Portugal

Primeira Liga

Saturday 30th November 2019

Kick Off 18.00. On Time !

Sport Lisboa Benfica 4 Club Sport Maritimo 0, attendance 52,772

9’ 1-0

17’ 2-0

31’ 3-0

55’ 4-0

@ Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Rua Jose Maria Nicolau

1500-374

Lisboa

€30 Admission

No Programme

As with Sporting Clube Portugal, Sport Lisboa Benfica was another club that built a new ground to host matches in the Euro 2004 Championships and again it was built next door to the previous one. In this case the old ground had been the Estádio da Luz, which at one time had a capacity of 120,000, but was down to around 78,000 when I visited on 3rd November 2001, when I saw Sport Lisboa Benfica draw 0-0 with Vitória Sport Club Guimaraes in a Primeira Liga match in front of a crowd of 46,200.

The new stadium has an all seated capacity of 65,647 and is easily reached by using the Lisbon Metro, taking the green line to Alto dos Moinhos station, where the ground is 300-400 yards walk from. Tickets for this match were more of a problem, as the on-line sales would not accept the passport numbers in order to purchase tickets to print at home, so they were bought from the club ticket office at the stadium on Thursday afternoon. It was also difficult to find two seats together, with just two sections of seating offering this, but there were thousands of empty seats (and I mean, thousands!) all round the ground on match night in every single section.

The match was 1st versus 14th in the league table and unfortunately, as a neutral, went totally to form. Benfica scored early on through Pizzi, although we had a ridiculous wait of almost three minutes before VAR finally awarded the goal. The home fans were not impressed, even though the decision went their way. It is the first time I have been at a ‘live’ match where VAR has been in use and it is absolutely pathetic how long it takes them to make a decision and this sort of thing will really kill the atmosphere at matches if they don’t sort it out.

By halftime it was 3-0, with Brazilian striker Carlos Vinicius scoring twice. Early in the second half he completed his hat trick (although one of these has now been awarded as an own goal on the league website) with all three goals scored from inside the six yard box, as was the opener from Pizzi. Maritimo were really poor and offered nothing in the way of resistance. Benfica didn’t have to do much to stroll to an easy three points. Even when Gabriel was sent off for Benfica on the hour mark, for picking up a second yellow card, Maritimo looked no better with a man advantage.

Getting away from the ground after the match was only slightly slower than at Sporting Clube on Thursday evening, as the first train was rammed full, meaning a seven minute wait for the next one.

Portugal

U.E.F.A. Europa League

Group D

Thursday 28th November 2019

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.01

Sporting Clube Portugal 4 P.S.V. Eindhoven 0, attendance 30,146

9’ 1-0

15’ 2-0

42’ 3-0

64’ 4-0 (pen)

@ Estádio Jose Alvalade

Rua Professor Fernando da Fonseca

1500-801

Lisboa

€30 Admission, Print at Home Ticket

No Programme.

I had seen Sporting Clube Portugal play at the original Estádio Jose Alvalade back on 1st November 2001, when they beat Swedish club Halmstads B.K. 6-1 in a U.E.F.A. Cup match, (in front of 22,000 spectators) which included a hat trick from Brazilian striker Mario Jardel. Two years later, they moved into the brand new stadium of the same name, which was built right next door and was opened in time to be used as a venue for the Euro 2004 Championships, hosted by Portugal.

The stadium is easily reached on the Lisbon Metro system, taking the green line to Campo Grande, which is little more than 100 yards walk away. Match tickets were easily bought on-line and printed at home, but there would have been no problem buying them on the night, although the queue at the ticket office looked massive. As the ground holds 50,466, all seated, there was no problem moving around freely once inside the stadium and sitting where you like, as there were 20,000 empty seats to choose from, although the ‘away’ section looked completely full.

The match pitted fourth place in the Portuguese Primeira Liga against third place in the Dutch Eredivisie, but in truth, it was no contest. Sporting came into this match leading Group D and knew a win would guarantee them qualification for the knock-out stages of the competition. Linzer A.S.K. of Austria, were second, level on points with P.S.V. so it was all to play for.

Sporting came out all guns blazing and were 2-0 up after quarter of an hour. Bruno Fernandes crossed for Luís Phellype to head in the opener, before adding the second goal himself with a 20 yard shot that went in off the inside of the post. French defender Jérémy Mathieu added the third, shooting high into the roof of the net just before halftime, again set up by Fernandes. A trip inside the box resulted in Bruno Fernandes completing a man of the match performance, coolly rolling in the penalty to make it 4-0. P.S.V. were woeful and their vociferous fans were quickly quietened down as they were watching their team get a footballing lesson. Sporting got the win to ensure they top the group and it is Linz that quality with them, following their win versus Norwegian side Rosenberg B.K. tonight, as their better results from the head to head meetings with P.S.V. see them through, regardless of the results in the last round of matches.

