Algarve football round-up: Kick-start!

LIGA PORTUGAL BETCLIC

Arouca 1-1 Portimonense

Farense 5-0 Chaves

Portimonense gained their first point of the season last Saturday afternoon by managing to hang on to an away draw at Arouca while Farense thumped Chaves at their São Luís stadium that same evening for a first win.

In the Algarve’s capital, manager José Mota fielded a free-scoring team which belied the balanced post-match statistics by putting the visitors to the sword with Muscat, Cláudio Falcão, Belloumi and Fabrício Isidoro all finding the back of the net before 22 minutes were up. Mattheus Oliveira then added a fifth just after the interval to complete the rout.

Portimonense, featuring the return of manager Paulo Sérgio to the bench following suspension, the reintroduction of former captain Dener to the midfield as well as a first start of the season for goalkeeper Kosuke Nakamura, also made a bright start as U-23 team graduate Hélio Varela neatly sidestepped his marker before producing a crisp fifth-minute finish for the opener.

The visitors remained in control until the break, after which Arouca proceeded to unleash a flurry of attacks which finally resulted in an 84th-minute VAR-confirmed Sylla equaliser initially ruled off-side by the linesman.

Both Algarve clubs are back in action at 6pm on Saturday evening with Portimonense welcoming Estrela da Amadora whilst Farense travel to Famalicão.

In other news, ex-Portimonense goal-getter Beto, plucked from non-league obscurity at the time before completing a €10 million transfer to Série A side Udinese one season later, has been rewarded for two relatively successful years in Italy with a €30 million move to Premier League club Everton which should result in another sizable windfall for the Algarveans.

By SKIP BANDELE

Portugal Resident