Aves 3-0 Portimonense
Portimonense appeared to still be suffering a hangover from their recent defeat against Porto as much of the team’s fluency was missing during Monday night’s 3-0 reversal at Aves.
The hosts created much of the early pressure, but it was Portimonense who almost grabbed the lead after 10 minutes when Dener headed inches wide from a Tabata corner with Adriano stranded in the Aves goal.
The match was still evenly balanced until just before the half-hour mark when Rodrigo Soares stepped up to sink a free kick off the inside post from the edge of the area.
Adriano made a fine save from Felipe Macedo at the other end shortly afterwards, but it was Soares again who almost doubled his tally with another well-struck free kick which ricocheted off the bar just before the break.
Portimonense made the worst possible start to the second half as a hopeful-looking Nildo Petrolina cross eluded everyone, including keeper Ricardo Ferreira, to make it 2-0.
Shoya Nakajima attempted to get the Algarveans back into the game but his 57th-minute shot only hit the woodwork before Ferreira redeemed himself by keeping out a powerful Derley header. But the same player was not to be denied not long before the end with a good finish for the third goal without reply on the night.
“Although a fair result, the score line did not reflect the play,” manager Vítor Oliveira, who had been sent to the stands half-way through the second period by referee Bruno Paixão, commented afterwards. “It was a difficult game but never out of our reach.”
Despite two consecutive losses, Portimonense remain 12th in the league table, six points clear of the two relegation places, but will be determined to notch up a home win on Sunday morning (11.45am kick-off) against Vitória de Guimarães.
By SKIP BANDELE
Photo: Portimonense striker Shoya Nakajima
