LIGA NOS: PORTIMONENSE 0-0 MARÍTIMO
Portimonense managed to produce very little in the way of attacking football against ultra-defensive bottom club Marítimo on Sunday afternoon, the match ending in a disappointing goalless stalemate.
Despite conceding 74% of possession throughout the encounter, whilst not permitting a single meaningful scoring opportunity to their increasingly frustrated opponents, the visitors from Madeira almost snatched an otherwise always unlikely looking victory on more than one occasion.
Samuel Portugal had to be fully alert in the Portimonense goal in order to deal with a stinging Pelágio shot before successfully holding on to a Correa aerial effort still ahead of the interval, and was then beaten with 10 minutes remaining on the clock only for Zainadine’s glancing header to rebound off the crossbar.
All the Algarveans could muster in return were a brace of Ewerton strikes from distance.
The draw combined with results elsewhere leaves the lower half of the Liga NOS table even more congested than was the case last week.
Tondela, who travel south to take on manager Paulo Sérgio’s men this Saturday afternoon, ‘lead’ on 24 points in ninth place.
Rio Ave and Belenenses have 22 points and are followed by Nacional on 21, who in turn are one ahead of Portimonense. In close pursuit are Farense, Gil Vicente and Famalicão, all on 19, with Boavista and Marítimo bringing up the rear on 18 points. The remaining 14-game run-in leading up to the end of the current season certainly promises to be one of the most closely-contested in recent times prior to the play-off and two relegation places having been decided.
By SKIP BANDELE
