Portuguese Abroad goals round-up: Bruno sees United past Liverpool; João Félix back with a goal; André Silva bags brace; Vieirinha saves PAOK; Bruma keeps scoring in Greece; Vitinha Golaço

Bruno Fernandes scored one of the most important goals of his Manchester United career on Sunday, as the midfielder reaches almost a year at Old Trafford. Fernandes came off the bench to net a superb free-kick winner as the Red Devils beat fierce rivals Liverpool during an FA Cup weekend on which Vitinha opened his Wolves account with a sensational long-range effort.

Elsewhere, Joao Felix scored his first La Liga goal since November in Atletico Madrid’s victory over Valencia in Spain, while André Silva continues to enjoy arguably the most prolific season of his career in Germany. In Greece, Vieirinha was the saviour for PAOK and Bruma keeps scoring for Olympiacos, while there was a Portuguese hat-trick in Switzerland and further strikes in Spain and Romania.

Fernandes the match-winner

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed Bruno Fernandes had been putting in extra free-kick practise in recent days after the former Sporting man scored a brilliant winner against Liverpool. Fernandes, who had been rested by Solskjaer for the 4th round tie, came off the bench with the score level at 2-2 and sent United through with a pinpoint shot from the edge of the area.

Match highlights via @ManUtd

“Great goal,” Solskjaer told the BBC after the match. “The thing is when you leave [Fernandes] out, like I had to do this time, I think he stayed about 45 minutes after training shooting free-kicks. So I was quite confident that he was going to hit the target. He’s never happy with me when I tell him to go inside when he’s playing the day after, so he got some extra practise in.”

Fernandes celebrates a year at United at the end of this week, during which time he has scored a remarkable 28 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions. Few have been more important than Sunday’s winner, as United advanced past Premier League champions Liverpool to set up a 5th-round tie with West Ham United next later this month.

"Very happy" Vitinha off the mark

Wolverhampton Wanderers are also in the next round after overcoming lower-league Chorley thanks to a wonderful strike by Portuguese midfielder Vitinha. The goal on 12 minutes was the former Porto man’s first for Wolves, who also selected João Moutinho and Fábio Silva in their starting line-up, while Rúben Neves and Pedro Neto were second-half introductions.

“It feels very good,” Vitinha said after the match. “I’m very happy to score my first goal, my debut goal, and happier for the victory. It was a difficult game, but we came through.

“I just felt it. I received the ball, I saw that I was alone to front, and I felt it. I shot and it went well. We can go all the way [in the FA Cup] but we are focused on the next game. Southampton or Arsenal, whoever it may be, we are focused on that.”

Félix back with a goal for leaders Atleti in Spain

João Félix marked his return to the Atletico Madrid line-up with an important goal as his side came from behind to beat Valencia 3-1 in the Spanish capital. The former Benfica man had not started a game for Atleti since the end of December, but his equaliser midway through the first half was crucial in setting the hosts to victory.

Félix also played the last pass for Luis Suarez to put Atletico ahead early in the second period, before he was replaced with around an hour played. “We were losing, but we are a team that fights until the end and, luckily, we won,” said the Portuguese, before he downplayed his recent omission from the side.

“I can give the team even more. Being on the bench happens to all players, it also happened to me at Benfica. My substitution? Everything is fine. Cholo [Simeone] does what’s best for the team.”

Two more for André Silva in Germany

André Silva continues to enjoy arguably the best season of his career in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt. The former Porto man scored twice in his side’s 5-1 win at Armenia Bielefeld on Saturday afternoon, taking his Bundesliga tally to 14 goals from just 17 appearances with his fourth brace of the season.

Both goals were instinctive goal-poacher strikes with his left foot, as Silva continues to exhibit a talent for sniffing out chances in the penalty box. The 25-year-old is the joint-second highest goalscorer in the Bundesliga alongside Erling Haaland of Dortmund on 14, although both players are a fair distance behind Robert Lewandowski on 23.

“We feel very good and we performed well,” Silva said of his side, who have taken 16 points from the last 18 available. “We want to continue like this. We worked hard for this win and we deserved it. I was in the right place with the first goal, and with the second hit I hit the ball really well. We want to get forward, which is great for me as a player. [Strike partner] Luka Jovic is a great player. We can get even better together and help the team even more.”

Vieirinha, Bruma shine in Greece

Former Seleção man Vieirinha turned 35 on Sunday and celebrated his birthday by salvaging a point for PAOK in their 2-2 draw against AEK Athens in Greece’ Super League. Vieirinha, who had looked certain to leave his beloved PAOK during the summer, dispatched a brilliant shot from a set-piece routine to earn PAOK a draw against AEK, who had Hélder Lopes and André Simões in their line-up.

Greek football is also proving a promising home for enigmatic winger Bruma, who is finding form with champions Olympiacos under Pedro Martins. Bruma scored the only goal as Olympiacos won at Atromitos on Sunday and the strike was the ex-Sporting man’s fourth goal in his last seven appearances.

The rest: Swiss hat-trick for Nuno

The standout performer across Europe this week in the Portuguese Abroad section came in Switzerland’s second tier as Nuno da Silva scored a hat-trick for FC Thun in their 3-1 win over Schaffhausen on Saturday. Nuno was born in Switzerland but registers as Portuguese, although the 26-year-old has never played in Portugal.

Elsewhere, former Marítimo and Paços de Ferreira forward Ricardo Valente scored an eye-catching goal to help Jorge Costa’s Gaz Metan to victory in Romania. Valente’s individual effort helped Costa’s side beat Politehnica Iasi 2-1 and give Porto legend Costa a third win in four matches, during which time they have taken 10 points from 12 available and climbed to 9th in Liga I.

Finally, to the Spanish second tier, where former Portugal U21 international Gus Ledes scored with a fantastic left-foot volley to help Castellon to a 2-0 victory over Sporting Gijon. Also in the Segunda Division, promotion chasers Almeria, coached by Jose Gomes, were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Sabadell despite an early opener from ex Braga midfielder Samú Costa.

By Sean Gillen

@SeanGillen9