IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

Imortal 1 - 2 Quarteirense

Only the second defeat of the league season for Imortal and a disappointing one at that. Plenty of chances to score, only one taken. Two lapses in defence cost them. A fracas at the end of the game in front of the visitors bench cost Diego Prates a red card.

After all the rain, the pitch was slippery in places but overall a good surface. The game started well for Imortal on a fairly bright afternoon. Twelve minutes had passed when a long clearance from defence found Herlander Tome open on the right wing. He spotted Ricardo Tome (Ruca) on the other side and sent a perfect pass across. Ruca had a long way to go for goal, but kept the ball under control and kept his head to slide the ball accurately, low and hard past Turossi in the visitors goal.

Quarteirense hit back, with Guilherme Pereira heading against the crossbar with Inacio beaten. He was on target just after the half hour. Pressure from Quarteirense gained them three corners in quick succession. Their Pedro Rodrigues had a shot well saved by Inacio, low down at the post for the third. From that third corner, Fábio Madeira brought Inacio into action again. He parried, the ball broke out to the right wing from where a cross found Pereira unmarked a few metres out. His glancing header curled wide of Inacio into the net for the equaliser.

Imortal began the second half fully on the attack. Herlander Tomé was in the thick of the action. There was a good call for a penalty when he seemed to be dragged down inside the area, nothing doing. He then sent a good chance miles wide, after good work from Leandro Pimenta. Tomé was at fault more than once, either shooting way wide or high, or tamely straight at the ´keeper.

The good first fifteen minutes of the half for Imortal was soon ended. A corner was not properly cleared, leaving Diogo Marques a clear shot from ten metres out which he slammed into goal. No chance for Inacio.

Quarteirense had things under control from then on, with seven or eight men behind the ball. Their goalkeeper twice employed the now common tactic of 'injury' to create a managerial time out to keep things organised.

There was time after 85 minutes for a counter-attack towards the Imortal goal, ended by a very good run by Inacio out of goal to the touchline in front of the Quarteirense bench. He was hacked down, earning his opponent a yellow card. That may have been the cause of a fracas in the same area a couple of minutes later. Couldn't quite see what went on, but Diego Prates of Imortal exchanged words with the visitors bench, then came all the pushing and shoving, plus heated words, which even caused a couple of GNR to be making their way towards the mob. Things ended with a red card for Prates and also for one of those players on the bench.

All that was a couple of minutes before the 90. Nine minutes of added time was announced, which turned into 14 following more yellow cards, injuries and general time wasting by the visitors.

Mauro José went down in pain early into added time. He slid into a tackle and seemed to badly twist his knee. Both teams immediately stopped, players know when someone is genuinely hurt. If he is out, it's a big loss for Imortal. He has not missed a league game this season.

The very last action at six minutes past five was a free kick mysteriously awarded to Imortal just outside the area which Dragnev sent high into the darkening sky.

The noteable statistic of the second half was that Imortal conceded only one free kick, while the total for Quarteirense was 17!

Imortal have now lost twice to Quarteirense, but still stand two points above them at the top of the table. Defeat for Ferreiras means that they are now three points further behind.

Next Saturday afternoon, Imortal travel up the road for the local derby at Ferreiras, while Quarteirense will be at home to Silves whose recent record shows only one win in their last seven league matches.

Imortal Team

Inacio; Dragnev, Pedro Rodrigues, José, Prates; António, Nascimento, Pimenta, Herlander Tomé; Mario Duarte, Ricardo Tomé. Subs used : Silveira, Coelho, Walter Alves.

Match statistics

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 11, Quarteirense 22
Offside : Imortal 3, Quarteirense 2
Shots on target : Imortal 4, Quarteirense 4
Shots off target : Imortal 5, Quarteirense 2
Shots blocked : Imortal 1, Quarteirense 1
Corners : Imortal 4, Quarteirense 9
Yellow cards : Imortal 3, Quarteirense 4
Red cards : 1 each