IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

Imortal 1 - 0 11 Esperanças

Imortal largely dominated this game, but it wasn't a very good one. There was a 50 minute delay to the kickoff caused by the ref not liking the pitch markings, which admittedly were a bit faint on account of all the rain this week. He had been involved in a junior match that morning and maybe arrived a bit later than he could have done. The players were already finishing their warm-ups when he made that decision. (Interestingly enough he had two more games on the Sunday, so a fair wedge in match fees earned.)

Anyway, we got under way just before ten to four after the pitch had been re-marked.

It was windy and raining, which didn't help. The best feature of the game was a very low of number of free kicks - only 16 for fouls, about half the usual number. Nearly half an hour had gone by before the second free kick of the game was given. Chico had been dumped on the ground before that, but the ref ignored him.

The visitors opened with a very direct game, basically long passes with the wind and a chase. From one such move they had a really good chance to go ahead on four minutes, but the final shot was woeful in the extreme. Imortal then gained control which they retaine other than for a couple of moments.

Around fifteen minutes in, Imortal had three chances in rapid succession. First Lucien crossed well from the left towards Pita, who inexplicably didn't move from a position about ten yards out. Then Paollo crossed from the right to Lucien, who slipped over, then a combination between Pita and Lucien broke down with a poor final pass inside the area.

Baldé had a shot easily saved while Imortal were on top in a very untidy period of play as the half drew towards a close. Lucien had another chance, but hit the side netting from an acute angle. The visitors also nearly scored when a quick free kick on half way caught Imortal napping, but again the shot was poor.

Forty minutes had passed when Imortal took the lead. A huge boot out of defence by Canito found Paollo lurking on the left wing just inside the other half, with only one defender in front of him. A neat sidestep and he was on his way towards goal. Out came the 'keeper, Paollo kept his cool and calmly steered the ball low and hard around the committed custodian to score from just inside the box. He had another chance on the stroke of half time, but the pass from Lucien was poor and he couldn't get the control he needed for a decent shot.

Lucien started the second half with two much better attempts. The first was saved well at close range, the second was a longer hit from a deflected corner but also well saved. Another rain shower and the next twenty minutes or so were pretty aimless. Imortal made a couple of subs mid way through the half. The re-arrangement gave the 11 hopefuls a couple of half chances. A free kick was wasted, Bernado in goal rose from his slumbers to easily stop the other.

Paollo, every industrious, had Imortal's last chance with seven minutes of the normal ninety remaining, but was thwarted at the last by a really good challenge. Three minutes into stoppage time and there was a scare for Imortal. Defender Claudio was booked for a foul just outside the left corner of the penalty area.  A dangerous position for a free kick to be curled in, but luckily it went wide.

Next up for Imortal is another home game next Saturday against Culatrense, a team we do not like, then it's off to Vila Real de Santo António on Wednesday night the 24th for the Algarve Cup quarter-final against Lusitano, who play in the national third division.

Match stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 10, 11 Esperanças 6.
Offside : Imortal 6, 11 Esperanças 3
Shots on target : Imortal 4, 11 Esperanças 2
Shots blocked : Imortal 2, 11 Esperanças 2
Shots off target: Imortal 2, 11 Esperanças 4
Corners : Imortal 5, 11 Esperanças 4
Yellow cards : Imortal 1, 11 Esperanças 1
Red Cards : none

Imortal 2 Culatrense 2

Imortal threw away a two goal lead in the last quarter of the game by not concentrating on the job in hand.

The second half had been getting increasingly niggly, with the ref's card arm working hard, all but one of the six second half cards being shown at the visitors.

Culatrense had already pulled a goal back from Imortal's half-time 2-0 lead when the turning point came on 31 minutes. The Culatrense captain was shown a second yellow after a melée and was duly dimissed.

Culatrense were given the free kick just inside their half, down the field went the ball and before we knew it, they had equalised with a great shot from around 20 yards with our lot still dithering.

Still, Imortal had further chances late in the game. A second penalty was given in the 38th minute, a harsh one for a ball striking the arm of a defender. Pedro took it well, but the ref disallowed it for encroachment - when did you last see that particular decision given I wonder? Of course the re-taken kick was saved!

Then, in the space of about 30 seconds during stoppage time, winger Paollo passed when he should have shot, then shot miles high when he should have passed.

