- LIGA PORTUGAL BETCLIC: RIO AVE 1-0 FARENSE
- LIGA PORTUGAL 2: PORTIMONENSE 0-3 UD LEIRIA
Last Saturday, both Farense and Portimonense were beaten while failing to score, making for a winless two-match start to the new season for both Algarve clubs.
In the afternoon, Farense mustered an impressive 14 corners and as many shots on goal at Rio Ave with Falcão and substitute Darío Poveda hitting the woodwork late on but were still undone by a Patrick William header on the half-hour mark.
Manager José Mota will be hoping that latest addition, 24-year-old Spanish ex-Oviedo forward Alex Millan, can add some fire power up front, but the immediate future does not look to be any easier with reigning Champions Sporting the visitors at the ‘big match’ Stadium of the Algarve this Friday for an 8.15pm kick-off.
One division lower, Portimonense also fell behind to an early goal as Lucho Vega headed UD Leiria ahead from a 16th-minute corner but failed to create any compelling scoring opportunities of their own thereafter. Instead, as the match drew to a close, the visitors managed to add two further goals through Bura and Crystopher deep into time added on adding insult to injury.
Portimonense are next in action away to Mafra on Sunday evening but will have to do without the services of exciting young winger Helio Varela who has joined Belgian side Gent for €5 million plus add-ons. So far, the Algarveans have turned down another €3 million offer from Birmingham City for Felipe Relvas, but there is further interest for the defender from German, Russian and Turkish clubs.
By SKIP BANDELE
