IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

IMORTAL ALBUFEIRA 1 - 2 PORTIMONENSE B

A very disappointing outcome in front of a good crowd. Imortal played well in the build-up, creating many scoring chances, but the final touch was missing. In a frantic finale, the crossbar was rattled, headers and overhead kicks went just wide. All is not lost, but Imortal really do need to win their next game, at Ferreiras on 26th April.

There was one change in the line-up. Herlander Tome returned after a one match suspension. Mauro Jose dropped to the bench, with Tiago Sousa moving into the back four. Whether or not that change to the established defence caused the problem, I don't know, but twice Imortal were caught by swift counter-attacks and were twice punished with well taken goals.

A good crowd was in, including a fair few from Portimão and a boisterous but good natured group of about two dozen lads on a stag weekend. They appreciated the skills of Walter Alves, who did his best to torment the opposition, who did get rather physical as he twisted and turned around them. They also appreciated a bit of retaliation, for which he was lucky not to be booked.

The early minutes were very cagey. The first effort on goals didn't come until 15 minutes in. Imortal won a  corner, which Duarte headed wide. Imortal had a lot of the ball as the half  went on, Portimonense resorted to shirt pulling, which earned them two yellow cards . The first indication of a threat from the visitors counter-attack came on 27 minutes but, fortunately for Imortal, Guilherme Costa blazed his shot way over the bar.

Imortal responded. Good work in midfield by Alves set up Dragnev for a cross from the left but it was too high.

Then came the second counter-attack and the first goal. Imortal lost the ball deep inside the Portimonense half. A hefty clearance found João Marques on the half way line. He sped off towards the Imortal goal, pursued by Pedro Rodrigues. Marques won the race and finished with a thunderous effort from 20 metres.

Back came Imortal. A free kick by Alves shot across the goal, missing everyone, then a good header by Duarte put Coelho through on goal, but he shot wide from ten metres.

Early in the second half Imortal a big shout for a penalty, nothing doing. But the visitor's defence was in a tangle. Could Imortal exploit this? As in the first half, Imortal dominated the play but could not find that vital touch inside the box. Substitute Baldé went close with a difficult header. The press was on. More good play set up a header for Duarte that hit the crossbar, bounced down and was hacked to safety from among the bodies.

Then a killer blow, with eight minutes left of the ninety. A massive wind assisted clearance by 'keeper Henriques was picked by just inside the Imortal half, squared across to unmarked André Chamusca whose low shot went in off the far post.

Imortal pushed for the equaliser which almost came in added time when an overhead kick by Tomas Rodrigues went just over.

But it was not to be. News that Ferreiras had won didn´t help. Imortal  now have a few days off, there being no games over Easter. The next game is at Ferreiras on Saturday 26th April, ko 1600hrs. I shall miss that one as I shall be enjoying the delights of Tonbridge v Borehamwood in National League south.

Imortal don't do well against Ferreiras, having lost both games against them in the first phase.

Imortal Team : Inácio; Prates, Pedro Rodrigues, Dragnev, Sousa; Cintra, Coelho, Alves, Antonio; Herlander Tome, Duarte. Subs used : Tomas Rodrigues, Vieira, Santos, Martins, Baldé.

Match statistics :

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 13, Portimonense B 18 + the penalty
Offside : 1 each
Shots on target : Imortal 3, Portimonense B 3
Shots off target : Imortal 8, Portimonense B 5
Shots blocked : Imortal 0, Portimonense B 2
Corners : Imortal 9, Portimonense B 4
Yellow cards : Imortal 2, Portimonense B 4
Red cards : none

Irregularity in the training of security agent teams.

IMORTAL 3 - 2 SILVES

An eventful last 15 minutes! What was announced as seven minutes added time turned into nearly twelve, during which Imortal equalised for the second time and then grabbed the winner. The Silves players and fans were incensed and several made a rush for the referee. The full weight of the GNR was required to escort the match officials from the pitch. The official record shows three red cards issued during the melée, two for Silves and one, Herlander Tome, for Albufeira. He will be suspended, for how long who knows yet, and will be a big loss.

