League

Baete
Spectators: 7277 (Terracing: 5460, Seating: 1673, VIP seats: 144) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Zé Mendes took the kick off in the first half of the match. The supporters of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube booed when Baete was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 6 match minutes in a wonderful position. Geovani Cearense didn't get a good kick on the ball. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Zé Mendes in the 11th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Marcelo Sá saved Baete from getting behind. After a defensive mix-up in Baete's zone, Diamantino Ribeiro stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Marcelo Sá came out of the goal and Diamantino Ribeiro tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Marcelo Sá took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Zé Mendes, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Zé Mendes in the 16th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Marcelo Sá saved Baete from getting behind. After some fancy dribbling in the 18th minute, Josué Santos managed to get in a good position for a shot. Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's supporters rose to their feet, but Josué Santos was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Marcelo Sá breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. If Zé Mendes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 20th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Zé Mendes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 21st minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's Josué Santos got a good chance for a goal in the 25th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. When the match clock showed 27 minutes, the score became 0-2 when Zé Mendes sped through Baete's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Marcelo Sá. After 30 played minutes Cruzeiro Esporte Clube got a freekick which was hit by Josué Santos. Baete's Marcelo Sá played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Zé Mendes in the 32nd minute of play. When Erivaldo Aguiar came up free with the goalie in the 33rd minute, the Cruzeiro Esporte Clube 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 Erivaldo Aguiar couldn't finish the play. If Zé Mendes had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 34th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Sílvio Luís Matos fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 38th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marcelo Sá having to interfere. After having played for 41 minutes, Zé Mendes managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's supporters crossed their fingers, but Zé Mendes was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Sílvio Luís Matos received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 43rd minute. Marcelo Sá tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Erivaldo Aguiar had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 47th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 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 hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Luís Guilherme Vaz to strike the kick off in the second half. The audience was convinced that Zé Mendes's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Marcelo Sá was relentless in the 52nd minute of the game. Josué Santos fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 55th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marcelo Sá having to interfere. Diamantino Ribeiro kicked well hit freekick during the 56th minute of the match. 59 minutes into the match, Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's Diamantino Ribeiro sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Marcelo Sá narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Josué Santos received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 63rd minute. Marcelo Sá tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Baete's Marcelo Sá played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Zé Mendes in the 64th minute of play. In the 67th match minute, Cruzeiro Esporte Clube was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Murilo Sousa to maneuver through the defense. The supporters of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube booed when Baete was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 74 match minutes in a wonderful position. Angelo Marquez didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 82nd minute, Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's Zé Mendes ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Marcelo Sá. Marcelo Sá yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 0-3. After 84 played minutes Cruzeiro Esporte Clube got a freekick which was hit by Josué Santos. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Zé Mendes in the 86th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Marcelo Sá prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Baete's Marcelo Sá proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 88th minute of the match, managed to save Baete from getting a goal against them. In the 89th minute, Baete's goalie took a deep sigh of relief after Josué Santos fired away a hard shot that went just outside the left post. Marcelo Sá made an important save on a dangerous shot by Zé Mendes in the 89th minute. The corner led to Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's Leandro Godoi getting away a dangerous shot that went just outside the goal. When Cruzeiro Esporte Clube's Zé Mendes in the 95th minute got a chance for a shot 95th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Baete's goalie prevented a goal.