The game was played on the 3G pitch, where the wind was causing both teams a few problems. Both were using a long ball tactic, few chances were created although Culatrense had a couple of opportunities. Imortal's defence dealt well with them, forcing early shots that missed.

Imortal went ahead on the half hour and against the general run of play,  through Paollo, whose goal was similar to the one he scored last week. A hopeful ball out of defence swirled in the wind, defenders missed it leaving Paollo a short run on goal, which he finished as last week with a powerful shot, giving the 'keeper no chance. That was Imortal's first shot of the game.

More chances came their way in the closing minutes of the first period, but shots were fluffed and crosses generally inaccurate. Pita, Paollo and Nicola (the mysterious number 13 of a few games ago) were all guilty in one way or another. Captain Pedro Rodrigues got a bang on the nose causing him to leave the field for a few minutes, but he returned shortly before the interval.

Chico, the midfield playmaker, had been getting a bit of a battering and was replaced at half time by the more direct Baldé. His form of late has been inconsistent to say the least, but he tries hard.

The first few exchanges of the second half were very scrappy in a strengthening wind. Nine minutes in, Imortal were given a penalty for handball at a corner, an immediate decision by referee and assistant. There were no real complaints. Pedro Rodrigues stepped up and smacked the penalty home, putting Imortal two up.  Then the game began to deteriorate. Culatrense were getting annoyed and the bookings started, for a mixture of dissent and petty fouls. The wind was by now gusting strongly. Rodrigues nearly scored a freak own goal when a miskicked clearance spun wildly and was blown back over his head to hit the post, fortunately bouncing clear.

Culatrense pressed forward and were rewarded when another clearance spun out of control, was seized upon outside the area and well crossed for a diving header at the far post. The game swung towards the visitors, then came the sending off and the disappointing end to proceedings.

Next up for Imortal is the little matter of the trip to National Three side Lusitano VRSA on Wednesday night in the Algarve Cup quarter final. A result there would be a fine thing indeed. Then next Saturday afternoon comes the short trip up the EN 395 for the local derby at Ferreiras.

Match Stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 17, Culatrense 16 including the two penalties.
Offside : Imortal 4 Culatrense 4
Shots on target : Imortal 3 not including the disallowed penalty but including the other two pk's, Culatrense 2 both of which were scored!
Shots blocked : Imortal 0, Culatrense 0
Shots off target: Imortal 5, Culatrense 7
Corners : Imortal 5, Culatrense 3
Yellow cards : Imortal 2, Culatrense 5
Red Cards : Culatrense 1, for two yellows.

Ferreiras 4 Imortal 0

Not too much detail this week as I was in camera mode, the ground at Ferreiras being one of teh proper football grounds where you can get close to the pitch.

Suffice it to say that Imortal were second best and cannot blame having to play midweek as Ferreiras did also and lost.

The teams line up, Imortal in black.



It was very windy, the kind of day when clearances are blown back over your head and any pass with the wind goes about 50 yards too far.

Imortal played with the wind at their backs in the first half. Notably absent from the starting line up were Chico, Pita and Fischer although the first two were among the subs.

The first half was pretty dire, neither side managed anything remotely resembling a decent scoring opportunity despite the wind causing defences all kind of problems.

Paollo, 23, loses the ball to the only defender in sight.



That was until six minutes before the break. A horrible mix up between Imortal defenders on the halfway line left Ferreiras forward Flávio a clear run at goal. He finished well, picture below.



I then retreated behind the goal towards which Imortal were kicking in the second half but almost all the action was down at the other end. It's no longer possible to go behind that goal, so scorers were out of sight. No announcements are made as to who scores and about substitutions even though there is a very good PA system.

Ferreiras increed their lead ten minutes in the second half , finishing a swift counter-attack from a distance. Imortal made all three subs in one go shortly afterwards. Ferreiras were dominating the game, Imortal had only a couple of fleeting opportunities which were either blocked by massed defenders with the sun in their eyes




or which went high or wide like this one.



 Imortal's captain Pedro made a goal-line clearance mid-way through the half, but it was not going to change the game. Imortal's first shot didn't come until shortly afterwards and it was completely off target. Ferreiras were clocking up teh free kicks and started to get a bit annoyed at the referee, which helped Imortal a little until they calmed down and started to play again - unfortunately.

