Olhanense lost this Saturday against Paço Ferreira by two to one, in Manuel Cajuda's 500th game as coach in the top echelon of Portuguese football. Olhanense is now waiting for Moreirense and Beira-Mar, who play tomorrow, Sunday, to find out if the journey ends above or below the waterline, possibly in last place.
The excellent championship the northern team has been doing was foreseeing the home team's task, something that ended up being confirmed on the field, despite a good response from the Algarve.
Paços de Ferreira scored very early, through Manuel José, the man who replaced Josué, one of the leading figures of the Pacenses this season and who did not play because he was punished. The Paços player turned out to be the figure of the game, by scoring the two goals of the visiting team.
The first was after just five minutes, in the first play in which Paços came close to Bracali's goal, Manuel José gave the best follow-up to a pass from Vítor.
Olhanense always tried to change their luck in the game and ended up getting a draw in the 39th minute. Djaniny shot, the ball went into goal, but the ball deflected on Nuno Santos and the League awarded the goal to the Pacense defender.
The draw lasted just six minutes, with Manuel José scoring twice in added time.
In the second half, Olhanense looked for luck, but was not able to change the score, which remained the same until the end. A result that allows Paços to remain in the fight for third place, which gives access to the league of champions and the Algarvians must look closely at the clashes between Rio Ave and Moreirense (one point and one game less than Olhanense) and Beira-mar (one game minus and two points minus) and Nacional.
Statements by the coaches of Olhanense and Paços de Ferreira, after the 23rd round match of the 2st Portuguese Football League, which ended with a 1-XNUMX victory for Pacenses:
– Manuel Cajuda (Olhanense coach): «The mistakes we have made are very expensive. We had an excellent first half, but to concede an open goal and then another one at half-time, on top of how they were conceded, is not good. The first half was very good and the objective data of the game confirm it, in possession of the ball, shots and corners.
In the second half, what happened was that we played with more heart than head, but we played and dominated. In our last home games, the coach of the opposing team comes here and says he was lucky and I come here and I always have to say that we were unlucky.
(The struggle for maintenance) Clearly it doesn't get any better. But it is clear that this fight, whether we like it or not, will be until the last game. There are six teams that, in my opinion, are in the lot of teams fighting for maintenance.
Am I able to continue? I think so. People may not think so, but I do. I'm not a record holder in this. Just last season, a team went 16 games without winning and the coach is still there. People are free not to think the same but I can't do more than I've done in the last week and a half.
500 games? I've always said that I didn't want to confuse things, but now all that's left is for people to say that there are 500 games of Farinha Amparo…»
– Paulo Fonseca (coach at Paços de Ferreira): «It was a difficult game. We knew we were going to have great difficulties and that's what happened. We scored early, Olhanense reacted very well and we were somewhat passive in that moment of the game.
Then, with the second goal, we regained balance and started to have more ball. We went to the break in an advantageous situation, but at times with some happiness, which I recognize.
The second part has another story: we controlled until the 30th minute and Olhanense never had the space to create opportunities, but on our part, there was a lack of criteria in going forward, because there was room for that.
The last decision was not made in the best way. In the end, there was a natural reaction from Olhanense, opting for a more direct game, which created some difficulties for us.
The game is essentially worth our victory. We were cold, realistic and pragmatic in those moments, and it was easy for me to recognize that Olhanense did everything to win the game and created great difficulties for us.
We are not in the least obsessed with third place. There is only one team that does not want to move up in the standings at the moment and that is the first ranked team. If we're in fourth place, we want to reach third, it's perfectly natural but it's not an obsession, because it's a very difficult fight with Sporting de Braga, which we'll try to prolong.
We have an internal aim to improve our punctual route in the first round and, compared to the same number of games, we now have six more points.
If we can equal or improve that record, we will score 50/51 points, a mark that will reach us to qualify for a European competition. We have a good advantage to reach the Europa League, but as the end of the championship approaches, the difficulties increase and we have to be prepared to give a good answer.
We have to be alert, we are in a privileged situation, but it is by no means guaranteed».
Game Sheet
José Arcanjo Stadium, in Olhão.
Olhanense – Paços de Ferreira, 1-2.
To range: 1-2.
Markers:
0-1, Manuel José, 05 minutes.
1-1, Djaniny, 39.
1-2, Manuel Jose, 45.
Teams:
– Olhanense: Rafael Bracalli, Luís Filipe, André Micael, Nuno Reis, Jander (Evandro Brandão, 46), Lucas, Tiago Terroso (Ivanildo, 60), Targino, Rui Duarte, Babanco and Djaniny (Djalmir, 46).
(Substitutes: Ricardo, Ivanildo, Leandro, Vasco Fernandes, Evandro Brandão, Fernando Alexandre and Djalmir).
Coach: Manuel Cajuda.
– Paços de Ferreira: Cássio, Diogo Figueiras, Tiago Valente, Ricardo, Nuno Santos, André Leão, Vítor (Filipe Anunciação, 85), Luiz Carlos, Manuel José (Javier Cohene, 90+3), Cícero and Hurtado (Caetano, 67 ).
(Substitutes: António Filipe, Luís Sousa, Javier Cohene, Caetano, Jaime Poulson, Tony and Filipe Anunciação).
Coach: Paulo Fonseca.
Referee: Artur Soares Dias (Porto).
Disciplinary action: Yellow card for Nuno Reis (26), Diogo Figueiras (29), Cássio (62), Cícero (63), André Leão (72) and André Micael (85).
Attendance: 1.184 spectators.
(Updated Sunday at 9 am with statements from coaches and game sheet)
Comments