Brazilian outfit Osasco laboured to a 1-0 win over Ichinfuna in what proved to be a relatively tame affair on a breezy Thursday evening in Broughshane.
The opening half hour was a non-event with neither side troubling the opposition goal at all. The first effort on goal actually resulted in Osasco opening the scoring when William Dos Santos Silva’s powerful drive was spilled by the Ichifuna goalkeeper and deflected into his own net by a defender in a calamitous defensive mix up.
Osasco pressed to extend their lead just before the interval when Kalo Da Silva Stambowisk Machado volleyed wide after finding space in the box to connect with a cross from the left. Winger Mateus William Sabinho Silva then went close with an effort from an acute angle which just lacked the power to get beyond the keeper.
Soon after the break, Fabio Vitor Antonio Azevedo Pires tested the Ichifuna goalkeeper with a fine header after an exquisite cross into the box from Mateus William Sabinho Silva but this proved to be their last chance to extend their superiority in the scoreline as Ichifuna went in search of an equaliser in the closing stages.
Firstly, substitute Hayato Shirota attempted a speculative long range effort which was well held by Henrqieu Cucato Lopes before fellow sub Ryuki Chiba somehow contrived to scoop the ball over an open goal from four yards after Tomoua Fukumoto’s effort was parried into his path by the Lopes in the Osasco goal.
This proved to be the end of the action in a game that will not live long in the memory but credit to Osasco who ground out the win and now look forward to competing in the Super Cup Globe Final tomorrow afternoon (1.30pm) against Lusaka at Coleraine Showgrounds. Ichifuna meanwhile will take on Newcastle United in the 3rd/4th place play off at Scroggy Road, Limavady at the same time.
Match Report by Jordan Miller. (@jordan_859)