9 December 2001 - Counting To Two Can Be Challenging

On 9 December 2001, Gil Vicente FC defeated Alverca 3-2, but the result was subsequently annulled.

Named after Portugal's most famous writer (1465-1537), Gil Vicente FC were founded in 1924 in Barcelos. They were promoted to the Portuguese top flight for the first time in 1990, but were relegated in 1997. In 1999, they returned to the top flight and ended the season in fifth place--their best-ever finish.

In the 2001-02 season, they were challenging for a top-half spot, sitting in 10th when they hosted Alverca in December. Alverca, for their part, were 17th, only one spot above the bottom. The match went according to form, with the hosts winning 3-2, but the Portuguese Football Federation later learned that Gil Vicente's captain, Lemos, had received two yellow cards in the match, but had not been sent off as required by the rules.

The Federation annulled the match, dropping Gil Vicente from 10th to 14th, and scheduled a replay for April. The replay ended as a 2-2 draw, which Gil Vicente followed with a 4-1 away victory over Alverca 11 days later.

Alverca ended the season in last place and were relegated, while Gil Vicente finished in 12th. They struggled along for four more seasons, then were themselves relegated in 2006.