IMORTAL FOOTBALL CLUB ALBUFEIRA

Lost 5-1 at home to Lagoa yesterday. Awful stuff. All regular players out there, cannot explain except that some look as if they would rather be elsewhere.

More tomorrow.

Yesterday's match at Armação de Pera was abandoned with nine minutes to go. At that time five players had already been sent off by a referee who was blowing up for everything, waving yellow cards like confetti and then of course the reds started to come out.

A fight broke out on the pitch in front of the home team benches after a 'tackle' that would have hardly been noticed in an English game. Everyone joined in. More cards were waved.

Then behind one of the goals someone rushed out of the bar and attacked one of the Imortal players, already red carded,  who had peeped out of the changing room door to see what was going on. The GNR had something to do and were busy on and off the field grabbing everyone they could.

Mayhem ensued and the ref had no alternative but to abandon. The radio report I tried to listen to on the way back said that a total of seven players were sent off, but I could not quite make out whether that was for one team or both together.

There will no doubt be a big enquiry!

Imortal are due at home next week to second placed Moncarapachense, ko 5pm. Whether or not this will take place I do not know.

ARMACANENSES 2 IMORTAL ALBUFEIRA O MATCH ABANDONED

I can't find anything in local news about any repercussions, but will keep any eye on the local papers later this week. Most of what happened took place on the far side from where I was so it wasn't easy to see exactly what went on.

The match was abandoned with about three minutes left of the normal 90 (there would probably have been five or six minutes of additional time) amid chaotic scenes on and off the pitch. The three GNR present, usually able to have a quiet afternoon, were forced to intervene after a fight broke on the pitch involving almost all the players and benches, while near the changing rooms a further series of scraps were in progress.

The previous twenty minutes or so had been very tetchy, with several incidents caused by both sides and not helped by a referee who had awarded five red cards, eight yellows, 41 free kicks and a penalty before those final moments. Not half of the so called fouls would have even been noticed in an English game. The crowd of about 80 and the players were getting very frustrated and it all boiled over at the end.

The final scenes began when Imortal's defender Baldé 'tackled´an opponent right in front of the home team bench. Up leaped several subs and officials and all sorts of pushing and shoving began. As is usual with these situations, everyone rushed from all parts to join in. Two or three minutes of this scrum ensued. The referee was rather pointlessly waving yellow cards all around.

Meanwhile, as I said earlier, someone came out from the bar area and whacked an Imortal player who had come to the changing room door to see what was going on. And general punch-ups followed. Several home players then rushed to join in that scene. To their credit most of the Imortal players were by now sitting down on the pitch, not getting involved.

It was obvious that the match could not continue. The GNR certainly arrested at least one fan, possibly more, but it was utter bedlam. I left at that point.

What the aftermath will be I cannot say.

In the match itself, both sides were having problems with a strong and blustery wind. The new ground at Armação de Pera is a 3G pitch, the ball was either carrying on way past its destination or hardly getting there at all.

Mauro had Imortal's first chance, after a great one two with Nelson Moutinho set up a shot from the edge of the area, but it was a yard wide. After just eleven minutes I had already noted that the referee was being very picky, he blew up for eleven 'fouls' in the first quarter of the game.

Imortal were playing into the wind and the ball held up nicely on 25 minutes, a deep cross from Lucien on the right drifted back right onto the head of Pedro, whose neat downward header was met by an overhead kick by Baúro, which crashed against the crossbar and to safety.

The wind was picking up by now and Imortal were having trouble clearing their lines. Moutinho did though get a snap shot after a poor clearance, but missed. The home team were now playing better and using the wind. Five minutes before half time were rewarded when a clumsy challenge by young defender Filipe resulted in a penalty. No real arguments there. I thought he had only been booked, but in fact it was a red.

The penalty was duly converted and Imortal were 1-0 down and a man down.

There was time before the interval for Moutinho to deliver a perfect free kick to Baúro, whose superb header low to the goalkeeper's left was equally well saved.

Half time and no hint of what was to come. They turned the sprinklers on during half time to water the 3G pitch. The wind was blowing so hard that the crowd had to leave their seats as it was like being caught in a heavy shower. They put so much water down that some parts of the pitch were actually waterlogged for several minutes into the second half.

The second period started innocently. Canito shot wide after being set up by Baúro, Lucien was booked on the hour mark for a tame challenge that elicited the usual dramatic over-reaction. Some of the players had now realised that they could play the ref and get opponents booked or sent off and over the next 15 minutes it got really silly.

A few minutes later, Armcanenses had a man sent off for a second yellow card, it was now ten a side. Three minutes after that, Imortal's captain Pedro was sent off, also for a second yellow, much to his and almost everyone else's amazement.

