LIGA NOS: SPORTING BRAGA 2-0 PORTIMONENSE
Portimonense and Braga shared a Friday night kick-about in front of barely 6,500 muted home fans, with the outcome set to make no difference to either side’s final league position.
Predictably, fight and commitment were not at a premium, the Algarvean defence standing back as Ricardo Horta and Esgaio combined well to set Xadas up for the opener as early as the 12th minute. Third-choice Portimonense keeper Gonda, given a run-out in place of regular starters Ricardo Ferreira and Leo, then had several opportunities to demonstrate his competence before Jackson Martinez, in action after the club had appealed his one-match ban, stabbed Portimonense’s best chance of the half wide from a Tabata cross.
The second period proved equally uneventful until Jadson was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area shortly before an hour had been played, Dyego Sousa successfully converting the subsequent penalty.
Not much else happened until the closing moments when Gonda was allowed to shine again with good saves from Wilson Eduardo and Murillo before Aylton Boa Morte shaved the post with a powerful effort at the other end to conclude proceedings.
Portimonense thus finished the season in 12th place on 39 points during a weekend which saw Benfica crowned champions while Chaves joined Nacional and Feirense in the second division. That trio will be replaced in the top tier in 2019/20 by Paços de Ferreira, Famalicão and reinstated Gil Vicente, who have placed ex-Portimonense and most recently Paços coach Vítor Oliveira in charge of their coming campaign.
Meanwhile, Farense secured their second division survival with a 1-0 win over Viseu as Lagos celebrated their return to the regionalised third division also featuring fellow Algarve clubs Olhanense and Louletano.
