Portugal
Campeonato de Portugal
Group D
Sunday 5th March 2023
Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59
Atletico Clube Portugal 1 Imortal Desportivo Clube 1, attendance 245
59’ 0-1
68’ 1-1
@ Estadio da Tapadinha
Rua Professor Vieira Natividade
1300-054 Lisboa
€8 Admission
No Programme.
Today’s match was the first I have watched in level 4 of Portuguese football. Atletico Clube Portugal, who were formed back in 1942, play in Alcantara, a suburb of Lisbon, at the Estadio da Tapadinha. It was opened in 1926 and is certainly showing its age, but it oozes character by the bucket load. Sadly, only one side of the ground is now in full use, whilst a very small section of the terracing behind the goal was used, although there wasn’t actually a physical barrier stopping you going further round than the corner area.
The club had its heyday back in the 1940’s when they twice reached the Portuguese Cup final, losing 2-4 to Sporting Clube Portugal in 1946, then 1-2 against Benfica three years later and have a best ever league finish of third place, back in the days when there was just a single division. This season they are top of one of the four divisions that compete at this level, so perhaps they are on their way back.
The visitors, who are from Albufeira, on the Algarve, came into this eighth in the league table and certainly made the leaders work hard to get anything out of the game. Atletico had a great chance to go ahead midway through the first half, but saw a penalty saved by the Imortal ‘keeper. It came as no surprise when the visitors broke the deadlock just before the hour mark, after a free kick from the left saw a striker head in unmarked from 6 yards, which the ‘keeper got a hand to, but was unable to keep out. Atletico could have replied immediately, but somehow headed over the crossbar from close range, when it looked easier to score. The equaliser came minutes later though , when a cross from the left was headed down into the bottom corner. Atletico nearly won it in the last minute, but the visitors keeper managed to tip a header round the post.
The ground was easily reached by taking the train from Lisbon towards Estoril, getting off at Alcântara-Mar station (€1.95 each way) with the ground a 15 minute walk from there.