Imortal had not played well for much of the game. It was difficult get through the well organised Silves defence. Poor passing didn't help either. Silves, for their part, defended in depth and made only one scoring opportunity during the first half.

The team was unchanged from last week except that Mateus Vieira replaced Ricardo Tome in only his fourth start of the season.

Imortal had early chances, with Alves being crowded out or blocked more than once and then crossing well for Duarte, whose curling effort from the edge of the area went narrowly wide. Silves relied on the occasional counter-attack, but there were no alarms. Not on the pitch at least! A powerful clearance demolished the radio station's aerial mounted on top of the player's tunnel.

The referee was rather lenient we felt. Only five free kicks were awarded in the fist half. Typical was a rugby tackle on Alves that went unpunished. It wasn't until 34 minutes had passed when the whistle first went against Imortal. Silves' George Souza saw yellow for a hack at Cintra, just before a great run down the left by Dragnev was finished with a superb cross that went just behind Duarte, poised five metres from goal.

The second half started with a bang. Two bangs. Imortal's defence was still in the changing room when Silves attacked with speed, Kevin Bacerra down the left wing crossing to Souza who was completely unmarked in front of goal. `Keeper Inácio had no chance. The lead didn't last long. The second bang saw Antonio down the right wing for Imortal, crossing to Duarte on the far post who had an easy header for the equaliser. That was Imortal's first effort on target.

Not much happened during the next twenty minutes or so. With the setting sun in defender's eyes, Martins replaced Vieira to bring more height into the attack. Vieira received a good round of applause.

Then the game burst into life, rather unexpectedly. Imortal were pressing forward, everyone bar Inacio was in the Silves half. A mighty boot out of defence fell to Bruno Nova, lurking just inside the half with nobody within twenty metres of him. Inácio had stayed back and was helpless as Nova headed towards him, ball at his feet. He finished calmly, low and hard.

Imortal were struggling to make an impact against Silves' even more determined defence. Just as time was running out, a free kick routine went horribly wrong, but still Dragnev got a toe to the ball but poked it wide from close range.

Seven minutes added time were announced. Imortal pressed. My watch said 52 minutes (45+7) when Imortal were awarded a corner. Nowadays of course the game does not end just because time is up. Dragnev took the corner which found Duarte's head for the second equaliser. 2-2, fair enough we thought. We will take a draw after that.

Game kicked off and still we played. Eight, nine, ten minutes!! Why?? Silves were visibly tiring when Herlander Tome crossed from the right to Duarte, who completed his hat-trick with a third header. Joy unconfined for Imortal players and fans, naturally. We kicked off again with just over 11 minutes on the clock. My watch said 56:42 when the referee blew the final whistle.

Then of course it got out of hand. Souza, in particular, went wild and had to be held back by team-mates and assorted trainers. He was red-carded as was his team mate Diogo Pinto. Somewhere in the scrum Herlander Tome also saw red. There could easily have been a lot more. The GNR escorted the match officials off the pitch before the players. One officer was tapping either his baton or gun, I couldn't quite see. The contingent of Silves fans were very unhappy to say the least.

But Imortal have now two wins from two in this second stage. If all the games are going to be like that, we shall have shredded nerves come the end of the season.


Imortal team : Inácio; Prates, Pedro Rodrigues, Jose, Dragnev; Cintra, Alves, Antonio, Vieira; Herlander Tome, Duarte. Subs used : Martins, Coelho, Tomas Rodrigues, Baldé. (Incidentally Imortal's back four were numbered 2,3,4 and 5. Most unusual these days with squad numbers.)

Match statistics

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 3 (a record surely), Silves 9
Offside : none at all
Shots on target : Imortal 3 (so a 100% success rate), Silves 2 (ditto)
Shots off target : Imortal 5, Silves 0
Shots blocked : Imortal 4, Silves 1
Corners : Imortal 4, Silves 3
Yellow cards : Imortal 1, Silves 2
Red cards, after the final whistle, Imortal 1, Silves 2

Thanks for the info. I presume you will be going to the match.