IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

Next game is the local derby at home to Ferreiras next Saturday.

The less said about the bowls the better!

(Problem with Silves is that there is no way to get there for 3pm coming from the Portimão direction, otherwise I would have been there.)

Cheers

A sunny, warm but rather windy afternoon on a dry and bobbly pitch. A crowd of about 80 required four GNR to keep order.

Chico was restored to midfield, replacing Rui Sacramento. But he didn't have a good game by his standards, failing to make an impact.

The first half hour was pretty dire, not a single attempt at goal at either end. The first chance fell to Imortal on the half hour. A defensive error gave Pipoca (back at Imortal after a spell at Guia) a chance at close range but the goalkeeper was alert and blocked on the line with his feet. He saved in similar fashion four minutes later when Paollo jinked and turned to beat three defenders, his shot from 6 yards was blocked. The 'keeper's best save came when one of his defenders mis-cued a headed clearance. The home side's onnly attempt at goal was just before the half and went miles high.

So 0-0 at half -time and although to be fair Quarteirense has looked the better team with the ball, they were not totally in charge.

That changed in the second minute of the second half. A long pass was pulled back from the touchline for a cross, shot and goal. Imortal's players were adamant the ball had crossed the goal-line before it was crossed. The arguments cost captain Rodrigues a booking.

Ten minutes in and Pipoca had a great chance to level the score. A shot by Mateus rebounded spinning to his feet about 3 yards from goal, but he was off balance and scooped the ball over the bar. The same player rthen brought out another good block from the Quarteirense ´keeper.

Imortal were under increasing pressure and it was little surprise when a long pass broke the offside trap (which had worked very well until then) allowing a straightforward run shot past the helpless Nelio in goal.

Quarteira were now well on top in terms of possession. They missed a chance that was easier to score from,  then on 38 minutes another goal to cause an argument made it 3-0. There was more than a suspicion of offside . From where I was at the other end it could be have a matter of whether or not a final touch was applied before the ball crossed the line.

Although sub Monteiro scored a consolation just before the end, it was a comprehensive defeat. As a result Imortal drop down to 9th, with six points from seven matches.

Next comes the Algarve cup tie on Tuesday, at home to Guia ko 3pm / 1500hrs.

Match facts

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 12, Quarteirense 17

Offside : Imortal 2, Quarteirense 10

Shots on target : Imortal 6, Quarteirense 3

Shots off target : Imortal 3, Quarteirense 4

Shots blocked : Imortal 2, Quartereirense 0

Corners : Imortal 3, Quarteirense 5

Yellow cards : Four each

Red Cards : none

Very poor stuff but at least we won. Both Imortal's goals came within a five minute spell towards the end of the first half. The second period was in particular very tedious indeed.

Management reshuffled the team a litlte after the weekend defeat at Quarteirense. Canito returned to defence, Chico, Baldé and Rui Sacramento were the midfield trio.

For no apparent reason the game kicked off ten minutes late.

The referee was unfortunately one of those very picky types we get here. He blew for an alleged 24 fouls in the first half alone. Add to that several times when Guia were offside and it was stop-start for the whole time.

The game could have started very badly for Imortal. Twelve minutes into the game and Canito gave away a needless penalty, the opponent was going nowhere. The kick though was very poor, easily palmed away by Nélio. A header from the resulting corner went just wide. The game wore on, with occasional spells of football between the referee's whistling. Imortal were gradually getting on top but with nothing to show for it.

There was one further scary moment just before Imortal's goals when fullback Catita allegedly fouled an opponent on the edge of the area. Guia managed to miss an open goal from the free kick awarded.

Then came the breakthrough on 34 minutes. A long hopeful ball out of defence took off in the wind. The Guia ´keeper came to the edge of his area to collect, realised he might be in trouble and changed his mind. Imortals's volatile forward Paollo was there to steal the ball. His first attempt at a shot was a bit off balance and was partly blocked. The rebound fell kindly and his second try from a much more acute angle found the net. 1-0 Imortal.

The second came four minutes later aand from another long and hopeful ball upfield. Paollo, inside the area, controlled the ball well , was tackled and the rebound went to Tiaguinho out wide right. His cross found Pipoca by the penalty spot, who calmly took aim with a shot on the turn  to make it 2-0.

Guia started strongly in the second half and had a good chance to score early on, but they petered out quickly. Imortal were happy to let Guia run around in midfield. They did commit some errors which a better team would have punished, but Guia had little to offer by way of a challenge. There was almost nothing of note in the final half hour or so, other than Pipoca having a good header saved by the 'keeper and another header went narrowly wide from Paollo after a great cross in by Chico.

The referee resumed whistling furiously and often, and started to dish out yellow cards to Imortal players, two of which were complete mysteries to those watching but possibly for time wasting.

Match facts

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 20, Guia 21

Offside : Imortal 2, Guia 6

Shots on target : Imortal 4, Guia 1 (the penalty that was saved!)

Shots off target : Imortal 2, Guia 4

Shots blocked . Imortal 1, Guia 0

Corners : Imortal 4, Guia 3

Yellow cards : Imortal 5, Guia 2

Red cards : none

Imortal are at home again this Saturday, opponents 11 Esperanças ko 1500hrs / 3pm