I wrote 'the game's gone to pot' not knowing what was to follow!

It became nine a side on 75 minutes when Imortal midfielder Chico was flattened off the ball. I didn't see it nor did the ref, but the linesman flagged, had a word and off he went. The crowd, both sets of fans, was getting upset by now. Some of the players looked like they couldn't be bothered and who would be surprised?

Baldé gifted the second goal after 82 minutes, by being in two minds whether to clear or pass back to the´keeper, he did neither, was robbed 20 yards out and the resulting shot gave Paulo no chance.

Imortal were then reduced to eight men when Fischer was sent off, again after a tackle he had made provoked a massive over-reaction from a cowardly opponent.

Moutinho by now was walking wounded and with no subs left Imortal were effectively down to seven but it didn't, matter as moments later everything went to hell.

Match stats - remembering that about 8 minutes were left at the time of the abandonment.

Match stats

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 23 plus the penalty, Armacanenses 19.
Offside : Imortal 0, Armacanenses 3
Shots on target : Imortal 3, Armacanenses 5
Shots blocked : Imortal 2, Armacanenses 0
Shots off target: Imortal 7,Armacanenses 5
Corners : Imortal 3,Armacanenses 1
Yellow cards : Imortal at least four, Armacanenses at least four
Red Cards : Imortal at least three, Armacanenses at least two.

Next Saturday Imortal are due to be at home to second placed Moncarapachense ko 1700hrs, 5pm.

Imortal's makeshift side acquitted themselves well yesterday against second placed Moncarapachense, losing 3-1 in the end.Our goal was, as they say, worthy of a higher stage.

With three of the usual back four ruled out through suspension and several others missing, Imortal had veteran Canito plus three unknowns from the Juniors at the back.

More tomorrow.

Yesterday :

Imortal 4 Odiaexere 1

Imortal ended a run of five defeats with this win. I was not there!

Imortal are now 11th and have one final game, next Saturday at home to local rivals Paderne, ko 5pm.

Following on from the abandoned match, the Algarve FA has 'acquitted' those named. I can only assume this means they have decided that the mass suspensions and fines were sufficient punishment and that no-one in particular was to blame!

Whether the GNR took any action I know not.

IMORTAL 5 MONCHIQUE 0

Not a pretty sight overall, despite the score. The team is mostly familiar faces from last season.

The pitch is quite poor in some areas, a bit patchwork in grass. The maintenance issues caused some touring matches to be cancelled at short notice.

There were probably as many in the bar watching the Barcelona game on TV as there were outside, I estimate no more than 60 spectators. It's still only €2,50 to get in.

The first half hour was very scrappy, nothing at all to note . As the interval drew near, Imortal stepped up into 2nd gear and started to create chances and corners. Canito and Marco Benje came closest, but it was still pretty poor stuff. No score at halftime.

The second half started on a good note, Nelson Moutinho having a shot tipped for a corner which, when taken, curled across the goal, struck the far post and rebounded to safety.

Imortal's first goal came seven minutes into the second half, the ref awarding it after a bundle of bodies arrived at the same spot and the same time chasing a through ball. A bit harsh. Pedro struck the penalty well. 1-0

The game settled down, Imortal dominating in all respects, there was good play in midfield but the final pass was often poor and the shots on goal wayward to say the least.

Then with fifteen minutes remaining, Imortal gained a second penalty, this time clear cut. Monchique's goalkeeper rushed out to challenge Moutinho and felled him. Penalty and a red card.

Once more, Pedro scored from the spot. 2-0

Veteran striker Marco Benje was instrumental in goals three and four. First a great downward header at the far post set up defender Luca for a good strike from 10 yards then Benje scored himself, unmarked, with the simplest header.

The visitor's misery was made complete in stoppage time when a cross was deflected in for an own goal. Final score 5-0.

The stats don't tell all the story, but Monchique were dire. Another astounding statistic is that Imortal went through the whole first half conceding only two free kicks and over the whole game no-one was booked!

Free kicks conceded : Imortal 10, Monchique 12 + the two penalties
Offside : Imortal 2, Monchique 0
Shots on target : Imortal 8, Monchique 1
Shots blocked : Imortal 1, Monchique 1
Shots off target : Imortal 11, Monchique 0
Corners : Imortal 14, Monchique 0
Yellow cards : Imortal 0, Monchique 2
Red Cards : Imortal 0, Monchique 1

Next week Imortal face second division side Santa Luzia in the first round of the Algarve Cup. This is listed as a home game on the Algarve FA website. Ko time to be confirmed asap.

I was at the stadium at 2 for a 3pm ko. Three large beers later I looked at a flyer with the Ko time as 6:30pm. No worries back later for more beer after I watch the rugby