LIGA PORTUGAL BWIN: PORTIMONENSE 0-1 BOAVISTA
Portimonense showed plenty of enthusiasm but little in terms of both co-ordination and finishing power in front of goal last Sunday night as Boavista left the Algarve with three points in the bag thanks to a quick ninth-minute counterattack tucked away by Yusupha.
Manager Paulo Sérgio’s eleven was still some way short of the finished article with the likes of influential defender Pedrão and latest signing Diaby, a 25-year-old French-Ivorian midfielder, not yet registered to play while the attack was missing Klismahn and Bryan Rochez through injury.
Nonetheless, Portimonense mustered 14 efforts at goal, twice as many as the opposition, albeit mostly comfortably dealt with by keeper Bracali, whilst enjoying the majority of possession.
That said, it was Boavista who always looked the more dangerous, Hamache and Malheiro going close to doubling the visitors’ advantage before Dabo had his injury time strike disallowed for off-side.
Sérgio will be looking for considerable improvement come Monday when ex-Diaby club Paços de Ferreira, who also lost 1-0 on the opening match day (away to Gil Vicente), host the Algarveans for another evening kick-off.
Off the pitch, champions Porto are still showing strong interest in first-choice goalkeeper Samuel Portugal whilst long-standing club servant Fabrício, who never regained his previous form since returning from Japan, is off to second division Chinese outfit Guangxi Pingguo Haliao in a €400,000 deal.
Lastly, one man who will also not be returning to Portimão any time soon is Tabata – the Brazilian forward has joined Palmeiras from Sporting with Portimão retaining the 50% of his future economic rights agreed upon when the player left for Lisbon two seasons ago.
By SKIP BANDELE
