Portugal

Associacao de Futebol da Madeira

1 Divisao

Saturday 2nd November 2024

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.32

C.F. Carvalheiro 8 C.F. Canical ‘B’ 0, attendance 103

7’ 1-0, 20’ 2-0, 41’ 3-0

50’ 4-0, 52’ 5-0, 64’ 6-0, 76’ 7-0, 84’ 8-0

@ Campo de Futebol Adelino Rodrigues

Rua Nova de Alegria

9060 – 282 Funchal

Madeira

No Admission or Programme.

Below the top four levels in Portugal the game becomes regional, rather like our county leagues in England. Here on Madeira there are two levels, each playing their fixtures on one designated day. Today was the turn of 1 Divisao, the lower of the two. Only three of those were with the first team as hosts, so I opted for the one here at Campo de Futebol Adelino Rodrigues, just to the east of central Funchal. It was not only the nearest, but also the easiest to get to, being just a ten minute ride from the hotel with ‘Bolt’, which cost €6.65 each way. As with this afternoon, it was a ground I’d had a look at when holidaying here 20 years ago. It is tightly hemmed in, but does have spectator access on three sides, with the just the goal end housing the changing rooms being out of bounds. There are seats bolted to the steps along each side and standing at the other end, with trees growing amongst the terracing. They could do with a few more floodlight bulbs, even allowing for the odd one not working, as it was very dark and patchy in large areas of the pitch. Apart from toilet blocks in opposite diagonal corners, there are no other facilities available. The 3G pitch was laid here around 2003, replacing a ‘dirt’ pitch. It would have been grass at one time though, as it hosted Portuguese league football between 1954 and 1957, when it was temporarily home to both C.S Maritimo and C.D. Nacional, whilst renovation work was taking place at Estadio dos Barreiros (now known as Estadio do Maritimo) where I’d been this afternoon. Nowadays the capacity is listed as 3,000, but would have been higher in those days as it would have been pre-seats as well as pre-safety certificates!

This was the first game I’d seen in the regional leagues and it was between two teams who’d lost their opening fixtures last week. It is probably one of the weaker leagues, due to a much smaller pool of players to choose from than on the mainland or nearer the larger cities, but it was entertaining enough, although it did end up as a real thrashing in the end. Three goals in the first half saw the game comfortably won for Carvalheiro and another five followed during the second half. They should easily have made it into double figures, but wasted a host of chances, especially late on.

Having been dry and sunny all day, it was disappointing to have a twenty minute spell of very light rain during the second half. It was still warm though and the trees behind the goal managed to keep us dry.

Portugal

Liga 2

Saturday November 2nd 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Club Sport Maritimo 1 F.C. Penafiel 2, attendance 7,211

1’ 1-0

31’ 1-1

61’ 1-2

@ Estadio do Maritimo

Rua dos Barreiros

9000-619 Funchal

Madeira

€15 Admission, Print at Home Ticket

No Programme.

Having visited the training complex of Maritimo yesterday for the U19 game, today it was the chance to see the first team, at the Estadio do Maritimo. I’d seen the ground before, during a holiday in 2004, out of football season. Since then the ground has undergone a huge rebuild between 2009 and 2016, including removing the running track from around the pitch. It was originally opened in 1957, when it was known as Campo dos Barreiros and although previously larger, the capacity these days is 10,932 all seated and rather oddly, a couple of the old floodlight pylons remain in place. It has been home to all three of the Madeira teams to have played in the Portuguese League at one stage (CD Nacional 1957- 1998 and Uniao 1957- 2008 and again from 2011-2012) but is now solely used by Maritimo and occasionally by Portugal for international matches.

