Another unbeaten team bites the dust in Portugal; Navigators whip Algarve Sharks

The Lisbon Navigators have returned to respectability in Portugal’s top American football league after handing the previously undefeated Algarve Sharks a 34-8 loss  at Campo das Laranjeiras in Lisbon.

The Sharks had been the last unbeaten team in the Portuguese South division

Navigators quarterback André Monteiro was superb throwing four touchdown passes, two to wide receiver Bruce Furtado and one each to receivers Ricardo Nogueira and Nelson “Gronk” Fidalgo. Furtado and Fidalgo both scored two point conversions on passes from Monteiro. Running back Alexander Campbell also added a touchdown.

For the Sharks, who had been averaging 50 points a game entering this contest, quarterback Ashley Bailey threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver John Holloway and Brazilian linebacker Davi Martins added a safety, tackling Navigators Sharks running back Campbell in the end zone.

The Navigators jumped out to a 28-0 lead as Monteiro was on fire connecting with Furtado in the first quarter to take a 6-0 lead. He followed up with a touchdown pass to Nogueira in the second quarter and then found Furtado again before the half ended. Furtado scored on the two point conversion giving Lisbon a 20-0 lead at the break.

Campbell scored in the third quarter to extend the lead and Monteiro hit Fidalgo for the two-point conversion to make it 28-0, still in the third quarter.

The shell-shocked Sharks finally scored on a safety forced by Martins and then Bailey connected with Holloway for the lone Algarve touchdown.

Monteiro went right back to work on the next possession, capping a clock-eating drive with another touchdown pass to Fidalgo.

With the win, Lisbon evened their record at 3-3 to climb into playoff contention. Meanwhile, the Sharks fell to second in the division behind the Lisboa Devils with a 5-1 record.

Source: futebolamericanobrasil.com