League Play-Off

EMIRATES BORBA AREA
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Cícero Nascimento got the match started through his kick off. Cícero Nascimento sent away a hard shot on goal in the 5th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The audience was convinced that Fausto Saraiva's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Kiko Abreu was relentless in the 12th minute of the game. When Clóvis Leite came up free with the goalie in the 15th minute, the EC Raven 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 Clóvis Leite couldn't finish the play. Diguinho Cunha made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Caio de Andrade in the 17th minute of play. Cícero Nascimento received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 22nd minute. Kiko Abreu tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 24th minute, Borba's Cícero Nascimento ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Kiko Abreu. Kiko Abreu yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 1-0. The audience was convinced that Caio de Andrade's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Diguinho Cunha was relentless in the 30th minute of the game. Borba's Diguinho Cunha played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Caio de Andrade in the 31st minute of play. 33 minutes into the match, Clóvis Leite notched a goal, 1-1, to the right of Borba's Diguinho Cunha. Diguinho Cunha was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Cícero Nascimento received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 40th minute. Kiko Abreu tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Thanks to some nice moves Danilo Pinheiro could shoot a difficult shot in the 44th minute, which Kiko Abreu however easily saved by the left post. After 46 minutes of play, EC Raven's Clóvis Leite made it 1-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Diguinho Cunha was left in no man's land by his defense there! After the first half EC Raven were leading 1-2. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The wind increased when Clóvis Leite made the kick off in the second half. Marcus Bittencourt hit a great freekick 52 minutes into the match. In the 53rd match minute, EC Raven was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Clóvis Leite to maneuver through the defense. Danilo Pinheiro's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Kiko Abreu read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 56th minute of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 58th minute, Danilo Pinheiro managed to get in a good position for a shot. Borba's supporters rose to their feet, but Danilo Pinheiro was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Kiko Abreu breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After a rather tough play, EC Raven's Tiago Maranhense got a free kick in the 58th minute. In the 59th minute of the match Percy Freire shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Kiko Abreu showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Diguinho Cunha showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Clóvis Leite, who was totally free with the ball in the 61st minute. 63 minutes into the match, EC Raven's Caio de Andrade sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Diguinho Cunha narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After recieving a nice pass, EC Raven's Maurinho de Lima tried to score from far away in the 69th minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. Marcus Bittencourt's late challenge caught a Borba's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Marcus Bittencourt helped the player get up and apologised. After 72 played minutes EC Raven got a freekick which was hit by Marcus Bittencourt. Danilo Pinheiro sent away a hard shot on goal in the 77th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After some careless play in the EC Raven defense, Danilo Pinheiro kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Kiko Abreu. The EC Raven fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Kiko Abreu should have stopped the shot. Cícero Nascimento scored 3-2 in the 85th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Kiko Abreu, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Alfredinho Velloso during the 88th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Alfredinho Velloso hit a great freekick 88 minutes into the match. In the 90th minute Cícero Nascimento shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Kiko Abreu saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. A hard shot 93 in the game by Caio de Andrade from a close distance when the talented Diguinho Cunha managed to make a qualified save. Borba's players were relieved. In the 97th minute Danilo Pinheiro shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Kiko Abreu saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. EC Raven's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.