Portugal II Division

 

Portugal. Ranked 6^th. Changes were coming: next season First Division was increasing to 20 teams and instead of 3 zones of 18 teams, Second Division was going to be single league of 20 teams. Because of that, final positions had special significance, especially in the Second Division: 2 teams were relegated from top flight. 4 teams were promoted from Second Division – the winners of the Zones plus one the second-placed teams, perhaps a winner of play-offs. The make of the new Second Division was more complicated: no promotion from third level, first of all. 2 teams relegated from First Division. Then those who finished 2^nd – to 7^th place in every zone. However, one of the second-placed teams was going to top flight, so to make a 20-teams league a final play-off between the 8^th placed teams in the zones decided the last spot in the new league. For a club to remain a second-tier team it was a must to finish no lower than 8^th place this season – it was no joke: the Second Division was going to be reduced from 54 teams to 20. What follows here is a glance at the current Second Division, including the top-positioned teams going to the new reduced 1990-91 league.

Zona Norte.

Among the unfortunates going to play third level football next season Rio Ave FC was perhaps the best known – they were 10^th with 31 points and out.

Leixoes SC - 8^th with 35 points and going to promotion/relegation playoffs.

Varzim SC - 7^th with 38 points.

SC Freamunde - 6^th with 40 points.

FC Maia - 5^th with 41 points.

FC Pacos de Ferreira - 4^th with 42 points.

CD Aves - 3^rd with 45 points.

FC Famalicao - 2^nd with 47 points and going to promotion playoffs.

Gil Vicente FC – winner with 49 points from 22 wins, 5 ties, 7 losses, 51-25 goal-difference, and happily promoted to First Division.

Zona Centro

Arguably, SC Covilha was the best known among the teams going to third level – they finished 10^th with 33 points.

Uniao Mirense was 8^th with 35 points and going to promotion/relegation playoffs.

Benfica Castelo Branco was lucky - 7^th with 35 points, besting Uniao Mirense on head-to-head record.

RD Agueda - 6^th with 38 points.

Academico Viseu - 5^th with 42 points.

Academica Coimbra - 4^th with 43 points. Standing from left: Vítor Nóvoa, Fernando Couto, Coelho, Real, Mito e Reinaldo. À frente: China, Mota, Tomás, Tózé e Meireles.

UD Leiria - 3^rd with 49 points.

SC Espinho - 2^nd with 50 points and going to promotion playoffs.

SC Salguieros – champion with 51 points and promoted to top flight. 22 wins, 7 ties, 5 losses, 82-24 goal-difference.

Zona Sul

Silves FC - 11^th with 32 points – was one of the unfortunate teams going to third level.

Juventude Evora - 8^th with 36 points and going to promotion/relegation playoffs.

Lusitano VRSA - 7^th with 41 points.

GD Estoril Praia - 6^th with 42 points.

SCU Torreense - 5^th with 43 points.

O Elvas CAD - 4^th with 44 points.

Louletano DC - 3^rd with 46 points.

FC Barreirense - 2^nd with 47 points and going to promotion playoffs.

SC Farense – winner with 55 points from 25 wins, 5 ties, 4 losses, 80-23 goal-difference. Promoted back to First Division. There was more, though.

The playoffs followed the regular season.

First, the play-offs for the last spot in the new Second Division – between the 3 teams at 8^th position in the zones – Juventude Evora, Uniao Mirense, and Leixoes SC. Leixoes won the games against their rivals, finished first and remained in the Second Division. The other two joined the big group clubs going to third level.

There is no available record, but the only reason for the 4^th promoted to top team this year would have been playoffs between the second-best teams in the zones. FC Barreirense, SC Espinho, and FC Famalicao.

FC Famalicao was the promoted team – and good for them.

Lastly, there was the mini-tournament between the winners of the zones for the Second Division title: Farense finished last in it with 3 points, Gil Vicente - 2^nd with 4 points, and Salgueiros won the title with 5 points: 2 wins, 1 tie, 1 loss, 6-3. They were the new champions of Second Division, which was mostly for pride – all zone winners were promoted to top flight already and that was more important achievement.

And that was all, in brief. Salgueiros, Gil Vicente, Farense, and Famalicao were promoted to the increased First Division – none was newcomer to top flight.