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PortuGOAL Figure of the Week: Artur Jorge’s Braga batter Marítimo

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The Liga Bwin new season saw its first Clássico this weekend as defending champions Porto comprehensively saw off Sporting in a typically fiery encounter at Estádio do Dragão.

Elsewhere, league newcomers Casa Pia achieved a historic first top division victory in 83 years, defeating Boavista 2-0.

Arouca and Portimonense both continued positive starts, each registering their second victories of the campaign against Santa Clara and Vitória Guimarães respectively.

For the second week running though it is Braga in focus for the PortuGOAL Figure of the Week, and on this occasion it’s their new manager Artur Jorge who earns the plaudits as he guided his team to a 5-0 thumping of Marítimo, maintaining his excellent start to his tenureship. 

You won’t find many individuals more closely affiliated with Braga than Artur Jorge. The now 50 year old was born in the city and his playing career was heavily anchored with his local club, beginning his youth career with them in 1986 before rising up the ranks to make a host of appearances for the senior side before his eventual retirement in 2005.

His coaching career similarly has been Braga-centric, managing almost every youth division of the team from under 15’s all the way up to the B side. That was until this summer, when Jorge was rewarded with the top job with the seniors in Primeira Liga, replacing the outgoing Carlos Carvalhal.

The entertainers

Jorge had a lot to live up to in filling Carvalhal’s shoes, the latter earning plaudits for imbuing Braga with an attractive playing style and a decent level of success also, including an impressive run to last season’s Europa League quarter-finals. The new boss may only be three matches into his tenure, but already on the former point Jorge has Braga firing on all cylinders and looking set to be amongst Portugal’s top entertainers once again.

When coaching the Braga youth teams Jorge tended to favour a 3-4-3 setup. However since coaching the seniors his mentality has been geared much more towards firepower, an attacking 4-4-2 (almost 4-2-4) being the preferred tactical setup and it is fair to say the players have responded, Braga scoring eleven times in three matches already.

Jorge’s dugout debut saw his charges play out a 3-3 thriller with Sporting on Liga Bwin’s opening day and the manager has stuck to his formula from that game ever since to a considerable effect.

The blend of new acquisitions and seasoned Primeira Liga players has been key to freshening up the Braga formula. Summer transfers like Simon Banza, Sikou Niakaté and Victor Gómez (prior to a recent injury) have slotted into the XI seamlessly, while some of the team’s strongest existing players have remained with the club (for now), namely Ricardo Horta and Ali Al-Musrati.

Al-Musrati has paired with the other Horta, André, in a midfield two, allowing Ricardo and fellow winger Iuri Medeiros more freedom in the wide areas to cause havoc and supply the striking duo of Banza and young talent Vitinha, who was recently tied down to a new long-term deal with the club.

Devastating football

This was the setup for Sunday’s home encounter with Marítimo as the hosts looked to follow up last week’s 3-0 win over Famalicão with more success. Ominously, Braga not only followed up but showed even more lethality as they blew their hapless opponents away in a devastating attacking performance.

Vitinha opened the floodgates in just the 9th minute, exchanging passes with André Horta before side-footing in and off the near post, leaving Marítimo goalkeeper Miguel Silva helpless.

Marítimo put up some resistance but a second goal felt inevitable, and it duly arrived not long before half time. On this occasion it was self-inflicted by the away side, giving the ball away to Medeiros who calmly slotted the ball past Silva.

Braga didn’t let up in the second period and increased their lead as Medeiros turned provider. The Portuguese winger fired a cross into the box after a corner had not been completely dealt with by Marítimo, and man on fire Banza fired home his 4th Liga Bwin goal in just three matches to make it 3-0.

Jorge turned to his substitutes soon after and two of them combined to make it 4-0 in 65th minute. Youngster Álvaro Djálo’s through ball picked out the run of Abel Ruiz, and the Spaniard calmly finished.

A fantastic day for Jorge was perhaps aptly rounded off by Rodrigo Gomes, a player who has come through Braga’s ranks much like his manager. The 19 year old came off the bench and scored his side’s fifth goal after being picked out by fellow introduction Diego Lainez.

The full time whistle rang out at the Quarry moments later, an emphatic victory for Jorge and his freeflowing team.

Artur Jorge may have been something of an old-fashioned central defender in his playing days but there seems to be no residual effects in terms of his managerial philosophy as Braga look set to be the team to watch in Portugal this season. Back to back clean sheets show he is not neglecting the defensive side either, if they keep up like this then it could finally be Braga’s season to crack the Os Três Grandes triopoly.

By Jamie Farr

@FRfutebolJamie

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