IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

IMORTAL 2 - 2 QUARTEIRA SC

This was a game that Imortal could easily have lost. As it was, the visitors missed a penalty and almost stole it towards the end as Imortal faded badly.

I don't know the details of what happened at Messines last week, but as a consequence two Imortal players, Tidjane Baldé and Flavinho, picked up a two match suspension as did one of Messinense's players.

Those absences caused a reshuffle which was not helped by an early injury to Betinho, who replaced by a player caled Pelé. Didn't play much like the more famous one though!

The game started well enough with Imortal going ahead in the 7th minute. A  long clearance found Paollo Oliveira just inside the opponent's half, his control was good then with a fairly outrageous flick he created his own through ball into space and headed home. A long and uneventful spell followed. Some lenient refereeing meant there were only four free kicks awarded in the first twenty minutes. Imortal were in control, Quarteira content to sit back and let them do the work in midfield. Imortal stirred themselves to gain a  free kick which Cascalvo sent over the bar from about 30 metres out.  Ten minutes before half time the first corner of the game was won by Quarteira. And a good one it was too, drilled into the near post area where it was met expertly by Lampreia, heading past Pereira for the equaliser.

Imortal regained the lead six minutes later. Another free kick a long way out, this time well delivered over all the defenders onto the head of Pedro Rodrigues who scored from close range having come around the back of the defence.

Imrtal came out for the second half which began slowly but it was clear that the visitors had more about them. Imortal started losing the ball too easily. Oliveira was booked for a rash challenge, then a corner was needlessly given away with a terrible back pass. Luckily the delivery was very poor, Pereira easily claimed the ball.

A welcome sight was midfielder Chico taking over from Mateus Vieira but that was soon followed by the penalty. It was a bit of a scrum, I didn't see who was the offender but there was little protest. The kick sailed miles of the bar, a sigh of relief but Imortal were under pressure. That was rewarded after 26 minutes of the second period when a swift counter attack down the right set up Lampreia for his second, a well taken flick volley off a cross.

Cascalvo was booked as the game started to get a little bit rough, then he had a good shot well saved. Both sides were striving for a winner, but it wouldn't come. Typical of the effort was a 50 metre run by Imortal's defender Mamadu Baldé chasing a loose ball which was ended by a very hard but fair challenge by the 'keeper. He took a good couple of minutes to recover.

Imortal's next game is away at leaders Moncarapachense next Saturday. They will have to play a lot better if anything is going to come out of that trip.

Match stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 12, Quarteira 13
Offside : Imortal 1, Quarteira 2
Shots on target : Imortal 4, Quarteira 3
Shots off target : Imortal 3, Quarteira 5
Shots blocked : Imortal 1, Quarteira 1
Corners : Imnortal 3, Quarteira 3
Yellow cards : Imortal 3, Quarteira 1

IMORTAL 4 - 1 GUIA

Like I said, Imortal made it very hard work in disposing of Guia who played the whole of the second half with nine men following two red cards in the first half.  I reckon Imortal had 13 goal scoring opportunities in the second half, but to counter that they managed to be flagged offside eleven times in that half, much to the exasperation of the coaching staff!

The first red, on 28 minutes, was slightly obscured from us by the Guia subs bench shelter, but the referee had no hesitation in showing a straight red card. We saw the defender come steaming in, but not the actual challenge. The second was just before half-time, Oliveira was flattened just inside the Guia half. After a bit of pushing and shoving, another red was shown.

So Guia faced the second period with the nine men but were only a goal down. Two goals in the first ten minutes had given Imortal a flying start, but Guia pulled one back midway through from the penalty spot. Imortal's first was from the head of Oliveira five metres out, converting a corner delivered expertly by Cascalvo but he was totally unmarked! Oliveira turned provider for the second, a neat one-two move down the right with Mateus Vieira set up the latter for a nice strike from the edge of the penalty area.

Guia's penalty was conceded by Tidjeane, adjudged to have to have handled for which he was booked. Periera made a brilliant save to tip the penalty shot onto the crossbar but unfortuntately it came back into play. Guia were first to react and scored on the rebound.

The home 'keeper was again called into action a few minutes later, saving well with his legs after defenders had left the ball to each other. Imortal were otherwise well in control but weren't concentrating, or least Oliveira wasn't. Twice at least he was in a good position to  deliver a decent cross but dithered and eventually failed.

