Portugal. A championship which never changed… three teams way above the rest of the league: the usual clubs everybody knows. In the lower level – some drama only in Zona Sul. The winners of the three zones were promoted, of course, but they played a mini-tournament to determine the champion of Second Division after the end of the season. There was also promotion/relegation tournament between the second-placed teams in the second division zones and the 13th placed team in First Division.
Zona Norte.
CAF Viseu, not long ago playing top league football, was now down and out – 15th and relegated.
Chaves ended 2nd with 39 points.
Vizela was comfortable winner with 42 points – 3 more than the next finisher – and promoted.
Zona Centro.
Academica (Coimbra) excelled this season, finishing 5 points ahead of Peniche. Standing from left: Alexandre, Reis, Ângelo, Parente, Vítor Nóvoa.
First row: Aquiles, Coimbra, Isalmar, Tomás, Camegim, Ribeiro.
Zona Sul.
Esperanca (Lagos) finished last. Standing from left: Hélder, Simões, Romeu, Carlos Alberto, Covelo, Edmundo.
Crouching: Vitor, Diamantino, Amenga, Zequinha, Luis Manuel.
Cova de Piedade was lucky 12th.
Amora – 9th.
But there was big battle for the top place in this zone – between Belenenses (Lisbon) and Maritimo (Funchal). At the end Maritimo lost the race by one point.
Belenenses won the zonal championship with 44 points. Standing from left: Miguel Quaresma, Jorge Silva, Jaime das Mercês, José António, Joaquim Pereirinha, Justino, Rúben Cunha.
First row: Joel Almeida, Djão, Dudu, Sambinha.
The dark years were not ending at all, but at least Belenenses managed to return to the top league. And in good style: they won the Second Division title, after winning the mini-tournament with Vizela and Academica (Coimbra). Not the trophy which the club truly cherished, but… at least a title.
The second-placed teams had no luck – Peniche, Maritimo, and Chaves were not strong enough to prevail over Penafiel and everybody remained in the same league they were in the freshly finished season.