Liga Portugal Bwin: Portimonense 1-1 Boavista
By SKIP BANDELE
Portimonense will be looking for their first three points of the year following a winless run now extending over eight matches when visiting much improved Santa Clara on the Azores this coming Monday night.
Against Boavista last Saturday, the Algarveans made much the better start and were duly rewarded in the 18th minute when new Olhanense signing Ricardo Matos scored his first goal in the top-flight after a Willyan header from a Nakajima corner came back to his feet – although a lengthy VAR consultation was needed to validate the strike.
Manager Paulo Sérgio’s men could then have easily doubled their lead on several occasions, the best chance falling to Angulo who hit the crossbar, only for the visitors to level the game when Musa beat Samuel on the turn from inside the area just before the break.
Boavista returned with much more intent for the second half until Jackson Porozo was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle in the 78th minute. That decision handed the impetus back to Portimonense, who could not convert their numerical superiority into goals, and it was Boavista who came closest to snatching victory from the jaws of defeat at the death but for the timely intervention of first Samuel and then the woodwork.
The lively encounter, scouted by a number of foreign club observers including representatives from Manchester City and Juventus, leaves Portimonense in ninth place, now 10 points off a top five European football finish, but still three clear of Monday’s opponents directly below them and in no danger of becoming embroiled in this season’s relegation fight.
