21 May 2007, by Marco Pereira

Relegated Beira-Mar despair as Pacos make history

Beira-Mar 1-1 Pacos de Ferreira

Beira-Mar culminated a disastrous season with a 1-1 draw at home against Pacos de Ferreira and consequentially sealed their fate by being relegated to the Liga da Honra. Cristiano opened the scoring for the visitors before Vasco Matos equalised in the second half.

The takeover of Beira-Mar by a Spanish conglomerate and record signings in January could not prevent the club from the drop. Pacos meanwhile crowned a magnificent season by ensuring they will be playing Uefa Cup football next season for the first time in their history.

Pacos started in dazzling fashion as they put the home side on the back foot right from the opening whistle. In the 8th minute Cristiano grabbed hold of a loose ball in the Beira-Mar box and found the net with a fine strike.

Beira-Mar came roaring back four minutes later, but Edgar failed horribly when he misdirected a Rui Lima header wide of goal, with the net glaring. The aveirense desperately tried to get the equalizer, with Vasco Matos delivering a series of crosses, only for each ball to be cut off by Pacos or missed by his team-mates.

In the 47th minute Vasco Matos took matters into his own hands as the winger cut into the Pacos box from the right and hit a left-foot shot into the net to make it 1-1.

In the 77th minute Delibasic missed an incredible chance to put Beira-Mar into the lead and keep them in the top flight when he failed to hit the net with the simplest of chances and shot wide.

Beira-Mar, as well as Delibasic, will play that moment over and over in their minds all summer as they recount what could have been.

Fans will demand answers from the club as one of the showpiece stadiums for Euro 2004 will now feature in the country’s second division.

Meanwhile, Pacos will celebrate with their fans when they get home as the team earned a landmark achievement in the club’s history. One important piece of business that the board of directors will have to tend to is to try and hold onto Antunes as the Portuguese Under-21 international is heavily sought after domestically and abroad.

Beira-Mar:
Eduardo, Ricardo, Devic (Reginaldo, 36), Alcaraz, Tininho, Vasco Matos, Diakite, Andre (Matheus, 46), Rui Lima (Diarra, 75), Delibasic, Edgar
Yellow Cards: Andre (37), Reginaldo (60)

Pacos de Ferreira:
Pecanha, Mangualde, Luiz Carlos, Geraldo, Antunes, Paulo Sousa, Elias, Fahel (Pedrinha, 80), Edson (Emerson, 86), Joao Paulo, Cristiano (Ricardinho, 82)
Yellow Cards: Mangualde (70)

Goals:
[0-1] Cristiano, 8
[1-1] Vasco Matos, 47