by Mark Denham, from the Algarve

The Bluebirds' pre-season tour of Portugal ended in disappointing fashion with a 3-0 defeat to top-flight side Portimonense on Saturday evening.

Sporting the brand new Puma 2010/11 kit, City started sharply but soon began to be pressed back by a fit and pacey Portimonense team.

And it wasn't long before the Portuguese side took the lead. The City back four were caught out as a result of some sloppy defending after just five minutes, allowing striker Candeias to stroke the ball home from inside the penalty area after David Marshall had saved an initial strike.

The Bluebirds never really looked like threatening Portimonense 'keeper Pedro Silva in the opening half hour, Peter Whittingham's curling effort from the edge of the area the only effort on target. All City's possession came inside their third of the field, and with the exception of some in roads made down the right flank by Chris Burke and Kevin McNaughton, the home side were largely untroubled.

Portimonense doubled their lead on the half hour mark. The manner of the goal was fortuitous but unquestionably deserved, Marshall fumbling a long-range Pedro Moita free-kick that should have been an easy gather. The setback appeared to stifle any hopes of Cardiff getting back into the game.

But then came a golden opportunity. Neat work in the centre of the field by Stephen McPhail and Danny Drinkwater allowed Ross McCormack to break free of the defence and round Pedro Silva, only to see his shot deflected wide by the retreating defender.

HALF TIME: PORTIMONENSE SC 2-0 CARDIFF CITY

Dave Jones made four changes at half time, Heaton, Gyepes, Matthews and Bothroyd on for Marshall, Blake, Kennedy and Burke. The subtle tactical changes that this brought with it allowed the Bluebirds a little more time on the ball and the ability to utilise Bothroyd in attack, though City still found it difficult to get any sustained periods of pressure in and around the Portimonense area.

Substitutions Cardiff City: Heaton, Gyepes, Matthews and Bothroyd on for Marshall, Blake, Kennedy and Burke (45 mins)

The game was a lot less frenetic in the second half and reverted to being a more typical model of a pre-season fixture. City perhaps dominated possession and play without ever making any decisive impact, though McPhail was victim of some questionable linesman decisions which denied him the through ball option to Chopra that he so often utilises to great effect.

Substitutions Cardiff City: Rae, Lejeune (trialist) and Hudson on for Drinkwater and McCormack and Gerrard.

Portimonense killed the game off with ten minutes remaining, when substitute Anderson again took advantage of some poor defending to strike home at the second time of asking past Tom Heaton. City were unable to clear their lines, and with the ball bouncing inside the area, Anderson swivelled and struck home.

Peter Whittingham's free-kick moments later was the Bluebirds' only effort of the second half, and although well struck, it easily cleared the crossbar. It was the last action of note in a somewhat uneventful game, though it was a good workout for Dave Jones' men at the end of a productive training week in the Algarve.

FULL TIME: PORTIMONENSE SC 3-0 CARDIFF CITY

Starting lineups:

Cardiff City: Marshall, McNaughton, Kennedy, Blake, Gerrard, Whittingham, McPhail ©, Drinkwater, Burke, Chopra, McCormack.

Portimonense: Pedro Silva, Pessoa, João Paulo, DiFábio, Candeias, Ivanildo, Pires, Moita, Nilson, Elias, Peña.

Watch highlights from this game now by visiting Cardiff City Player via this link.