Sporting de Braga managed to record a precious 1-1 draw with Union Berlin at home this Wednesday in a match in which more than 60 minutes were played with ten players due to the expulsion of central defender Sikou Niakaté.
This result, combined with Napoli’s 2-4 defeat at Real Madrid at home, means that the Portuguese team depends solely on itself to guarantee qualification for the round of 16 of the Champions League, even if it has a very complicated mission, as they must go to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium to beat the Neapolitans on December 12. The truth is that Artur Jorge’s team has all scenarios open in this group C, because if they draw, they guarantee that they will go to the Europa League, but if they lose and Union Berlin beats Real Madrid, they are out of UEFA competitions.
Wednesday’s match was thankless for Sp. Braga, because before the 31st minute they missed two good chances, when Niakaté was sent off after a hard tackle on Nehrens. And because bad luck never comes alone, left winger Robin Gosens opened the score just before half time. A bucket of cold water in a game played in heavy rain.
The scenario was complicated for the Braga fans, who, however, could not have had a better start in the second half, as in the 51st minute a masterful pass from Ricardo Horta isolated Álvaro Djaló, who fired into the goal from the edge of the penalty area. back of the net, although goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow did not do everything to prevent the goal.
The truth is that from that moment on the Braga fans were close to reversing the result, but the good news from Madrid calmed the team down.
Source: DN
