LIGA NOS: PORTIMONENSE 0-0 RIO AVE
Last Saturday evening saw both teams happy to settle for a point during an encounter which offered little in the way of scoring opportunities.
Fabrício, for Portimonense, and Rio Ave’s Guga came closest to breaking the deadlock during an otherwise uneventful opening 45 minutes. With neither side prepared to take any risks, defending remained at a premium after the interval, only Aylton Boa Morte testing Kieszek in the visitors’ goal before Samuel did well to keep Guga out near the end.
There are now only four matches remaining, and Portimonense next take on Belenenses, level with the Algarveans on 34 points, in Lisbon this evening (Thursday) before welcoming Moreirense, two points better off, to the Municipal Stadium on Monday. Any points from those two games should guarantee top-flight football next season with the gap to relegation-threatened Boavista, Farense and National currently five, seven and ten points respectively.
Off the pitch Portimonense have secured the services of 21-year-old Colombian striker Wilinton Aponza who most recently scored four goals in 16 matches for third division Berço. No doubt manager Paulo Sergio will be hoping that the young South American will develop along similar lines to now top scorer Beto, likely to leave for Benfica in an €8 million deal next month.
By Skip Bandele
