8.30pm 9 November 2019
Portugal, Primeira Liga
Famalicão 3 Moreirense 3 (att 3,912)
Rather than risk tight public transport connections after the day's earlier game at Rio Ave we opted for a taxi to take us to Famalicão, where the hometown club has made a bright start following promotion to the top division.
Whether they succeed in upsetting the established order in Portuguese football remains to be seen. They way they squandered a commanding lead against Moreirense suggests their title challenge will wane.
They were much the better side in the first half, and when a 2-0 half-time lead became 3-0 after the break it looked a question of how many they'd score. Instead it was all about how many they conceded.
Moreirense got one back soon after the home side's third, and not long later a second goal livened up the evening. The visitors equaliser was a penalty, awarded after the referee took time to review a video replay of a tackle in the box.
He'd originally given a corner, but changed his mind after checking the evidence. It was the first time I've been at a game where a video replay has played such a major role, and reinforced my view that VAR should be ditched.
At 3-3, with the rival sets of supporters trading insults, and the occasional missile, it was a lively end to the game. There were no more goals, but Famalicão had a player red-carded during lengthy amount of stoppage time. There were scuffles between players at the final whistle, leading to a post-match sending off for Moreirense.
Famalicão's stadium is two-sided. Both sides were open, with uncovered seats the length of one side and a trio of covered seated stands opposite.
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