League Play-Off

Ricardo E. Bochini
Spectators: 32 (Terracing: 25, Seating: 7, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Joaquin Pueblo took the kick off in the first half of the match. The supporters of Palmitas booed when HacheAbajo FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 2 match minutes in a wonderful position. Cecilio Jakes didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 4 minutes of play, HacheAbajo FC's Marcos Chinto made it 1-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Rodolfo Demesio was left in no man's land by his defense there! After some careless play in the HacheAbajo FC defense, Serafin Gumaro kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Niceto Cuartio. The HacheAbajo FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Niceto Cuartio should have stopped the shot. 11 minutes into the match, Paulino Txerran had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Niceto Cuartio. HacheAbajo FC's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Paulino Txerran was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-2. Palmitas's Paulino Txerran got a good chance for a goal in the 14th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Paulino Txerran hit a great freekick 19 minutes into the match. 24 minutes into the match, Palmitas's goal looked a bit too open when Joaquin Pueblo came free, but Rodolfo Demesio reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Joaquin Pueblo in the 24th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Rodolfo Demesio saved Palmitas from getting behind. Niceto Cuartio didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Paulino Txerran went, in the 28th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-3 was the resulting score. HacheAbajo FC's Joaquin Pueblo got a good chance for a goal in the 31st minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 33 minutes into the match, Palmitas's goal looked a bit too open when Joaquin Pueblo came free, but Rodolfo Demesio reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Paulino Txerran sent away a hard shot on goal in the 38th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Serafin Gumaro had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 40th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead.

With his leg Niceto Cuartio managed to avoid a goal in the 56thth minute, when Palmitas's Serafin Gumaro fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. In the 56th match minute, HacheAbajo FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cecilio Jakes to maneuver through the defense. Serafin Gumaro took the ball and in the 57 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Niceto Cuartio. Niceto Cuartio dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 2-4. Palmitas's Serafin Gumaro got a good chance for a goal in the 62nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 67th minute Paulino Txerran shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Niceto Cuartio saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The crowd rose to their feet as Palmitas's Paulino Txerran slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Niceto Cuartio. That made the score 2-5 after 71 minutes of play. With a little luck, HacheAbajo FC's Niceto Cuartio got control of the ball when Serafin Gumaro tried to sneak it across the goal line. Cecilio Jakes charged in rather forcefully in the 80th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Cecilio Jakes the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. When the match had gone on for 81 minutes, Serafin Gumaro took a quick shot and it went in 2-6 without a chance for Niceto Cuartio to make any attempt to save it. An unexpectedly hard shot by Paulino Txerran in the 85th minute of play forced HacheAbajo FC's goalkeeper Niceto Cuartio to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The audience thought a goal was coming when Serafin Gumaro got free with Niceto Cuartio in the 87th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Palmitas's Paulino Txerran got a good chance for a goal in the 89th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Paulino Txerran sent away a hard shot on goal in the 93rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. HacheAbajo FC's Niceto Cuartio played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Paulino Txerran in the 96th minute of play. Palmitas played a much better game than HacheAbajo FC and deserved their victory. The HacheAbajo FC players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.