IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

Imortal lost 0 - 2 at Moncarapachense yesterday. I couldn't go, so no report. But only two conceded away to League leaders doesn't sound too bad.

Hi all. I'm just trying to do a litthe research because I heard that the owners of our club recently (-ish) bought a small club in Portugal. Do you know if Imortal have changed owners in the last couple of years?

TomUK wrote: What is the team structure at Imortal Tom?  We have a friend and her lad plays for the 'B' team, and now and then he travels with the 'A' team. Is the 'A' team the main side or is it a reserve team?

Imortal only has one 'adult' team - the team that plays in the Algarve League. Below that it is U-19's, U-17's etc. It's fairly usual for U-19's to be on the first team subs bench as they play most of their games on a Sunday, whereas the first team plays mostly on Saturdays.

The U-19's play in the Algarve U19 league, the under 17's have two teams, one plays at national division 2 level and the other in the regional league.

cubsur wrote: rory wrote: Hi all. I'm just trying to do a litthe research because I heard that the owners of our club recently (-ish) bought a small club in Portugal. Do you know if Imortal have changed owners in the last couple of years? Alamancil(ense) are known to have been bought by a British funded organisation. They have pots of money by all accounts but as usual no-one really knows. Another team in the Algarve League, Carvoeiro United, is part 'owned' by a group of ex-pats based in that town. Certainly nobody has put any money into Imortal!

Odiaxere 1 Imortal 4.

I wasn't able to go owing to the late switch of the game to the opponents ground. The radio summaries sounded like they were coming from the distant reaches of the solar system rather than 60 miles away, but I did gather that Nelson Moutinho opened the scoring on 15 minutes wit a typical free kick blast from just outside the area, Mauro headed the second a few minute later.

I could however make out who scored the third, which was just before defender Fischer was sent off. Odiaxere missed the resulting penalty.

The home side pulled one back early in the second half before Chico scored Imortal's fourth after 55 minutes. Imortal's ten men held out and there was no further scoring.

Imortal go up one place to tenth. Next Saturday they will visit local rivals Padernense. Padernense are currently sixth but on a bit of a slide. Yesterday they lost 3-2 at Guia, their second defeat in the last three games. Still, it is their best season for years and a close game is expected.

I watched Imortal's U-19s beat Lusitano VRSA's U-19 by 2-1 in a good match on the 3G pitch. Imortalscored forst with a great header from a well taken corner. Lusitano equalised early in the second half, after which they piled on the pressure. Imortal had to thank their diminutive goalkeeper (we seem to specialise in producing in small custodians!) for some very good saves before they retook the lead with fifteen minutes left. This was a well taken chance, a good run down the right drew the last defender who was beaten. The shot from the corner of the penalty area took a slight deflection off him to roll past the goalie into the far corner. Lusitano surged forward to try to rescue a point and almost did so, but a glorious chance was headed over.

Imortal are in 8th place in the 12 team league. With only six games remaining, they have no chance of winning it. The lead is currently a three way tie between Almancil, Lagos and Lagoa.

Paderne 3 - 1 Imortal Albufeira

A good crowd, for this league, of about 200 watched a game spoiled by a horrible cold and gusty wind. Paderne eventually played the conditions better, scoring two wind assisted goals in the second half. Imortal barely managed a shot on target until the final fifteen minutes or so. Imortal's awful away record continues, nine away games in the league, eight lost and just the one win.

Imortal started with both Benje and Mauro up front, probably an unsubtle attempt to make the most of the conditions but it didn't work. Nascimento dropped to the bench.

Playing with the wind in the first half, the long and / or high balls just sped away from them. Even when the ball was won, it was almost impossible to direct a header where it was needed.

Paderne were content to lump the ball out of defence just to keep it away from the visitors. Neither side managed anything decent until the closing minutes. A great tackle by Canito foiled a Paderne breakaway attack, Lucien tried his luck from 40 metres with the wind behind him but his shot was just over the bar and Nelson had a trademark 25 metre free-kick well gathered by Paderne's 'keeper at the foot of a post.

No goals at half time but with the wind howling, the home fans ddn't have to wait long for the first.  Seven minutes in and an attack down the left was finished with a huge lob over Imortal's defenders and 'keeper. No chance for anyone to stop it.

Paderne increased their lead a few minutes later. Imortal's defence failed to deal with a cross, the ball went loose near the penalty spot and was stabbed home from amid a crowd of players.

Imortal brought on Nascimento for Canito and this worked to an extent with his fast wing play at least setting up chances. This paid off after 32 minutes when he belted in a cross that Mauro headed down into a crowd. Someone poked it in, credit I think to Claudio.

