Braga turnaround in Madeira opens up eight-point gap over fourth-placed Sporting
Sporting de Braga are eight points clear of an underdog Sporting after beating bottom Marítimo 2-1 in Madeira last night.
The Bracarenses had to come back from behind after an opener by Brayan Riascos raised the roof on the hosts and took a one-goal lead in the 38th minute.
Braga responded no less than a few minutes later through Simon Banza, before turning the game on its head before half-time with a Uroš Račic penalty to secure a 2-1 win over the later ten Marítimo men.
Without Ricardo Horta, Al Musrati and Iuri Medeiros, the Arsenalistas’ trip to Madeira had all the hallmarks of a potential banana peel against a Marítimo side desperate to break out of the automatic relegation zone.
The hosts wasted no time in forcing Braga’s Matheus into action in the 10th minute after André Vidigal worked his way up a meter from the shot on goal.
Matheus was privy to the winger’s attempt but Riascos’ 38th-minute snap proved a different ball game for the Brazilian, who was slammed at his near post by a half-volley from the Colombian.
However, Braga rose to the challenge and provided an immediate response from the alert Banza, who sneaked in at the near post before leveling for the visitors.
The game turned 180 when it came to the break after Val Soares failed to stop Sikou Niakhaté’s advance inside the box, handling the ball inside the box and conceding a penalty that Artur Jorge’s side capitalized on.
Račic was the man chosen to bring home the 12-metre mark and the imposing Serbian midfielder didn’t disappoint with a cool shot that sent the keeper the wrong way and made it 2-1 for Braga.
Marítimo continued to look to Vidigal’s skills in hopes of finding a path in the second half, but opportunities for the winger to assert himself were few and far between in a half held by Champions League hopes.
As the hosts continued to struggle, José Gomes’ side were preparing for a third straight defeat as Edgar Costa, who came on as a substitute just two minutes earlier, saw two yellow cards and Marítimo on ten for the fourth time in five games man reduced .
The win keeps Braga in third place, keeping Sporting eight points clear of their Clássico defeat and leaving the Arsenalistas just two points behind FC Porto.
By Patrick Ribeiro