The second half began with a good effort by Cascalvo, just wide, then Vieira was denied by a good save. Oliveria redeemed himself slightly by finishing a simple move down the middle to make it 3-1 but despite Imortal's total domination, as would be expected against nine men, a combination of slow midfield play, desperate defending and poor finishing kept the score down until  the 39th minute. Oliveira and Betinho combined to beat the tiring defenders down the left wing and were both suddenly clear on goal, with only the 'keeper to beat. Oliveira had the ball but rather sportingly laid it back to Betinho to roll it in for the fourth. Right on time Guia were slowing the game down by feigning injury. Perhaps  the referee sympathised, as he added only three extra minutes when six would have been more appropriate.

A plaintive comment was seen on the Guia Facebook page on the lines of 'have faith, we won't be relegated!'

Imortal have no game next Saturday following the demise of Quarteirense FC. Their next game will be in the First Round of the Algarve Cup, away to Carvoeiro United ko 8pm (I think) at the Bellavista stadium in Parchal.

Match stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 14 plus the penalty, Guia 12
Offside : Imortal 16!, Guia 0
Shots on target : Imortal 8, Guia 2
Shots off target : Imortal 5, Guia 1
Shots blocked : Imortal 2, Guia 0
Corners : Imortal 3, Guia 0
Yellow cards : Imortal 2, Guia 2
Red Cards : Imortal 0, Guia 2

No game for Imortal last Saturday. On Wednesday night they travel to Estombar to meet Carvoeiro United in the Algarve Cup, ko 20.30hrs followed next Saturday with a trip to Lagos, ko 1500hrs.

LAGOS 1 - 1 IMORTAL ALBUFEIRA

Probably a fair result in the end, but both sides had the chance to win. Imortal can thank ´keeper Nélio Pereira for a fine double save not long after Lagos had taken the lead early in the first half. At the other end, the eventual Imortal scorer Pelé missed a sitter from 5 yards. Lagos had 'winner' disallowed right at the end. The game as a whole wasn't particularly skilful, but there were plenty of incidents to get the crowd of about 100 shouting or groaning.

The pitch looked heavy and bumpy in places but that alone doesn't account for the woeful passing by both sides, especially in the first half. Most of the battle was in midfield, there were only two offside flags in the whole game.

Lagos took an early lead, two minutes in, when Imortal failed to clear and left an easy tap-in. There was little pattern to the play for the next half hour. Pereira saved first with his legs, then a flying tip-over when once again the Imortal defence was slow to react. Imortal gradually put together some half decent play, particularly from Paollo Oliveira who was causing trouble down the left wing. One such raid ended with him laying on a perfect cross to Pelé, unmarked just inside the six yard box but his wild swing failed to connect and the ball spun wide of the post. Oliveira himself had a good shot well saved in added time at the end of the half.

Imortal started the second period well. Oliveira had another great chance ten minutes in, but Lagos goalie Borges was alert and saved well. The equaliser was not long coming. Once again Oliveira was instrumental, a mazy run beating two defenders inside the penalty area and this time his excellent cut back was well hit by Pelé from near the penalty spot, hard and low into the right hand corner of the goal.

Lagos responded. Twice Imortal's defenders had to block dangerous shots. Some fairly hefty tackles were the order of the day. Cascalvo was booked for one such, he was not amused, accusing the player of diving. Captain Rodrigues was treading a fine line having been booked already when he aroused the ire of the crowd with a hard tackle on their rather large striker Lino Jerónimo. Jerónimo's next act was to clatter the Imortal goalkeeper, who stayed down for a couple of minutes.

Imortal's defence were under some pressure, but dealt with long range shots and poor crosses effectively enough. The crowd were muttering at the home side's inability to keep the ball for more than five seconds, then voices were raised when Jerónimo robbed Rodrigues on the edge of the area, the ref blew for a foul immediately. Jerónimo chucked the ball away in disgust and was booked.

Lagos thought they scored in the first minute of added time but the goal was mysteriously disallowed for offside, perhaps. There was a kind of stunned silence as no-one could figure out why the winner was chalked off. At the end a couple of women in the crowd gave the ref the benefit of their wisdom.

A welcome point for Imortal, they remain in second place six points behind Moncarapachense but with a game in hand.

Next week Imortal make the short trip up the road to Silves.

