Feirense 1-3 Portimonense
Portimonense put their recent setback against Benfica behind them by running out the 3-1 winners of an entertaining encounter away to Feirense last Friday night.
An open exchange featuring half-chances at either end culminated in the visitors from the Algarve taking the lead just before the half-hour mark, with the prolific Fabrício rifling home a Wellington cross. However, Feirense were level only minutes later as home side captain Luís Rocha met a Flávio Ramos free kick to head in.
Thereafter, the hosts, with the help of several good saves from goalie Caio Secco, kept Portimonense at bay, setting up an exciting second half with everything to play for.
After the re-start, manager Vítor Oliveira’s men survived an early scare when keeper Ricardo Ferreira could only parry Edson Farias’ 55th-minute shot and the forward directed his follow-up effort into the side netting, but Portimonense were back on top as Wellington ran on to Shoya Nakajima’s defence-splitting through ball to make it 2-1.
With 10 minutes to play, Portimonense’s Ricardo Ferreira made two important saves, the first with his feet, from the charging Crivellaro, before Nakajima applied the ‘coup de grace’ with a perfectly struck lob over the advancing Caio.
“We improved the interplay between defence and attack and ended up scoring three good goals,” Oliveira said afterwards. “It is hard to play in Feira, but we were the better team and won deservedly.”
The victory, Portimonense’s third from the last four league games, will have restored confidence ahead of Sunday evening’s next ‘big’ match when Porto come to visit the municipal stadium – kick-off 8.15pm.
By SKIP BANDELE
Photo: Portimonense keeper Ricardo Ferreira
