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Brilliant Braga hammer Portsmouth

Braga 3-0 Portsmouth

Braga enjoyed a perfect start to their Uefa Cup group campaign by outplaying Premier League side Portsmouth to register a 3-0 win at the Axa Stadium last night.

Luis Aguiar, Renteria and Alan scored the goals that give the Arsenalistas real hope of making progress from what looks like an extremely difficult pool. The Portuguese team are early leaders of Group E, above AC Milan on goal difference after the first round of matches.

Jorge Jesus’s team started strongly and their midfield general Luis Aguiar came close on three minutes with a shot that skidded just wide. Five minutes later the Uruguayan duly broke the deadlock with a magnificently executed free-kick from fully 30 metres that left England goalkeeper David James with no chance.

Portsmouth looked to react by taking advantage of the giant Peter Crouch’s aerial ability, but Braga’s Peruvian centre-back Rodriguez did a fine job at keeping the beanpole striker quiet for most of the match.

Eduardo denies Defoe

Indeed, it was Crouch’s strike partner Defoe who looked the visitors’ most dangerous threat, and twice in quick succession on the half hour mark Braga goalkeeper Eduardo had to be on top of his game to thwart the lively striker.

Apart from these two opportunities, Braga held onto their lead with relative ease until the interval. The second half started off with a bang as Aguiar threaded a pass to Renteria in the box, who expertly turned his marker and struck a shot across James and into the corner of the net to trigger huge celebrations among the home supporters.

Crouch had the ball in the net on the hour mark but he had strayed into an offside position, and the Premiership outfit visibly wilted as the hosts stroked the ball around confidently.

Braga were now enjoying themselves and on 72 minutes, the irrepressible Aguiar almost scored his second after as a fine individual effort flew just wide.

No imagination

Portsmouth’s crying lack of imagination led to frustration as a series of aggressive challenges brought loud protests from the stands and the Braga bench, with the referee issuing a series of yellow cards in an attempt to curb the roughhouse tactics of the English team.

The rout was completed close to the final whistle as Alan latched onto a panicky defensive clearance that bounced back off the post the rammed the ball into the net to complete a memorable night for the Bracarense.

Match reaction:

Jesus hits out at Redknapp: “English coaches know nothing!”

Luis Aguiar, Sporting Braga midfielder:
“We have to continue like this and maintain the same attitude that we had today. We are going through a great phase. In fourteen matches we have ten victories. Now they must speak about Braga in a different manner in Europe.”

Alan, Sporting Braga forward:
“We have a great team and we demonstrated this again today. It was not easy. Portsmouth are a big team, but we started the match well and managed to convert the goalscoring opportunities we created.

“It was an excellent start to the group stage of the Uefa Cup. We have taken the first step and now we have to think about the following matches.”

Braga:
Eduardo, Frechaut, Moises, Rodriguez, Evaldo, Alan, Vandinho (Paulo Cesar, 87), Matheus (Cesar Peixoto, 64), Luis Aguiar, Renteria (Stelvio, 83), Meyong
Yellow Card: Renteria

Portsmouth:
James, Traore (Kanu, 63), Distin, Campbell, Pamarot, Bouba Diop, Davis, Hreidarsson (Belahdj, 46), Little (Utaka, 21), Defoe, Crouch
Yellow Cards: Belhadj, Bouba Diop, Pamarot, Defoe, Crouch

Goals:
[1-0] Luis Aguiar, 8
[2-0] Renteria, 47
[3-0] Alan, 88