Banza fires Braga to victory as Boavista and Vitória remain on-song: The Matchday 2 round-up

With big boys Benfica and FC Porto fending off their opponents with narrow victories and encasing Sporting’s fine home game against Rio Ave, there was plenty more action simmering under the hood on the second day of the Primeira Liga.

Sporting de Braga started the drama with a 3-0 away win against FC Famalicão on Friday night, fueled by a brace from Simon Banza.

Rivals Boavista and Vitória followed the Arsenalistas with impressive victories of their own over Santa Clara and Estoril respectively, lifting the pair to leaders Porto and Benfica.

The week ended with Portimonense thumping 3-0 at Paços de Ferreira while Arouca and Chaves recorded narrow victories. Here is the choice of action.

Famalicao 0-3 pl. Braga

After their opener against Sporting, Braga got another potential banana peel clash during a visit to Famalicão earlier in the season, hoping to recover from last week’s loss to Estoril.

It was first blood for Braga, however, as veteran full-back Nuno Sequeira swept the visitors away with a volley into the bottom corner from just outside the box in the 13th minute.

Trouble mounted for Rui Pedro Silva’s side as they fell 2-0 just five minutes later after ex-striker Banza headed in Vitinha’s first goal inside the box.

Famalicão refused to go down without a fight but fell back after Banza’s 79th-minute effort, ending the game and earning Braga three crucial points away.

Boavista 2-1 Santa Clara

After differing starts to the season, this tale between two Primeira Liga dreamers promised much as Boavista welcomed Santa Clara to the Bessa on Sunday afternoon.

The game took its time to heat up, but the first goal finally came after a raging run from Rildo down Santa Clara’s left wing, coming in and out of the slalom before earning his place as a 34th-minute first of the guests secured.

After the first half ended quite to Santa Clara’s liking, the second half turned tide after Bruno Almeida’s red card saw the Azores side struggle with ten men for the second week in a row.

Yusupha Njie scored twice from two appearances with a 62nd-minute equalizer, followed by Martim Tavares’ rebound just three minutes later at the back post.

Cristian González put Santa Clara in more trouble after conceding a late penalty and earning the visitors the second red card, but Boavista would not expect a third goal when Yusupha deflected his free-kick to the outside of the post.

Vitoria 1-0 Estoril

In a tie between two sides who are sure to be hearing a lot from each other as the weeks go this season, Vitória hosted Estoril in a head-to-head battle to double the season’s wins.

The hosts let the roof go in the 16th minute, capping a fine team effort with a finish in the penalty area from man of the hour André Silva, putting Vitória 1-0 ahead. With no reply, Estoril rushed the game into the second half, where a red card from Gonçalo Esteves on the hour threatened to end it for the visitors.

Tiago Araujo almost equalized late on with two bites of the cherry against Bruno Varela, but it was Vitória’s night after the former Benfica keeper’s double saves that sent the Vimarenses fourth in the table.

P. Ferreira 0-3 Portimonense

On Matchday 1 of the season at the Mata Real, Portimonense headed north to take on Paços de Ferreira who, like them, had started the season on the wrong foot with an opening defeat.

Os Castores stared at the same fate after Uilton, an early introduction to the game, received a red card in the 18th minute for an overly reckless tackle. Portimonense put on the pressure and was rewarded with a Yago Cariello header in the 32nd minute, giving the visitors the advantage before the break.

It was quickly apparent that the visitors would need more goals to put the ten-man Paços to bed, but it was only in the last ten minutes of the game that Luquinha and Ewerton brought Portimonense into the game to secure a healthy 3-0 win .

By Patrick Ribeiro

match day 2

Famalicao 0-3 pl. Braga

Casa Pia 0-1 Benfica

Sporting 3-0 Rio Ave

Boavista 2-1 Santa Clara

Vizela 0-1 FC Porto

Vitoria 1-0 Estoril

Maritimo 1-2 Chaves

Arouca 1-0 Gil Vicente

P. Ferreira 0-3 Portimonense