Official Cup

Jayme Cintra
Spectators: 159 (Terracing: 120, Seating: 36, VIP seats: 3) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Carlos Santana started the match with the kick off. After a rather tough play, Minuim SS's Leo Ponzio got a free kick in the 11th minute. 12 minutes into the match, Minuim SS's goal looked a bit too open when Carlos Santana came free, but Cristiano Lage reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Ronaldo Giovanelli stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Mikail Yerhum's shot from short distance in the 16th minute. 18 minutes into the match, Minuim SS's goal looked a bit too open when Carlos Santana came free, but Cristiano Lage reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Belmiro Caca-Rato hit a great freekick 21 minutes into the match. In the 27th minute, Cléberson Lara hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 32 minutes into the match, Mikail Yerhum had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Ronaldo Giovanelli. Galo do Japi's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Mikail Yerhum was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-2. Galo do Japi's Ronaldo Giovanelli played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Mikail Yerhum in the 37th minute of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Carlos Santana got free with Cristiano Lage in the 37th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 40 minutes in the game Leo Ponzio did a throw-in, and the ball was quickly in game thanks to Mikail Yerhum. Mikail Yerhum struck a weak shot in the 40th minute. Ronaldo Giovanelli didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Minuim SS. 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 supporters of Minuim SS booed when Galo do Japi was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 54 match minutes in a wonderful position. César dos Santos didn't get a good kick on the ball. 55 minutes into the match, Minuim SS's Marko Krumov sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Ronaldo Giovanelli narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Cristiano Lage took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Carlos Santana, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 61st minute of the game Leo Ponzio made a throw-in which Aimar Alajaan played forward. Paulo Renato Saraiva hit a great freekick 63 minutes into the match. If Mikail Yerhum had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 67th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Ronaldo Giovanelli made a fantastic save in the 67th minute, when Mikail Yerhum sent off a good shot on target. Minuim SS made a substitution. Luisinho Linhares replaced Juninho Reis. Galo do Japi's Cléberson Lara quite brazenly broke a throw-in by Leo Ponzio, made in the 73rd minute of the game. In the 74th minute, Carlos Santana left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Galo do Japi fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-2. After a rather tough play, Galo do Japi's Paulo Renato Saraiva got a free kick in the 77th minute. Ronaldo Giovanelli took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Luisinho Linhares, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Leo Ponzio made in the 80th minute of the game a sloppy throw-in which Luisinho Linhares however managed to control. The audience was convinced that Luisinho Linhares's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Ronaldo Giovanelli was relentless in the 83rd minute of the game. When the referee blew the final whistle, you could see the dissatisfaction in the Minuim SS players' eyes. They were disappointed they hadn't taken more from the game.