Ten minutes after the final whistle we were back at the Metro station and easily on the first train back into Lisbon city centre.

Spartan South Midlands League

League Challenge Trophy 3rd Round

Tuesday 26th November 2019

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.48

Crawley Green 2 Hillingdon Borough 3, attendance 21

48’ 0-1

61’ 1-1

77’ 1-2

86’ 1-3

90’+3, 2-3

@ The Stadium at The Brache

Park Street

Luton

LU1 3HH

£6 Admission

No Programme

I was surprised it was as long ago as December 1999 that I visited Crawley Green at their Recreation Ground home in Crawley Green Road. In the meantime, they ground shared to meet the floodlight requirements, before moving to The Brache at the start of last season. The complex here is also the training ground of Luton Town F.C.,with the main ‘stadium pitch’ being the former home of Isthmiam League club Vauxhall Motors, who vacated the ground in 1991. After they left it became a hockey pitch, but it is now a 3G pitch solely used for football.

Looking at the league positions, this should have been a comfortable home win. Crawley Green are sixth in the Premier Division, whilst Hillingdon Borough are thirteenth in Division One. A very drab opening half finished goalless, with the hosts forcing a couple of saves from the visiting ‘keeper, but very little else. Hillingdon looked a different side second half and opened the scoring with a shot off the inside of the post within a few minutes of the restart. Crawley Green levelled just after the hour mark, with a free kick that the ‘keeper got a hand to, but couldn’t keep it out. Hillingdon went back in front when a tackle between the ‘keeper and striker saw the ball ricochet into the net and the game was made safe when a left footed shot made it 1-3 with four minutes left. Crawley Green pulled a goal back in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late.

Completion of the top ten levels of English football edge a little closer. Just Tottenham Hotspur and Jersey Bulls (Step 6) to go.

Belgium

Namur Provincial 1

Sunday 24th November 2019

Kick Off 14.30. On Time !

Union Sportive Beauraing 61 2 R.F.C. Grand-Leez 2, attendance 122

20’ 1-0

64’ 1-1

77’ 2-1 (pen)

88’ 2-2

@ Stade Flocquaux

Rue De Houyet

Baronville

5570 Beauraing

€6 Admission

Programme, free, 8 Pages, plus free Team Sheet.

I had visited the old ground of Union Sportive Beauraing 61, Stade Communal, in Rue des Clos Fleuris, which is in the town itself, back on Saturday 15th March 2014, where I saw them draw 2-2 versus R. Arquet F.C. in a Namur Provincial 1 match. It was only when checking my notes, that I see that was my third ground visited that day, having seen F.C. Nalinnois 2 R.S.A. Forchies 2 (Namur Prov 2C) at 13.00, before moving on to R.J. Rochefortoise 3 R.U.S. Loyers 1 (Namur Prov 1) at 16.30, before rounding off the day in Beauraing with a 20.00 kick off.

In 2015 Beauraing moved to their new ground Stade Flocquaux, which is some way north of the town and more or less in the village of Baronville. It is really bland, but functional, and totally lacks the character of their former home. Considering the pitch has had four years to settle, it was in a dreadful state and was probably the poorest pitch I have ever seen a top Provincial match played on. In fact, the adjoining farmers field looked in better condition!

Beauraing are hovering just above the relegation places, lying twelfth in the league table, whilst Grand-Leez occupy fourth place, although they are well adrift of league leaders J.S. Taminoise who have a 100% winning record from their 14 matches played. The poor quality pitch was a real leveller as far as the football went. Beauraing led 1-0 at the break, which was not a true reflection of how the game had gone. Grand-Leez were level just after the hour mark with a shot into the bottom corner of the net. A push in the back saw Beauraing regain the lead from the resulting penalty, with thirteen minutes left, but they never looked like holding on. Two minutes from time, Grand-Leez were level at 2-2, when the ‘keeper was beaten with a shot at his near post. In stoppage time, Beauraing had one of their defenders sent off, having received two yellow cards in the space of 30 seconds.

We were in plenty of time for our 08.20 outbound Eurotunnel, which meant we were actually offered the earlier 07.50 instead and this left three minutes early. We were booked on the 20.20 back, but having had a clear run back to Calais, we made it in time to get a place on the 19.50 instead. Unfortunately, the U.K. Passport control were once again showing a total incompetence in processing cars at a reasonable rate, meaning we missed the train and ended up on our original crossing after all, although it did leave four minutes early. At least the motorways were clear for the drive back from Folkestone.

Thames Valley Premier League

Premier Division

Saturday 23rd November 2019

Kick Off 14.00 On Time !

