IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

Saturday - Imortal 3 -0 Culatrense 100% record maintained. Not the best game I have ever seen but still top of the table. Report on Monday.

Yesterday - Portimonense B 1 -1 Imortal so both teams remain unbeaten and Imortal remain top of the league with a better goal difference. I was unable to go but will add some detail once it's posted on offifical websites.

Imortal Albufeira 3 - 2 Silves

An important win for Imortal that, combined with the defeat of Portimonense B at the hands of Ferreiras, puts them back on top of the table. It's going to be an interesting game next Saturday when Imortal travel ten minutes up the road to face Ferreiras.

A nice warm and sunny afternoon greeted players and fans. Imortal had Tidjane Balde in the starting line up for the first time in a league match this season. Jose Coelho returned to the defence after three games as sub. Santos and Prates dropped to the bench.

The games was largely dominated by the huge din of a sound system at a children's skateboarding event in the adjacent skate park! Couldn't hear ourselves think at times.

The first was very uneventful except for the two defensive errors by Imortal that let Silves into a first half lead. Thirteen minutes passed before the first scoring chance, a wild shot from the visitors that went into the trees behind the goal. It was nineteen minutes before the first free kick was given. The referee made up for this in the second half.

Then two goals in five minutes midway through. A neat passing move down the right by Silves found Giovanni Sluiter unmarked on the far side of the penalty area. His low, hard, shot was fired across the goal into the opposite corner giving ´keeper Froita no chance. The second was also an error by defenders, failing to deal with a long ball sent into the box which was seized upon by Rafael Pinto, who slammed it into the net from the edge of the area. Imortal responded in a positive way, but Cintra fluffed his shot after good work by Tome had created some space. Silves should have gone three-nil up just before half time, but it was an abysmal pass went nowhere near Youri Rosebloom who had all the time and space in the world.

Half time and a big team talk needed. Certainly worked! Looked like a different team that came out. The second period began with an odd incident. There was a foul by Imortal and a yellow card waved. It wasn't me, said Cintra. Captain Pedro spoke with the referee, who changed his mind and booked Coelho instead. I wonder why? Perhaps yellow cards are being accumulated.

Imortal's pressure was immediate. Duarte was just off target with a header off a cross by Cintra. Then came a good move down the right wing by Prates. His cross found Duarte, whose header was fumbled by the goalie, Tome hit the bar off the rebound, the ball was not properly cleared and fell to Walter Alves, whose first time volley from 12 metres sped into the net. A few minutes later Imortal had a big shout for a penalty when Alves was sent sprawling. Nothing doing. Balde was booked for dissent. More pressure from Imortal eventually  told. Balde sent in another cross from the right, which was blocked by the arm of Tiago Serras so obviously that there was nothing in the way of protest. Duarte placed the ball on the spot. Silves did then engage in some petty pushing and shoving to delay the kick. Duarte never took his eye off the ball and a minute later, once people were behaving, calmly dispatched the penalty right down the middle.

Silves goalie Keven Lopes then did the sit down routine to get his team a time out, claiming he had cramp. He hadn't done anything to get cramp, derided the crowd. Once the game resumed, Imortal pushed hard for the winner. And what a winner it was! If you are on Facebook, find the Imortal Fans page and watch the video or follow this link - https://www.facebook.com/imortalfans/videos/3390824371214331/.

Rafael Rangel, super sub, was the hero. He had been on the pitch only a couple of minutes. A floated cross from the right headed into the melée. Duarte's head lifted it across the bodies towards Rangel. Unmarked and with his back to goal he shaped for an overhead kick, which he executed perfectly. From eight metres out the ball shot past the stationary goalkeeper. All he could do was wave his arm in a half hearted appeal for offside. Joy unbounded on the field and for most in the stands. News was filtering through that Portimonense B were being held by Ferreiras, a noise which grew  louder when Ferreiras took the lead as six minutes of added time were announced in our game. There was time for Tome to cap a good run with a fine shot that was only just wide. The game ended with several Imortal players flat out.

Imortal back on top and next up the challenge along the road at Ferreiras, ko 1500hrs on Saturday I hope!

Imortal team : Froita; Pedro Rodrigues, Jose, Dragnev, Sousa; Cintra, Coelho, Alves, Balde; Tome aka Ruca and Duarte, aka Marocas. Subs used Tomás Rodrigues, Prates and Rangel.

