IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

Yes I remember you saying that you will be in an executive box. I shall be looking at the scores when i get home as I  have Chris Brunt in my dream team.

Good luck.

IMPORTANT - the season fixture list has been changed following pressure from clubs to fill blank weekends in the calendar and bring the season to a close earlier than the end of May.

All fixtures from 19th November have been brought forward one or two weeks. This also means that  the Algarve Cup matches will be midweek and two sets of games in December are currently scheduled for a Sunday rather than a Saturday, although this might change.

Revised fixtures for Imortal at http://www.algarvebus.info/imortal.htm

Returning to today's match the words "Top of the league, you're having a laugh" came to mind. What a shower! Os Armacenenses haven't yet played any of the top teams and will get seriously found out if they play like that against Lusitano or Ferreiras. Having said that, they took the lead after 13 minutes when Imortal's defence gave their main striker enough time to have a three course lunch and enough space to lay out his bed. Simple pass, swivel and shot. Goool for the many visiting fans to celebrate.

Imortal got better after that but the pressure was to nought. Nuno Mendes hit a post towards the end of the half; it remained 0-1 at half time.

Playing with the wind in second half proved a distinct advantage. Armacenenses defence went into panic mode early and conceded a free kick just outside the area on 49 minutes. Up stepped Rui Sacramento and curled in as good a free kick as you could wish to see at any level. 1-1. Decio on the Imortal right wing was a constant threat but lacked support in the centre. The wind didn't help. blowing several crosses away from heads.

Imortal had a good twenty minutes or so after that, but a double substitution by the visitors turned the tide.  A good reflex save by Pedro Bernado and another shot pushed onto the crossbar kept the visitors at bay. They were also guilty of a couple of horrible misses.

Four minutes stoppage time was a bit nerve racking but Imortal held on to be the first team to take points from Os Armancenenses this season. Good crowd, around 200 I reckon, including a lot of visiting fans.

That's now just one defeat for Imortal in the last five matches, including draws at home to the teams placed first and second, but no wins. There was one evening game today, so I don't know yet if we are 13th or 14th place.

Next Saturday it's a long trip to Monte Gordo to play Castro Marim.

Well according to two websites we lost 2-1 yesterday, according to another it was 1-1.

Either way, it leaves Imortal next to bottom.

Next Saturday at home to Odeaxere which is change from the original fixture list.

Armancenses are playing home games at Silves while their new ground is being built. Perhaps they like playing on grass. They hadn't played any of the top teams until Saturday, when they drew at home to Lusitano.

Their old ground has been sold for yet another tourist resort development but there was no sign of work taking place when I as there a few days ago.

Algarve football is in a parlous state with many teams folding or in danger. The cost of running a club is colossal when you consider that attendances are numbered in the 100 - 200 range paying just €2,50 maximum.

Thanks! I cannot read. No Div 2 games next week.

Yesterday

Alvor 2 - 0 Imortal two defensive errors in the final ten minutes cost Imortal the game.

Playing football at Alvor has all the charm of entering a high security prison with the actual pitch surrounded by a 2 metre high chain-link fence. You can only see the action through the holes.

Much of the game was eminently forgettable. Alvor thought they had scored in the first half. The ref awarded them an indirect free kick, clearly signalled at the time, but such was the drama that by the time they came to take it two minutes later they had forgotten, the ref didn't repeat his signal and up strolled this bloke to whack it into the net. Imortal's 'keeper hadn't forgotten and allowed the ball to go past him, making sure he didn't touch it. Initially the reaction was of course gooool and for a few seconds it seemed the ref had forgotten he had given an indirect kick. Much shouting, then the assistant reminded him and the 'goal' was disallowed.

Other than the goals, Imortal hit the post with a free kick mid-way through the second half and an Alvor player was booked for the most outrageous piece of diving I have ever seen.

Both goals came in the last ten minutes, neither goalkeeper had even made a save before that.

Attendance about 100, half of whom were in or just outside the bar.

Alvor prison



Imortal hit the post - sorry there is some digital blur on this one

Culatrense 2  0 Imortal

The game can kick you when you are down. Their first was an own goal a few minutes before half time, the second came in the 89th minute when we were all down the other end trying to equalise. Despite having the  major share of possession we managed only one shot on target in the whole game , which I could have saved. Culatrense played a nasty, spoiling, game in which they conceded a ridiculous 26 free kicks and picked up four yellow cards. At least our discipline was better this week, only ten free kicks conceded and one yellow card, not so much for a dive as the exaggerated yell that went with it. Fool.

Here's their first. looked like an own goal from where I was and several others thought so as well, but perhaps not.



Some more pictures tomorrow.

I forgot to post the link to the pictures of the game at Quarteira on 1st December. Here it is. Imortal in red.

https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=6a2a1c7daaee306d&resid=6A2A1C7DAAEE306D!8336&parid=6A2A1C7DAAEE306D!3519&authkey=!AMlK8dxQ1QBh2M0