Liga Portugal Betclic:
Famalicão 2-2 Portimonense
Farense 1-3 Benfica
Last Sunday afternoon, Portimonense failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity to escape the third-from-bottom relegation play-off place with four of the six clubs also attempting to avoid the drop managing draws as well.
At Famalicão, Portimonense got off to the perfect start with Alemão heading home a Carlinhos free kick for the lead after only seven minutes. The Algarveans’ prospects of a much-needed win improved even further just after the half-hour mark when a reckless Justin de Haas tackle was rewarded with a straight red card reducing the hosts to 10 men.
Keeper Luiz Júnior then kept Famalicão in the match with a double save from Varela before Jhonder Cádiz added insult to injury by blasting a penalty awarded in first-half injury time over the bar.
However, the unfortunate Venezuelan more than made up for that mistake with two bullet headers in quick succession on the hour mark to turn the game around in the home team’s favour until a 75th-minute handball in the Famalicão area allowed Carlinhos to level the hitherto see-saw match at 2-2 from the penalty spot and salvage at least a point from a game that was there for the winning for manager Paulo Sérgio’s men.
A little over 24 hours later, on Monday night, Farense received Benfica at their São Luís Stadium and, although putting up a spirited performance, were ultimately comprehensively outplayed.
With a quarter of an hour on the clock, Bah crossed for Kokçu to open the scoring. A Belloumi bombshell briefly levelled the scores before Arthur Cabral put the visitors back in front. Angel Di Maria continued to pull the strings and Álvaro Carreras made it 3-1 halfway through the second period of play for a comfortable win.
The weekend’s results mean Chaves and Vizela remain marooned in the two automatic relegation places with Portimonense, Farense, Rio Ave, Gil Vicente, Boavista, Estoril and Estrela Amadora separated by only three points in the struggle to avoid the play-off place still occupied by Portimonense with four matches remaining.
Farense will next be involved in a ‘six-pointer’ with Amadora on Monday night while Portimonense will have travelled to seventh-placed Moreirense on Sunday afternoon.
By SKIP BANDELE
