IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

IMORTAL 2 - 2 ELVAS

Nine games in and still no win for Imortal. They remain rooted to the bottom with just the four points and are four points below the rest. The next game will be a very hard one against second placed Moncarapachense, next Sunday at the Albufeira Municipal Stadium, ko 1500hrs.

With club captain Pedro Rodrigues on the bench for the second week running, Bruno Torres took the armband. Three players, Pereira, Almeda and Oliveira made just their second starts of the season. Leandro Cortez was suspended after his fifth booking of the season last week.

The crowd was small on a warm, sunny afternoon. Soem uncertain defending by Imortal early on gave Elvas a couple of half chances, but finishing was poor. In fact, neither goalkeeper had to make a decent save throughout the game except for the visitor's Bruno Bolas tipping a very decent effort by Mendes around the post for a cormer.

There was space down the left wing for Imortal to exploit, with Santos putting in some good work but the final pass was often not good enough. At the other end, a big strong forward pair were causing Imortal some trouble, but they failed to make the best of it. One statistic of note is that Imortal did not concede a free kick until the 29th minute. The ref made up for that in the second half! 0 - 0  at half time. Where was a goal coming from?

The answer came six minutes into the second half. Imortal started well. Santos found space down the left and crossed. Somehow the bounce of the ball beat two defenders and dropped obligingly onto the outstretched boot of Duarte four metres from goal. It seemd to me that he hardly shot, more let the ball hit his foot and be steered in. No matter, a welcome start to the second half. Imortal continued to press. Mendes was denied only by a superb last moment tackle by Cardoso as he almost broke through the defensive line.

Elvas drew level on 57 minutes from one of their many excellent set pieces. Much better delivery than in the Premier League. A well delivered corner was met on the near post by Medina who headed home neatly . Shortly afterwards, a counter-attack by the visitors should have produced a goal with two waiting for a cross which went behind them, to the huge exasperation of one of the Elvas coaches, exiled to the stands. He spent most of the game yelling for a yellow card after every tackle.

But he didn't have to wait long for the second. Strong pressure by Elvas was rewarded with three corners in rapid succession. From the third of these Enoh, one of the forward pair, headed from the near post onto the foot of the far post. The ball rebounded right back across the goal area to Djalo, who had a simple tap in from a couple of metres out.

Imortal weathered some more Elvas pressure then, with five minutes of normal time remaining, got into the visitor's area. A couple of poor clearances, some scrambles and eventually subsitute Ramos was brought down. Penalty. There were no real protests. Duarte placed the ball on the spot and sent it easily into the net. Six minutes added time was announced, nerves were jangling slightly but there were no further alarms at either end until the very last moment when Elvas had a free kick in a  dangerous position. But again they made nothing of a good delivery.

It's not good for Imortal obviously but if there is a bright side, three of the five league defeats have been by a single goal and the other two were two-nil. On the other hand there has been only one clean sheet.

Next match is at home to second placed Moncarpachense, Sunday 19th November ko 1500hrs.

Imortal team : Texieira; Prates, N. Pereira, Torres (C), Gonçalves; Almeda, Santos, Mendes, Oliveira; Duarte, Bernado. Subs used : Ramos, Vera, Xavier, Fadini.

Match statistics

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 10, Elvas 17 plus the  penalty
Offside : Imortal 0, Elvas 1
Shots on target : Imortal 4, Elvas 4
Shots off target : Imortal 1, Elvas 6.
Shots blocked : Imortal 1, Elvas 0
Corners : Imortal 3, Elvas 7
Yellow cards : Imortal 2, Elvas 4

’23 hours ago’ would mean it was put up at lunchtime on 24th October. 

IMORTAL 1 - 2 LOULETANO

Only a short report this week as I was in company as it were. Another disappointing afternoon, the result of which leaves Imortal next to bottom with just the the points from the first six matches.

In the first half Imortal looked reasonably organised and had most of the game.The goal came midway through the half from a free kick taken out near the right hand corner flag. Bruno Torres floated it to the far post, the goalkeeper hesitated allowing Williams Fadini to get there first and head it past him into the corner.

Imortal almost went two up after a very good move, Duarte being denied by the crossbar.  Half time 1-0  and not looking too bad.

But obviously the visitors had a serious talking to at half time and came out with new energy. It didn't take long for them to be rewarded, Sousa being on the end of a deep cross with the Imortal defenders static as he headed home past Texeira, who had no chance.

The second was worthy of a higher stage as they say. Another deep cross in from the left was met on the penalty spot by Bruno Pereira, who spun 180º and lashed it past the helpless 'keeper.

Things became very ragged after that, with the usual raft of pointless substitutions, five more yellow cards and generally not much football. Seven minutes added time became eight, then as the final whistle sounded a general melée broke out with players and coaches pushing and shoving for a good three or four minutes. The GNR were stirred to enter the field, batons drawn, but it all fizzled out.

Imortal have no game now until 28th October, a trip up to Lisbon to play Real Sport Clube.

Beetlebeard wrote: Good first half today. Awful second and how that rubbish number 9of there’s managed to score I’ll never know. Not sure why the Imortal goal was chalked off in the second half. Probs offside but very tight if so. Nice scrap at the end though which shows that they care.

Was really obvious from the other end, the home winger got a touch on the ball, it skimmed his head and guy who collected the pass was clearly off. Shame as well worked, more like their first half play which was decent.

Decent game I thought. Clearly Louletano got a talking to at half time.

Is there anywhere you can find an attendance?

So it would!