Wraysbury Village 2 Woodley United Royals 2, attendance 18

9’ 1-0

30’ 1-1

56’ 1-2 (pen)

85’ 2-2

@ The Memorial Ground

The Green

Wraysbury

TW19 5NA

No Admission or Programme.

Once again it was a wet Saturday, so the objective was to avoid having to watch a game on a 3G pitch if possible and when Wraysbury tweeted early on that their match was on, it was decision made. Despite it being only 35 minutes drive round the M25 to Wraysbury, it was a ground that was going to have to be visited on a Saturday. Rather than play home midweek matches at The Memorial Ground, which would be a 6 o’clock start, they switched their two early season midweek matches to the 3G pitch at Bedfont & Feltham F.C. which enabled a later kick off time.

Today’s match was 10th versus 12th (out of 14) in the league table. Despite having rained during the morning, I arrived to find the pitch in good condition, although the grass was far too long and could do with a cut, but both teams tried to play a bit and they put on an entertaining game. An early Wraysbury opener was cancelled out on the half hour mark, to see the teams go in level 1-1 at halftime. A trip inside the 18 yard box saw Woodley awarded a penalty, which was smashed past the ‘keeper, to put them 1-2 ahead on 56 minutes, but Wraysbury got a deserved equaliser five minutes from time, when their striker cut inside and fired a shot inside the near post to make it 2-2, which was the way the reverse fixture also finished, three weeks ago.

There was only a five minute spell of drizzle during the first half, but the remaining twenty minutes of the match were played under rain that increased as the afternoon wore on and it was pretty gloomy towards the end, whilst the pitch looked no worse for wear than it had at kick off.. The pitch is only accessible on one side, but this means that you have the added entertainment of the constant stream of aeroplanes, heading into the nearby London Heathrow Airport, as a backdrop.

British Universities & Colleges Sport

South Eastern Conference Cup

Wednesday 20th November 2019

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.11

University Creative Arts 4 University West London 2nds 5, attendance 17

10’ 0-1

17’ 1-1

38’ 2-1

41’ 3-1

46’ 3-2

56’ 3-3

66’ 3-4

78’ 3-5

90’ 4-5

@ Farnham Park

Folly Hill (A 287)

Farnham

GU9 0AU

No Admission or Programme.

The new BUCS App is absolutely useless as far as knowing what division or competition you are watching. I knew Creative Arts were hosting West London 2nds in the next two matches, it was just a case of which one was a league match and which was in a cup. This turned out to be the latter. Well, according to both teams, but the Referee thought it was a league match!

Farnham Park is next to Farnham Cricket Club and Farnham Park Golf Club. There are 2 football pitches here. There is one right outside the brick built changing rooms, then beyond a tree lined concrete pathway there is a second one, which was used today and it looked much flatter and in better condition than the other one.

Looking at the positions these two finished in last season, in South Eastern 7C (the lowest level in BUCS football) I wasn’t expecting much, as they were the bottom two in the league table, with Creative Arts failing to win a single game, although that has already been put right this season.

West London 2nds scored early on and Creative Arts soon levelled. Two goals in three minutes just before the break saw Creative Arts go 3-1 up and the visitors looked really tired. A goal in the opening ten seconds of the second half saw West London 2nds pull it back to 3-2 and they were rejuvenated. Creative Arts missed at least a dozen really good chances, whilst the visitors were more clinical with theirs, seeing them turn it round to lead 3-5, before a last minute goal from Creative Arts pulled it back to 4-5, leading to a very nervy couple of minutes stoppage time, but West London 2nds held on. Not the most skilful game, but certainly entertaining.

Belgium

Antwerpen Provincial 1

Sunday 17th November 2019

Kick Off 17.00 Actual 17.01

K. Sport Atletiek Vereniging Sint-Dimpna 1 F.C. Berlaar-Heikant 1, attendance 279

12’ 0-1

64’ 1-1

@ Sultan Stadion

Eikevelden 81

2440 Geel

€8 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

The five mile drive from Beekhoek, via the centre of Geel, took just sixteen minutes, which saw us arrive in plenty of time for the 17.00 start. On entering the ground, we came across a real rarity as far as Belgian grounds go, as there was actually hot food available. Somehow, I don’t think this will catch on. The usual lack of this, plus using a ridiculous token system at most Belgian grounds, is something that is never a problem north of the border in The Netherlands. In fact, even at the lowest levels of Dutch Amateur football getting food is no problem.

As for the game, Sint-Dimpna came into this bottom of the league table with just five points from their opening eleven matches, which includes just one win. Berlaar-Heikant are fourth. When the visitors went ahead early it was going to form, but they were unable to add a second goal. Sint-Dimpna levelled it up at 1-1 just after the hour mark and it was quite a surprise the game actually finished all square, as both sides created chances for a winner, but most efforts seemed to miss the target by a matter of inches, or hit the woodwork, in the visitors case.

