FC Porto rocked by Vitória comeback as Braga top the table

With the Lisbon Derby claiming much of the attention this weekend, the fixture machine still had a couple more tasty affairs lined up for us to feast on coming into Matchday Three.

A 1-1 draw between Benfica and Sporting at the Estádio da Luz meant FC Porto could top the league on nine points with a victory against Vitória de Guimarães at home; an outcome that was controversially placed on the agenda before the visitors came back from two goals down to stun the Dragons with a 3-2 win.

Instead, it was Sporting de Braga who’d take the chance to top the Primeira Liga after beating Desportivo das Aves 3-1 at home. PortuGOAL brings you the thick of the action on an eventful weekend for Portuguese football.

 

While the Lisbon derby was the main event this weekend, the outcome of two tremendous matches in the north of Portugal resulted in a four-way tie at the top of the Primeira Liga. If you fancy your chances at picking the 2018/19 Liga NOS title winner, you can put your money where your mouth is at one of the huge list of bit-coin accepting sports betting sites with more popping up each month.

 

Stunning Vitória comeback

FC Porto 2-3 Vit. Guimarães

Looking for a third win in three games, Porto welcomed a fancied Guimarães team who were yet land points on the board this season under new boss Luis Castro.

Yacine Brahimi’s opener complicated matters for the visitors in the 37th minute, as the Algerian worked a one-two on the edge of the box before finding the top corner with a rasping right-footed strike.

André Pereira climbed up from a set-piece to make it 2-0 soon after, despite doing so from an offside position, with it later becoming clearer that communication between the referee and the VAR had broken down for large portions of the first half.

[To watch highlights click on the screen below]

Nevertheless, Guimarães looked to bounce back, retrieving a goal in the 63rd minute via André André’s spot-kick after Sérgio Oliveira’s foul on Ola John inside the area.

From one former Porto player to another, Tozé looked to grab the headlines in the 76th minute with a well-hit strike across goal, supplemented by a cross from the left, to peg the game back at 2-2.

Castro’s side completed their extraordinary comeback in the 87th minute, with Welthon bringing down a long throw to set up Davidson's effort on goal, and the Brazilian made no mistake with his powerful execution.

Between the sticks, Douglas emerged as another hero to keep out Vincent Aboubakar’s point-blank header, on top of pushing Héctor Herrera’s thrashed close-range volley onto his far-post in stoppage time, as the Vimaranenses held onto to secure a treasured 3-2 victory.

 

Braga power past Aves 

Sp. Braga 3-1 Aves

Having blown a 3-0 lead to newly-promoted Santa Clara last week, Braga were out to make amends in front of their home crowd, as they welcomed Portuguese Cup holders Desportivo das Aves to the Estádio Municipal.

A couple of ex-Sporting players could have given Braga their anticipated lead, with João Palhinha hitting the post from a tight angle before Wilson Eduardo got his bearings all wrong with a header inside the area, ensuring both sides entered the break goalless.

[To watch highlights click on the screen below]

Rodrigo Defendi fixed that in the 52nd minute for the visitors as he creeped in at the back-post to nod in Hamdou Elhouni’s cross and give Aves the lead.

Ricardo Horta’s miss in front of goal with an out-stretched leg delayed Braga’s comeback, which was initiated soon after in the 60th minute through Wilson Eduardo’s volley from the right, deep inside Aves’ area.

Palhinha then flipped the game on its head four minutes later, as his header from a set-piece, his first goal in Braga colours, found the far corner to make it 2-1 to Abel’s side. Landing the killer blow in the 78th minute, Dyego Sousa was there to power home a header from the back post, as a 3-1 victory saw Braga top the Primeira Liga table.

By Patrick Ribeiro

Matchday 3

Marítimo 2-1 Chaves

Portimonense 2-2 Santa Clara

Benfica 1-1 Sporting

FC Porto 2-3 Vit. Guimarães

Vit. Setúbal 1-2 Nacional

Feirense 1-1 Boavista

Tondela 1-1 Rio Ave

Sp. Braga 3-1 Desp. Aves

 

Monday 27th August

Moreirense vs. Belenenses