Match statistics

Freekicks conceded : Imortal 4, Silves 10 and the penalty
(some sort of record for Imortal but they did have the ball most of the time.)
Offside : Imortal 1, Silves 2
Shots on target : Imortal 3, Silves 2
Shots off target : Imortal 6, Silves 4
Shots bloicked : Imortal 2, Silves 1
Corners : Imortal 7, Silves 3
Yellow cards : Imortal 3, Silves 2
Red Cards : none

LAGOS 2 - 0 IMORTAL ALBUFEIRA

Imortal's woes continue. After seven successive wins, it's now just one win in the last five League matches. The result and others sees Imortal fall to third place, two points behind leaders Portimonense B and level on points with Ferreiras, but below them on head to head record.

Despite having almost complete domination in the second half, Imortal were unable to create clear goal-scoring chances. Except for a 75th minute penalty, rather harshly awarded I have to say. Mario Duarte carefully measured his run-up and sent the ball wide of the left hand post, to his horror, that of his team-mates and the numerous Imortal fans in the crowd of about 80. It was inevitable that with Imortal pushing for an equaliser a big boot out of defence could work for Lagos. And so it was on 90 minutes a huge clearance found Lagos two on one in front of the goalkeeper, made easier when the one (Cintra) slipped and presented Moises Antonio with a chance he could not miss.

Imortal had to reshuffle the line up, with captain Pedro Rodrigues suspended after his red card last week. Mauro Jose came into the back four. Ricardo Tome (Ruca) was dropped after six games without scoring, replaced by Rangel. There were also rare starts for Almeida and Baldé in place of Tomas Rodrigues and Coelho.

Much of the first half was pretty messy. Lagos striker Herlander Tome had a couple of early efforts, one weak and easily saved, the other miles over the bar. Zidnaba almost put Lagos ahead with a skilful turn and shot on the edge of the penalty area, but the ball went straight at Imortal ´keeper Froita. Imortal gradually improved, with Alves doing his usual stuff all over the pitch. The best chance for Imortal came on 33 minutes. A superb pass by Sousa was brilliantly controlled by Alves, his shot was parried by the goalkeeper. The rebound fell to Duarte, his shot was blocked for a corner.

Lagos opening goal came from mistakes in midfield by Imortal, trying to pass and pass and not succeeding. The ball was lost, a long range shot was pushed away by Froita only to the feet of Claudio Gomes on the six yard line. He couldn't miss and didn't.

There was a response by Imortal, but Rangel and Duarte kept getting in each other's way, going for the same ball. Rangel did get in a good effort though, again the pass was from Alves, but a defender deflected the ball over the crossbar.

Muttering at half time among the Imortal faithful. Something big would be needed. Lagos kept everyone waiting, in the Manchester City fashion. The second half eventually kicked off at 16:06! The Lagos captain did get a telling off from the referee.

Imortal started fairly well, but there was still too much emphasis on keeping the ball. Passes were going sideways and backwards, rather than towards the other end. Duarte had a half chance, didn't trouble the ´keeper. Alves was once more in the thick of things, once joining the back four to get the ball moving upfield more quickly. But for all the possession, there was no final touch, seemingly no urgency for a goal.

Then came the penalty. A dreadful free kick by Dragnev was blocked by the wall. By an arm said the referee. Lagos players and fans disagreed and the usual debate ensued. Eventually Duarte placed the ball on the spot and then put it wide. That was greeted by a mocking outburst from the stadium announcer.

Lagos had barely been in Imortal's half, their only effort a tame one by Herlander Tome that was not a problem for Froita. After the penalty miss, the time wasting began in earnest, with every throw being taken by a player at least fifty metres away. Then, just as five minutes added time was announced, came the Lagos route one counter attack and the killer second goal.

Imortal team : Froita; Jose, Prates, Sousa, Dragnev; Cintra, Alves, Almeida, Baldé; Rangel, Duarte. Subs used Tomas Rodrigues and Coelho.

Match statistics

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 8, Lagos 16 plus the penalty
Offside : None!
Shots on target : Imortal 5; Lagos 4
Shots off target : Imortal 3; Lagos 3
Shots blocked : Imortal 3; Lagos 0
Corners : Imortal 5; Lagos 2
Yellow cards : just the one each, Baldé and Pina in the 65th minute following a pushing and shoving match.