 14th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Luiz Fábio Leite saved Blumenau Esporte Clube from getting behind. 16 minutes into the match, Bin Shevchenko had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Duarte Mendes. AFC - Curitiba's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Bin Shevchenko was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-0. Luiz Fábio Leite showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Romário Ortiz in the 21st minute of the match. If Bin Shevchenko had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 25th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After 36 minutes AFC - Curitiba's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Nildo Dantas who took care of the corner kick. A nice corner shot did that Nildo Dantas got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Duarte Mendes quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. The supporters of AFC - Curitiba booed when Blumenau Esporte Clube was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 37 match minutes in a wonderful position. José Augusto Couto didn't get a good kick on the ball. Luiz Fábio Leite showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jan Bykowski in the 38th minute of the match. After 39 minutes, Lucas-Ignacio Lugano mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Blumenau Esporte Clube and the AFC - Curitiba players grew even worse after the yellow card. After 39 played minutes Blumenau Esporte Clube got a freekick which was hit by Lucas-Ignacio Lugano. Duarte Mendes made a fantastic save in the 43rd minute, when Bin Shevchenko sent off a good shot on target. The AFC - Curitiba fans' excitement grew in the 45th match minute when AFC - Curitiba's Romário Ortiz looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 1-1 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. The score stood at 1-1 when the half time whistle went. Both sets of players seemed reasonably pleased with how the match was going.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Bin Shevchenko was the one to do the kick off. Luiz Fábio Leite made a fantastic save in the 55th minute, when Jan Bykowski sent off a good shot on target. In the 60th match minute, AFC - Curitiba was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Hermínio Alvarenga to maneuver through the defense. In the 69th minute of the match, Jan Bykowski got a very nice opportunity to score, but Luiz Fábio Leite was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. AFC - Curitiba's Esteve Hodei was standing unmarked in front of the goal when he, in the 70th play minute, got the ball and easily drilled it into the goal. 76 minutes into the match, Blumenau Esporte Clube's goalkeeper Luiz Fábio Leite had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Jan Bykowski. With an all-out effort, AFC - Curitiba's Luiz Fábio Leite threw himself towards the right post 80 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Joseba Roa, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. 81 minutes into the match, AFC - Curitiba's goal looked a bit too open when Bin Shevchenko came free, but Duarte Mendes reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 82 minutes into the game, Hermínio Alvarenga threw the ball into play from the sideline. Blumenau Esporte Clube's Xandinho Sharkin quickly snatched the ball and retained possesion. Blumenau Esporte Clube were furious when Nildo Dantas was red carded, 85 minutes into the game, but the referee dismissed their protests. 85 minutes into the game, one of Blumenau Esporte Clube:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. AFC - Curitiba's Duarte Mendes played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Bin Shevchenko in the 91st minute of play. After 92 minutes AFC - Curitiba's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Lucas-Ignacio Lugano who took care of the corner kick. After taking down the ball on Blumenau Esporte Clube's corner Lucas-Ignacio Lugano fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Duarte Mendes quite easily take care of the ball. Luiz Fábio Leite showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Romário Ortiz, who was totally free with the ball in the 94th minute. The away crowd were delighted with the way their team had played and cheered loudly when the final whistle sounded. AFC - Curitiba walked away with the win, even though the match was close until the end.