Our journey back to The Tunnel was trouble free and we arrived in plenty of time for our 22.20 return. If we had missed this train it would have been a three hour wait for the next one. We left on time and our only delay on the homeward journey was due to the M20 being closed at Junction 6.

Belgium

Antwerpen Provincial 3C

Sunday 17th November 2019

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.31

K.F.C. Beekhoek Sport 4 F.C. Gierle 1, attendance 212

36’ 1-0

40’ 2-0

47’ 2-1

74’ 3-1

76’ 4-1

@ Broekstraat

Ten Aard

2440 Geel

€6 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

Game two of the day was a visit to the league leaders Beekhoek Sport versus second from bottom Gierle, who climbed off the bottom of the table with a win last weekend. Beekhoek were well on top, but struggled to break down a very dogged defence. The breakthrough came after 36 minutes and the second followed shortly after. Gierle set things up nicely when they pulled it back to 2-1 a couple of minutes into the second half, but Beekhoek soon regained the upper hand. Two goals in three minutes,as we entered the last quarter of an hour, finished off a resounding win for the hosts, with the fourth goal the pick of the bunch. Following a cut in from the right, a 20 yard shot found its way into the top corner of the net. Beekhoek finished the match with 10 men, having had a defender red carded for a last man foul five minutes from time, but the three points were already in the bag.

The match finished at 16.22, which meant we had plenty of time to reach our third and final match of the day, which was a Provincial 1 game on the other side of Geel.

Belgium

Antwerpen Provincial U17-A

Sunday 17th November 2019

Kick Off 10.00 Actual 10.01

K.F.C. Nijlen U17 6 K.V.C. Houtvenne U17 0, attendance 68

@ Complex K.F.C. Nijlen Jeugdterreinen, Pitch E

Goorstraat

2560 Nijlen

€3 Admission

No Programme.

We had not been too impressed with the last match we saw at this level, but once again it fitted the bill in killing time before our afternoon match. It was a much more even game than the 14-0 thrashing we witnessed at Lommel S.K. the other week, as the two teams here were more evenly matched physically. Nijlen were just too strong and it was easy to see why they are top of the league. They led 5-0 at halftime and added their sixth goal three minutes into the second half.

K.F.C. Nijlen first team will be moving into their new ground at the start of next season. We were surprised to see that the new ground is actually within the current youth complex and is the other side of the clubhouse to the pitch that this mornings match was played on. It all looks ready to go and as far as we could tell, it just appears to lack pitch markings.

Their current ground, Ophoven, which I visited in 2014, is only a couple of hundred yards from the new ground, so we called in on our way to our next match and as the gate was open, it was a good opportunity to have a look around before it disappears and take a few photos.

Belgium

Oost Vlaanderen Provincial 1

Saturday 16th November 2019

Kick Off 20.00. On Time !

Herleving Red Star Haasdonk 2 K.V. Eendracht Aalter 3, attendance 116

30’ 0-1

41’ 0-2

45’ 1-2 (pen)

73’ 2-2

77’ 2-3

@ Poerdam 7

9120 Haasdonk

€7 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

Our route from Vlissingen, east across the border into Belgium, was going to take a little over an hour, if we took the Liefkenshoek Tunnel ( €6 toll) rather than the longer and slower route to the east of Antwerp, so we opted for the former, as it gave us plenty of time to book into our overnight hotel in Sint-Niklaas, as well as grabbing food before the evening match.

There was a club formed before the Second World War called Red Star Haasdonk. In 2000 they reached the Belgian Fourth Division for the first time in their history and achieved promotion to the a Third Division at the first attempt. Their stadium had become too small for them to progress any further, so they moved to the Puyenbeke Stadium, recently vacated by SK Saint-Niklaas, and they changed their name to KV Red Star Waasland (who would in turn merge with, then move into the ground of, SK Beveren, to form the club now playing in the top division of Belgian football). In 2009 it was decided that a new club would be formed in Haasdonk, and Herleving (meaning revival in English) Red Star Haasdonk were born, starting off life in Oost Vlaanderen Provincial 4 and this season sees them play in Provincial 1 for the first time.

Following promotion, Haasdonk have struggled this season and they are currently propping up the league table, having won just one game so far and managing just five points from their opening eleven matches. The visitors from Aalter were lying in fifth place coming into this and looked by far the better team during the early exchanges. They went in front after half an hour, when the ball was squeezed in at the far post and were 0-2 up through a free kick that the ‘keeper got a hand to, but couldn’t prevent going into the top corner of the net. Right on halftime Haasdonk were given a lifeline, when they pulled it back to 1-2 from the penalty spot. A much improved second half performance saw Red Star pull it back to 2-2 on 73 minutes, but just four minutes later Aalter netted the winner, when a one-two was slotted past the ‘keeper from 6 yards.