There followed a bit of pressure from Imortal with a couple of half decent shots blocked for corners but nothing clear cut.

Didn't do much good in the end. Paderne started the customary time wasting tactics, which caused a couple of minor incidents.

Then, as five minutes stoppage time was indicated, Paderne broke away and a long wind driven pass was well collected and drilled low and hard to make it safe and cause much gloom among the travelling support.

Match Stats

Free kicks conceded :Imortal 13, Paderne 20
Offside : Imortal 2, Paderne 1
Shots on target : Imortal 4, Paderne 4
Shots off target : Imortal 1, Paderne 6
Shots blocked :Imortal 1, Paderne 2
Corners : Imortal 6, Paderne 5
Yellow cards : Imortal 0, Paderne 2 - one for a foul and one for dissent.

Some pictures from the game - the section of the crowd behind the goal and in front of the bar!



The most pleasant thing I saw all afternoon!



Mauro (no. 23) heads down to set up Imortal's goal

CARVOEIRO UNITED 0 IMORTAL 2

Imortal dominated this game. Apart from a five minute spell at the end, Carvoeiro managed not one shot on target. Had Imortal not been quite so wasteful at the other end it could easily have been five or six.

This game marked the start of the second half of the season. Seventeen league games played, seventeen to go.

The setup at Estombar, venue for the game, is basic to say the least but the view was good at the end.



We had that rarest of events here - a foul throw being given for one taken in the wrong place! OK, the Carvoeiro man was about 20 yards further up the pitch instead of the usual 10 they are allowed, but looks of amazement followed. The ignoramuses in the home support were yelling that he should have been allowed to take it again - it's the rules innit? I refrained from commenting as they were a bit p****d already.

There were a couple of team changes following last week's defeat at Paderne. Nascimento replaced Benje up front, Fischer was restored to defence after his suspension, which allowed Baldé to play further forward to good effect.

Imortal took an early lead through Mauro. The home defence failed to deal with a corner that shot along the six yard line. Mauro, sandwiched between two defenders, had a fairly easy tap in at the far post.



With the strengthening wind at their backs, Imortal were always on top but attacks came to little. Chico burst through the middle but his weak shot from 20 yards was easily saved. A moment later Nascimento shot wildly when a pass would have been a better option. The game was already a bit niggly, with petty fouls being conceded by both sides. The referee was a bit picky, but a lot of the stuff was not necessary. Among all the squabbles, Canito shot just over and Moutinho was wide with a free kick.

The home side did manage one breakaway attack, but 'keeper Paulo was alert and came from his area to make a good interception.

Nelson Moutinho was denied by a great save (pic left) then Mauro was likewise denied. Mountinho rounded off the half with a woeful free kick that sailed over everyone for a goal kick.

Imortal nearly went 2-0 up in the opening moments of the second half when a lob by Mauro (23) was somehow cleared off the line by a defender for a corner. The corner kick was met well by Nascimento, but his shot was wide.



Mauro continued to be involved and was very busy. He had another effort blocked when his control let him down slightly just inside the area, then he was fouled just outside giving Moutinho another free kick to miss!

Mid-way through the half Benje replaced Mauro. His first involvement was to accidentally poke someone in the eye. Cue writhing in agony, mass protests etc. Ref having none of it, didn't even give a free kick.

Some big spaces were opening up now for Imortal with Carvoeiro pressing for an equaliser. On the half hour, a long range effort from Nascimento was easily saved but the 'keeper's throw out went straight to Moutinho. He passed back to Nascimento, who crossed for Benje. Benje directed his header to the keeper's right. It hit the post but rebounded very kindly, allowing a second attempt with a diving header from six yards which went past the wrong footed custodian for 2-0.



With fifteen minutes remaining, Carvoeiro finally applied some pressure and at last managed a shot on target, easily saved.

Right at the end there were a furious couple of minutes when Imortal twice blocked shots on the line and Carvoeiro sent every man forward. Three corners were conceded in as many minutes, but Imortal held out for a second win in three away matches, quite an improvement on the first half of the season.

Match stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 23, Carvoeiro 15
Offside : Imortal 2, Carvoeiro 2
Shots on target : Imortal 7, Carvoeiro 3
Shots blocked : Imortal 3, Carvoeiro 0
Shots off target : Imortal 8, Carvoeiro 3
Corners : Imortal 4, Carvoeiro 4
Yellow cards : Imortal 1 (Paco in 90+ 2 for a stupid bit of short pulling deep in the other half!) Carvoeiro 1 for a bit of retaliation.

Next week Imortal will be at home to Quarteira, wto whom they lost away in the second game of the season.

It was indeed a *wet* afternoon...Pictures cab be found here: