League

Estádio Itapissuma
Spectators: 6660 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1660, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Amadeu Miranda took the kick off in the first half of the match. The supporters of Santa Cruz booed when Itapissuma was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 4 match minutes in a wonderful position. Hudson Perez didn't get a good kick on the ball. Luizão Alvarenga received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 6th minute. Claudinei Terra tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Claudinei Terra made an important save on a dangerous shot by Luizão Alvarenga in the 11th minute. 12 minutes into the match, Itapissuma's goal looked a bit too open when Enrique Linares came free, but Marquinhos Mendonça reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Itapissuma's Maurício Furlan suffered a sore thigh after 14 minutes and couldn't finish the game. Amadeu Miranda's late challenge caught a Itapissuma's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Amadeu Miranda helped the player get up and apologised. Claudinei Terra was in the perfect position, and the defense had done a good job marking him, but Ricardo da Rocha showcased his skills and made a perfect shot to score 1-0 in the 18 minute of play. Santa Cruz's Claudinei Terra played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Hudson Perez in the 25th minute of play. Luizão Alvarenga scored 2-0 in the 28th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Claudinei Terra, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Luiz Eduardo Ramalho struck a weak shot in the 32nd minute. Claudinei Terra didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Itapissuma. Luizão Alvarenga fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 35th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Claudinei Terra having to interfere. Luizão Alvarenga's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Claudinei Terra read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 36th minute of play. Marquinhos Mendonça didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Osvaldinho Domingues went, in the 37th minute, to the upper right corner, 2-1 was the resulting score. After 40 played minutes Santa Cruz got a freekick which was hit by Armando de Toledo. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Luizão Alvarenga during the 42nd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. A collision led to Itapissuma getting a freekick after 42 minutes play. Luizão Alvarenga hit a great ball. The referee felt a red card was in order, 46 minutes into the game, when Betão de Lima put in a rough tackle. In the 45th minute, one of Itapissuma:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Itapissuma. In the 49th minute there was a penalty for Santa Cruz. Armando de Toledo stepped forward and shot the ball to the right of a diving Marquinhos Mendonça. 2-2. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Hudson Perez made a kick off. Evandro Mandrak's late challenge caught a Itapissuma's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Evandro Mandrak helped the player get up and apologised. Evandro Mandrak kicked well hit freekick during the 59th minute of the match. After a defensive mix-up in Santa Cruz's zone, Hudson Perez stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Claudinei Terra came out of the goal and Hudson Perez tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Enrique Linares got free with Marquinhos Mendonça in the 65th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 68th minute, Luiz Eduardo Ramalho got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Luiz Eduardo Ramalho might have been able to make a better finish in the 68th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Claudinei Terra. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Luiz Eduardo Ramalho ran back to his position shaking his head. Claudinei Terra took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Hudson Perez, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After a rather tough play, Santa Cruz's Enrique Linares got a free kick in the 76th minute. When Hudson Perez came up free with the goalie in the 81st minute, the Itapissuma 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 Hudson Perez couldn't finish the play. Marquinhos Mendonça took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Virgílio da Mata, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Marquinhos Mendonça made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Amadeu Miranda in the 96th minute of play. Itapissuma's Marquinhos Mendonça proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 97th minute of the match, managed to save Itapissuma from getting a goal against them.