Imortal's defence was all over the place when Ferreiras went 3-0 up on 82 minutes and the final blow was a penalty awarded to the home side just as we started five minutes of stoppage time. Final score 4-0. Imortal were never in it.

Next up for Imortal is a home game next Saturday against Quarteirense, which will not be at all easy on current form.

Match stats - may not be 100%

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 14 including the penalty, Ferreiras 22
Offside : Imortal 4, all in the first half, Ferreiras 6
Shots on target : Imortal 1 Ferreiras 7 including the penalty.
Shots blocked : Imortal 2, Ferreiras 1
Shots off target: Imortal 4, Ferreiras 3
Corners : Imortal 3, Ferreiras 5
Yellow cards : Imortal 4, Ferreiras 4
Red Cards : none

This is the well that gives the ground its name. It is not in use

Imortal 0 Quarteirense 2 could have been more had the woodwork not intervened twice. We hardly had a shot. No report this week as I was too busy drinking and talking.

LAGOS 1 IMORTAL 2

A good game, with three good goals, plenty of action and incident for the most part although it started poorly with a definite end of season feel, neither team having anything to play for.

It was sunny but very windy at Lagos, as usual! A 'crowd' of about 40 braved the elements. The wide open spaces are pictured below



The slow start was literally nothing to write about until almost a quarter of an hour had passed, when a shot from Imortal's forward Barradas went for a corner. Nothing came of it. A minute later Paollo broke the Lagos offside trap, but his weak shot was easily blocked. Lagos then had a similar chance, but all that happened was a booking for the forward diving!

The two teams exchanged blows as it were, nothing was created until the last couple of minutes of the first half, with the wind starting to play tricks with the ball.

Just as we entered the last minute, captain and centre back Pedro Rodrigues and our goalie Pedro Bernardo got themselves into a ball of confusion, giving Lagos a corner. That they managed to make a complete hash of, followed by another missed chance seconds later.

0-0 at half time and anyone's game.

There was a lively start to the second half. Paollo once again found himself with a great shooting chance, but rushed it a bit and missed. A dust-up in the 5th minute resulted in three yellow cards, one for a Lagos player and two for our lot. Then a mistake by Canito let Lagos in, Nica rescued the situation with a great block.

But Lagos then went ahead, a superb wind assisted shot from all of 30 yards, that gave Bernardo no chance at all of even getting anywhere near it.

Chico then limped off in the 18th minute, to be replaced by Baldé, having been the victim of the tackle that had led to the earlier bookings. He had walked away, sensibly.

Within two minutes, Imortal had drawn level. A free kick wide left was expertly taken by Rodrigues and dropped perfectly into the penalty area, where defender Miguel Oliveira barely had to break stride or jump as he headed it past the helpless 'keeper Diogo. Imortal then made two more subs and one of those, Lucien, soon made an impact with some good runs down the right wing.

It was from one of these that Imortal took the lead, Lucien beat two defenders and laid on a deep cross to the far post which Paollo met with a great header. It did help that he was totally unmarked!

Imortal were now well on top, creating scoring chances, but shots were wayward in the wind.  The danger was not over, Lagos counter-attacks were building in strength and number. One of these ended with glaring miss by Lagos when the scores should have been levelled. Then, as we entered four minutes of stoppage time, several more attacks had to be repelled by Imortal's defenders, which they did, but at the cost of more yellow cards.

Just before the final whistle, another scuffle ended up with a second yellow and a sending off for a very unhappy Lagos player.

All in all a good result for Imortal after a run of three defeats. A big test comes next week, when joint league leaders Armacanenses come calling.

Match stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 10, Lagos 14 not so many as usual!
Offside : Imortal 4 Lagos 1
Shots on target : Imortal 5 Lagos 2
Shots blocked : Imortal 1, Lagos 4
Shots off target: Imortal 7, Lagos 5
Corners : Imortal 3, Lagos 4
Yellow cards : Imortal 5, Lagos 4
Red Cards : 1 for Lagos, for two yellows.

NB that next Saturday's game will be on the 3G pitch.

Imortal Albufeira 2 Armancenses 2

An eventful game, well worth the money. It was once again very windy up there on the 3G pitch, the kind of day when a clearance can spin back over your head to frighten your own goalkeeper and any long pass races away from team-mates. The direction wasn't consistent either, it was swirling around all over the place.

