The survival chances in the Liga Orangina for Portimão FC look to be increasingly remote following Sunday’s last gasp home draw with fellow strugglers Santa Clara.
The positive midweek dress rehearsal in Lagos against Champions League participants Zenith St Petersburg (0-1) appeared to have given the team a boost as Zambujo gave the Algarveans an early lead which should have been doubled by half time.
However, as on so many occasions this season, the second half took on a different complexion with Santa Clara scoring twice and on the road to victory before a Ricardo Pessoa spot kick in the dying seconds of injury time restored parity.
Although club president Fernando Rocha still believes that Portimonense can avoid relegation despite the current eight-point deficit at the bottom of the table and an away trip to Leixoes on the agenda this Sunday, end-of-season salvation at the expense of other teams going into receivership may once again be the more likely scenario.
