Football Journey: September 2021

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Portugal I Division

First Division. No matter how good generation Portugal had – or did not have – the championship was always a matter of 2-3 teams competing at the top, leaving all others far behind. Nothing new this season...

O Elvas – hopeless outsiders and last with 14 points. But lucky – the decision to increase the league saved them well deserved relegation.

Farense - 15^th with 21 points. Also saved from relegation because of the enlargement of the league.

Salgueiros – 14^th with 24 points. In the relegation zone as well and also saved from going down.

Rio Ave - 13^th with 25 points, but in danger of relegation. Under normal circumstances, they should have been in danger – going to the promotion/relegation tournament with the 3 second-place teams in the Second Division zones. But those weaker than Rio Ave and normally directly relegated were saved and Rio Ave was not. Weird and unfair – luckily, Rio Ave managed to win the promotion/relegation tournament and stay in the league.

Maritimo (Funchal) - 12^th with 25 points. Rules were entirely against poor Rio Ave this season: Maritimo took the safe 12^th position not even on better goal-difference – their record was worse than Rio Ave's. But rules stipulated head-to-head record to be considered first in case of teams with same points. And Maritimo escaped trouble.

Portimonense - 11^th with 26 points.

Academica (Coimbra) - 10^th with 26 points.

Sporting (Braga) - 9^th with 26 points.

Boavista - 8^th with 27 points.

Varzim - 7^th with 29 points. Strong season for them, even unusually strong season.

Belenenses - 6^th with 30 points. A good chance for revival, if possible – because of the strong Portuguese international record Belenenses got a UEFA Cup spot.

Chaves - 5^th with 33 points. Going to play in the UEFA Cup as well.

Sporting (Lisbon) - 4^th with 38 points. Stronger than most of the league, but no match to the leading teams. Standing from left: Venâncio, Oceano, Duílio, Gabriel, Meade, Damas.
First row: Fernando Mendes, Zinho, Manuel Fernandes (cap), Negrete, Mário.

Vitoria (Guimaraes) - 3^rd with 41 points. Battling with Sporting only, but bronze medals were great. Also UEFA Cup participant.

FC Porto – excellent season, as the title of the poster shows. May be the European campaign took its toll on the boys and they failed to win the championship. 2^nd with 46 points. They had the best goal-difference: +45 and also scored most goals and shared the best defensive record: 67-22.

Benfica won yet another title. They had strong opponent, but luck had little to do with their victory: 20 wins, 9 ties, only 1 lost match (FC Porto lost 3), 51-23 goal-difference, 49 points.