This Saturday, Sporting de Braga defeated Estoril Praia 4-1 in the 27th round of the First Football League, in a game in which they showed almost absolute superiority and in which Pizzi and Joe Mendes scored for the first time.
It is Sporting de Braga’s fourth win in the last five rounds (plus a draw), which will allow them to continue chasing runners-up, FC Porto, and increase the distance to eight points, provided the fourth, Sporting, who Sunday plays with Casa Pia.
Estoril Praia added the seventh defeat of the last eight rounds and marks the rung at the bottom of the table, benefiting only from the defeats of the last three classified.
In a game in which Sporting de Braga opened the scoring through Abel Ruiz in the 17th minute, Carlos Eduardo equalized for Estoril Praia (48) early in the second half with a beautiful goal, but Pizzi, also with a beautiful goal, gave again the advantage to the Minho (70).
Iuri Medeiros, from the penalty spot, scored the third (82) and Joe Mendes, with another excellent goal, closed the accounts (90+4).
The first big chance to score was for the home side, with Bruma taking the first shot, following an assist from Iuri Medeiros from the right, which forced Dani Figueiras to apply (08).
The visitors’ reaction came soon after, with Francisco Geraldes firing into the area in front of the tight defense of Matheus (14).
In the same minute, after a great collective action, Iuri Medeiros shot the post — after the move, Abel Ruiz even introduced the ball into the opponent’s goal, but the goal was disallowed for offside by the Spain international.
Shortly afterwards, however, despite deflecting Bruma’s cross from the left (17), Abel Ruiz scored – the striker’s sixth league goal, tenth overall of the season.
The rhythm dropped a bit later, but almost always with a sign of more from the Minho and with Estoril Praia attacking with few men – they only aimed for the ‘arsenalista’ target in a long shot from Ndiaye that Matheus safely saved ( 43).
The second half practically starts with Estoril Praia’s goal – and what a goal – capping off a great collective action from their midfield.
Carlos Eduardo, on the left, also took advantage of the poor positioning of Braga’s defence, getting two opponents out of the way and firing a cross into the far corner (48).
Artur Jorge and Ricardo Soares moved simultaneously for the first time, the first midfield refresh with Pizzi, who would be decisive in the hosts’ second and third goals, and the second the attack with Cassiano.
Braga increased their rotation and came close to scoring in the 64th minute, but Abel Ruiz hit the post after another assist from Iuri Medeiros.
The second goal came soon after, with Pizzi storming in from a superb cross from Victor Gómez from the right and shooting first, without dropping the ball (70) – debut to score this season for the Portugal international who played in Braga in January arrived.
The third goal, which ‘killed’ any desire for Estoril Praia’s reaction, came from the penalty spot, by Iuri Medeiros (nine goals in the championship), punishing a foul by Ndiaye on Pizzi.
Sporting de Braga were very close to Álvaro Djaló’s fourth goal – Dani Figueiras ‘filled’ the goal (90+1) -, but it would be another winter reinforcement, Swedish defender Joe Mendes, to score, after a nice run and a brilliant shot (90+4).
Source: DN
