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PortuGOAL Figure of the Week: De Arruabarrena's penalty heroics see Arouca close in on Europe

Five games now remain in the 2022/23 Liga Bwin season with plenty left to decide at both ends of the table. Benfica ended their slump in form to overcome Estoril and stay in control of the title race, although Porto and Braga continued to snap at their heels, defeating Paços Ferreira and Casa Pia respectively to stay in the hunt.

Portimonense escaped the prospect of automatic relegation at least, a crucial victory over Gil Vicente edging them to safety. Boavista too distanced themselves from the fight after a thriller with Rio Ave.

One side looking up rather than down, and arguably against all pre-season expectations, is the fantastic Arouca, who took another step towards European qualification after beating fellow hopefuls in this department Vizela. In-form Uruguay goalkeeper and PortuGOAL Figure of the Week Ignacio De Arruabarrena’s ongoing penalty heroics were a vital component of their good fortune once more.

It would be fair to suggest that not too much was known of Igancio de Arruabarrena Fernández when he was signed by Arouca in the summer of 2022. The Uruguayan had only previously played in his native country, most recently with Montevideo Wanderers, whom he left on a free transfer to join Primeira Liga’s 15th placed finishers.

The 24 year old quickly settled and established himself as the number one goalkeeper at Arouca in the early weeks of the season, an important position for the club to fill after the departure of the revious incumbent Victor Braga a short time beforehand.

The Uruguayan however didn’t have the smoothest start to the campaign, finding himself dropped briefly in September, but has since won back his slot with a series of increasingly more assured displays between the sticks for his similarly ever-improving team.

On the latter point, his clean sheet record for the season is exemplary, reading at an almost one in two match ratio with Arouca’s overall defensive record only bettered by five other sides. De Arruabarrena has of course played a big part in this, showing himself to be an adept and reactive shot-stopper despite a relatively meagre 6ft frame in goalkeeping terms.

It is perhaps the mental side of the 26 year old’s game though that is coming to the fore, his increased confidence banishing the occasionally indecisive moments that marred some early campaign performances. Last weekend’s impressive 1-1 draw against Sporting at Estádio José Alvalade, in which arguably they should have gained all three points, was a perfect example of this, saving a penalty from one of the division’s finest players in Pedro Gonçalves. Indeed, the Lions only found a way through De Arruabarrena via a second spot kick late on, Gonçalves redeeming his earlier efforts.

Nonetheless the draw was a big step for Arouca in a historic year for the club which looks set to yield European football for 2023/24. The team went about their attempts to the secure that reality on Sunday evening against a side who likewise harbour the same ambitions amid their own highly creditable exploits, Vizela being the visitors to Estádio Municipal as the latest side looking to break down the De Arruabarrena shaped-wall.

Arouca took an early lead through Morlaye Sylla’s converted penalty, but Vizela returned fire, with Raphael Guzzo testing De Arruabarrena’s judgment from distance, the Uruguayan tipping the long range strike over the bar in the 22nd minute.

In first half stoppage time though Vizela had themselves an enormous opportunity to draw level, winning a penalty after Arouca’s David Simão had brought down Guzzo. The away side’s Samú stepped up to take it, but for the second consecutive gameweek De Arruabarrena pulled off a magnificent save to preserve Arouca’s advantage going into the break.

Just like with Gonçalves’ Sporting penalty the week previous, De Arruabarrena sprung to his left side to make the crucial block.

In the second period Vizela continued to apply the pressure in search of a leveller but found no way past De Arruabarrena, the goalkeeper notably having to be alert in the 72nd minute to push Kévin Zohi’s ambitious shot to safety.

Arouca survived some injury time drama as a Bruno Wilson equaliser was chalked off via VAR, De Arruabarrena’s penalty save contributing enormously to a huge three points that saw Arouca maintain a six point buffer in their hopes of finishing 5th in Liga Bwin.

De Arruabarrena will be feeling almost unbeatable right now, back-to-back penalty heroics whilst remaining incredibly difficult to beat in open play too. It is quite the time to hit this form too, right in the run-in as Arouca look to finish the job and dream of a repeat of their 5th placed finish of 2015/16. If the Uruguayan wall stays standing tall, that dream will soon turn to reality.

By Jamie Farr

@FRfutebolJamie