Highlights: Brazil’s Santa Cruz Chacais Top Restinga Redskulls in Copa Sul Round 2

| American Football | 08/13/2015
RB #25 Cleiton Paz scored two touchdowns against the Redskulls. Photo Everton Eifert, Roberta Knak and Felipe Franco

On a hot afternoon in Santa Cruz do Sul, the Santa Cruz Chacais were visited by the Restinga Redskulls, in a match in round 2 of the Copa Sul. The host team took advantage of the visitor’s mistakes and won the game 40-6 in the Plátanos Stadium. This marked the first game between the two Gaúcho teams.

On their first series, the Chacais fumbled the ball on their own 9 yard line on a bad snap from center and it was recovered by Redskulls’ defensive end #98 Rodrigo Pereira, who returned it 90 yards to the end zone for a touchdown.

The Chacais responded with good passes from quarterback #7 Aramins Goulart and runs by running back #25 Cleiton Paz, taking the Chacais again to the red zone. Goulart connected with wide receiver #2 Charles Theisen for a 5 yard touchdown.

The second quarter was scoreless due to all the penalties on both teams. The score at halftime was 6-6.

After the halftime break, the Chacais scored as Paz ran for a 16 yard touchdown. Diego kicked the convert to make it 13-6.  On the next drive, Paz carried the team into the red zone. Goulart found wide receiver #88 Maurício Dreher for an 18 yard touchdown pass. Diego completed the PAT to put the Chacais ahead by two touchdowns 20-6.

In the last quarter, the Chacais took advantage of a mistake made by Porto-alegrense’s special teams giving them the ball on the 26 yard line. Running back #32 Diego Gassen then scored two plays later on a 6 yard run and Goulart kicked the PAT making the score 27-6.

The visitors seemed to score on a 70 yard pass from quarterback #7 Rafael Rodrigues to wide receiver #81 Luguini Santos but it was called back on a penalty for an illegal formation. Restinga punted the ball but it was returned by #87 Fernando Jackisch all the way to the 6 yard line. Paz then scored another touchdown extending the lead to 32-6. The final points came when #75 Douglas “Zé Piqueno” (Little Jack in English), recovered a fumble after a sack on Rodrigues and ran the ball into the end zone with no time left making the final score 40-6 for Chacais.

With the result, the Santa Cruz Chacais is alone in first place in the Rio Grande do Sul Division at 2-0. This was the opening game for the Redskulls’ and their first loss in recent club history. Restinga shares last place with Ijuí Drones, both with an 0-1 record.

In the Copa Sul round 3, the Chacais have a bye, while the Redskulls visit the Drones at Poliesportivo field on August 22.

Restinga is a suburb of Porto Alegre.

Watch the game highlights here.

Journalist at Futebol Americano Brasil and American Football International. Post graduated in Digital Journalism at Famecos/PUCRS. Former multimedia producer of Locast Project MIT/USA. Former player of Porto Alegre Pumpkins.