In truth Imortal should have been well beaten, but defending was excellent for the most part assisted by some atrocious finishing by the visitors.

There was a big incident mid-way through the second half that turned the game a little in Imortal's favour. A very rare foray forward by Imortal ended in a pile of bodies and the referee pointed unhesitatingly to the penalty spot. 



Two minutes of arm waving and shouting later, at least three visiting players had been booked and one sent off. I said there was no love lost between thee teams and so it showed!

Captain Pedro Rodrigues handed over the penalty taking duty to Juelson Silva, who made no mistake.



Imortal started with Baldé in midfield, Chico once again on the bench, Pita and Barrudas up front, Paollo supporting.

Predictably, Armacanenses began at a furious pace, determined to get the upper hand and quickly. Barely five minutes had passed when one of them was booked for diving. Texeira (deputising for Bernardo in goal) then made a very good save on ten minutes, but soon after was beaten by a hard cross shot which he could only just get his fingers onto, diverting the ball into the bottom corner. The visiting fans celebrated with their players - nice flags!



Imortal responded well, Paollo kicking the goal post in frustration after he failed by millimetres to connect with a great cross from Pita, Canito then crossed to Ricardo Vicente whose header went wide. Imortal continued to press and were rewarded on the half hour. Paollo's determination forced a corner, the visitor's defence failed to clear properly and the loose ball was smashed in by Pita with a clever bicycle kick from ten yards out.

Paollo had another shot smothered by the 'keeper while Imortal enjoyed a good spell. Then things changed, Armancenses surged forward in the final few minutes, had a goal mysteriously disallowed for offside. A pile up in the goalmouth resulted in Teixeira being knocked flat. He was clearly not with the programme a couple of minutes later when a free kicked dropped in front of him, which he fumbled. The ball was stabbed in by Mica.

Imortal 2-1 down at halftime. The radio  commentator said that Imortal were working very hard, but that much more would be needed in the second half and so it proved.

For the second half it was backs to the wall, all hands to the pumps, thin red line and a dozen other clichés as the blue hordes poured wave after wave of attacks to try to seal the win. Shots were blocked, fouls committed, yellow cards flashed, clearances sent away into the distance as the Imortal defenders held out. Such was the domination that Imortal managed only two shots of any description in the second half. An appalling miss on the hour by the visitors, an open goal, desperation starting to be obvious. Imortal made their three changes to get fresh legs on the field.

Paollo was lucky not to get booked after clattering a defender on one of his rare excursions upfield. Predictably the visitors were clamouring for him to be sent off. Their frustration was starting to get the better of them.

Then came the vital penalty incident. A long wind assisted ball upfield was being chased down by half a dozen players, who all arrived at the same place at the same time. The 'keeper managed to grab it but as he did so the whistle went.

To the consternation of visiting players and fans, the ref pointed to the spot.  After the lengthy arguments, bookings and sending off, Imortal were level.



The ten men resumed the assaults on Imortal's goal, bringing one very good tip-over save from Teixeira. Every tackle was followed by screams for free kicks and penalties, nothing doing.

Paollo had one more chance for Imortal but his weak header was easily saved.

The game at Lagoa had just finished by the time the ref announced four minutes of additional time here. Heartened by the news of Lagoa's defeat, the blues calmed down and the remainder of the game passed with incident.

Match stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 15 , Armacanenses 19 including the penalty.
Offside : Imortal 3 Armacanenses 1
Shots on target : Imortal 4 including the penalty, Armacanenses 6
Shots blocked : Imortal 2, Armacanenses 2
Shots off target: Imortal 3, Armacanenses 6
Corners : Imortal 2, Armacanenses 5
Yellow cards : Imortal 4, Armacanenses 6 at least
Red Cards : 1 for Armancenses not sure if for two yellows or straight red after the penalty incident.

Imortal's next game is on Saturday 26th, away at Odiáxere, the only ground I have ever been to where the 'turnstiles' are in the bar.

Imortal 1 -1 Faro e Benfica

Typical end of season game enlivened by some comic theatrics from the opposition, who think it is necessary to cheat when there is nothing to play for. More tomorrow.

Next week's local derby away at Guia is currently down as a 4pm kickoff. To be confirmed.