Match stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 18, Lagos 9
Offside : Imortal 0, Lagos 2.
Shots on target : Imortal 3, Lagos 4
Shots off target : Imortal 1, Lagos 2
Shots blocked : Imortal 5, Lagos 2
Corners : Imortal 7, Lagos 5
Yellow cards : Imortal 2, Lagos 3
Red cards : none

Silves 0 - 2 Imortal

A good win, a good game and well worth the trip. Imortal were well in control for most of the game, especially in the second half when Silves were reduced to making spurious appeals for penalties. One of those resulted in a bizarre 'sending off'. Both Imortal's goals were scored in the second half by Paollo Oliveira and good goals they were too.

Weather dry and suny, a bit windy. Artificial grass pitch

Neither team created much in the first half, it was mostly midfield stuff with the few shots generally being miles off target. Oliveira had a mediocre first half, spending much of the time discussing matters with first the assistant referee on his right wing side then with the main official after his shirt was pulled. He got the free kick for that one.

He was then directly involved in a 'controversial' penalty incident on the stroke of half time. An Imortal attack had broken down, a defender was making his way out of the penalty area with the ball at his feet. Oliveira made a half hearted attempt to trip him and failed. The defender stopped, as if to say 'where's my free kick ref', ref looks at assistant, nothing given. Oliveira took the by now stationary ball, turned back unto the area where he was cut down. Penalty. A huge uproar followed and it was fully two minutes before Tidjane Baldé could put the ball on the spot. His kick hit the crossbar and bounced to safety. Half time whistle, uproar continued with the officials being harangued by the home team coach all the way to the changing room, which is a long was as it's in the corner at the other end of the ground.

Silves defence was looking shaky at times in the first period, with some wild clearances particularly from the goal keeper André Pereira, who couldn't kick to save his life. He redeemed himself however five minutes into the second half with a very good tipover save  from one of his own defenders, who misjudged a back header. But a few minutes later he had no chance when Imortal took the lead. A perfectly delivered corner was met five yards out by Oliveira, stooping low to head home. Silves responded, Imortal's defence dealt with the threat particularly Rodrigues and Canito getting in some important first headers to cut out Silves long ball down the middle.

Imortal went two nil up on 14 minutes and again Oliveira showed his speed and skill. A good move down the left wing set him free, he left two defenders for dead and finished with style low and hard across the ´keeper from the left hand side of the penalty area into the opposite corner.

Silves responded again, won a free kick within shooting range which was well hit by Gerson Semedo and equally well saved by Pereira in what really was the first time he had been called into action.

Within a minute, back down the other end, a long shot by Tidjane Baldé was fumbled by the ´keeper, Oliveira stabbed the rebound just wide.

Mid way through the half, yet another ridiculous appeal for a penalty from the home side. Nothing doing once more, but this time a hand from inside the subs bench hurled a spare ball at the assistant referee. He calls over to the ref, suspect is identified as the Silves reserve goalkeeper Reis, who is shown the red card. Technical assault on a match official - that could get him some time off.

The last minutes of the game were rather tetchy to say the least. Another row broke out when a Silves player clearly slipped as he went for the ball, players coaches and and subs all screaming for penalty, yellow card etc etc. Then they did get get a free kick which was blasted into the wall and totally wasted. Imortal's keeper Nélio Pereira was booked for time wasting. Oliveira was subbed in added time to receive his deserved personal applause from the Imortal fans, Silves had totally run out of ideas by then and the game was safe and ample revenge for the defeat at Albufeira early in the season.

The officials then had to deal with a mass pitch invasion from the Silves subs and coaching staff who pushed and poked them for three or four minutes while the players left the field.

A draw between Moncarapachense and Lagos means that Imortal are now second on 24 points, five points behind Moncarapachense and two ahead of Lagos with a game in hand on both. There is no Algarve League football next weekend, Imortal's next game will be on Saturday 5th January at home to Lusitano VRSA.

Match stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 13, Silves 17
Offside : Imortal 2, Silves 0 (it was that sort of game!)
Shots on target : Imortal 4, Silves 2
Shots off target : Imortal 5, Silves 3
Shots blocked : Imortal 0, Silves 5
Corners : Imortal 7, Silves 6
Yellow cards : Imortal 1, Silves 3
Red Cards : Imortal 0, Silves 1

If you haven't been to Silves lately, the main stand now boasts a new roof to replace the one blown down by the tornado in 2012. Video of that event can easily be found on Youtube.