Tickets were easily booked online, although it would have been no problem purchasing them at the stadium prior to kick off. There were plenty of empty seats and although the official attendance was given as 7,211 I’d be surprised if there were more than 6,000 actually present. There was certainly plenty of room in the away section, where I only counted 26 fans! No need for a taxi for this one as it was no more than 15 minutes walk from our hotel. The only problem was that it was uphill all the way. In fact, most things in Funchal involve walking uphill. There were a couple of mobile food and drink stalls outside, which were very busy. Once inside the ground the refreshments were just the usual snacks and very bland looking sandwiches, so best to eat before heading in.

The match was 5th versus 2nd in the league table, with Penafiel having been top until last weekends defeat at home to Academico Viseu. Many spectators hadn’t even got to their seats before Maritimo opened the scoring after just 37 seconds, when a cut back from the right was touched in at the near post by Carlos Daniel. Penafiel levelled just after the half hour mark, when Reko headed in from 6 yards, having been unmarked at a corner. Just after the hour mark a ball in from the right was curled into the far corner by Robinho, in what turned out to be the winner. Maritimo did have a header cleared off the line minutes later, but Penafiel hung on for the three points, aided by the usual time wasting/cheating and rolling about at every opportunity, which is something that is all too common in Portuguese football. They certainly won’t be bothered though, as they go back to the top of the table for at least the next two days, as this mornings leaders Tondela don’t play until Monday night.

Even with eight minutes of stoppage time, we were finished just after 4 o’clock, so ample time to make a gentle stroll back down to the hotel before heading out to eat and then sampling a game in the local regional league this evening….

Above and below photos show the former ticket booth now partially demolished.

Portugal

Campeonato Nacional U19 II Divisao

Serie D

Friday 1st November 2024

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.58!

Club Sport Maritimo U19 1 F.C. Alverca U19 2, attendance 143

74’ 0-1

85’ 1-1 (pen)

86’ 1-2 (pen)

@ Complexo Desportivo do Club Sport Maritimo, Pitch 2

Rua Campo do Maritimo

Sao Roque

9020-207 Funchal

Madeira

No Admission or Programme.

A short break on the island of Madeira, with the main objective being to see games at the two big clubs here, with this unexpected bonus game here at the training complex of Club Sport Maritimo fitting in with the schedule perfectly. It was a Bank Holiday in Portugal today and I’m not too sure if this had any bearing on the game being played this afternoon or not, as all other matches in this league are tomorrow, or whether it was due to the first team playing on Saturday afternoon and they didn’t want to clash with that, or simply flight schedules?

Anyway, it was little more than a ten minute drive north from our hotel, using the ‘Bolt’ app and costing €7.30 each way for the four mile journey. Far cheaper than getting a hire car and far quicker than getting there by bus, although this would have been easy too, with regular bus options heading within easy reach of the ground. There are two pitches here, which run parallel to each other. There is a grass pitch, nearer to the road, with terracing/concrete seating on two sides and certainly having plenty of charm and character. Then, beyond that, the synthetic pitch, which was hosting today’s game. Behind the goal there is a large multiple storey building that houses the changing rooms and up above a snack bar, with a viewing area, where quite a few watched from. The only accessible spectator area pitch side is along about three quarters of one side, consisting of five rows of concrete steps, with painted lines marking out the ‘seats’, whilst others stood at the back of the top row. The other end looked down over houses and beyond that the North Atlantic Ocean. The perfect backdrop, especially with it being 25 or 26 degrees, even with occasional cloud cover and a gentle wind. Certainly makes a change from what England tends to throw up in November.

The match was a slow burner. Neither side achieved much of note in the first half and the second period followed the same pattern. Too much squealing and rolling about (blatant cheating). It looked almost certain to finish goalless. Then suddenly, with sixteen minutes left, a long ball over the top was finished with an angled shot into the far corner to give Alverca the lead. The remainder of the game was brilliant, as both teams attacked at will. With five minutes left, Maritimo equalised from the penalty spot, but having fought hard to get back in it, they then gave away a penalty within seconds of the restart, which Alverca duly scored from. There were six or seven minutes of stoppage time too, but the visitors managed to hold on for the win. Not a bad start to the weekend…..