Sporting Braga 2 Sporting CP 2
Saturday March 7th, 2026
Estádio Municipal da Braga
Matchday 25
The warm up
There are many questions in life that we'll never know the answers to, for example - do birds enjoy flying? What happens if a cow is dairy intolerant or a squirrel has a nut allergy? Then there are questions we could get an answer to if only anyone could be bothered to ask. Like, do Braga fans bother checking the league table or do they just assume anytime from October onwards that they'll be in fourth? As I write five and a half hours before kick off at home to Estoril, the Fraggles are exactly where Portuguese football has allocated them to be, namely … Fourth. I wonder if they shouldn't do some testing one season and perform a social experiment whereby they let school kids take it in turns to be coach throughout the season just to prove the hypotheses that come May they'd still finish fourth. By the way anyone shouting that they finished 3rd twice between 2019/20 onwards should see me after class for how jokes work.
From the outside looking in this season feels like a poor one by their standards given they've already lost five times and only lost six in total last season. However they're in the knockout rounds of the Europa League and will face the Hungarian side Ferencvaros the Thursday after this fixture is played and their results in Europe could play a big part in the Portuguese coefficient. So maybe I'm still lemon that I had them to beat AVS at home earlier this campaign and they cost me money. As they say, a fool and his money are easily parted.
I wonder what other assumptions I could make about Braga. Let's say Horta is top goalscorer… Checks... and yes, Ricardo Horta is top scorer with 12 goals. Zalazar in fairness is one behind on 11 but at the time of writing the point stands, Braga bring with them predictability and stability in equal measure. Oh and this season lots of rain as anyone who saw the footage from the Nottingham Forest game at Fraggle Rock will testify. Where do their fans get any enjoyment from I wonder to myself? Probably from Forest fans thinking that all of Portugal is like the Algarve and getting absolutely drenched.
Ahead of their trip to Nacional on Matchday 24, as we've established they sit 4th, naturalmente, with a record of played 23, won 12, drawn 6, lost 5, GF 48, GA 22. At home played 11, won 7, drawn 2, lost 2, GF 25, GA 9. Of those 48 scored 26 have come from open play, 8 from set pieces, 11 penalties and 3 own goals. They're outperforming their Xg of 44.9. Alongside the two top scorers already mentioned Pau Victor has 6 league goals, Navarro has 4 and the rest of the goals shared between 9 players not including our old friend own goals.
Third for most average goals per game on 2.2 and sixth best record for goals conceded averaging just 1 per 90 with 9 clean sheets. First for average possession - 63.2% which stems from their average passes completed of 528. Third for shots on target per game with 5.3 and only the lions have created more and missed more big chances than their totals of 78 and 39 respectively.
Most penalties awarded with 12 and a conversion rate of 91.7% They're just outperforming their Xg conceded of 23.5. helped in part by conceding only 3 penalties of which only one has been converted. Second lowest average fouls per game on 11.5, fewest bookings on 41 and one of five clubs to have only suffered 2 sending's off.
When the two sides met at the José Alvalade Braga equalised 6 minutes into additional time from a Zalazar penalty after Luis Suárez opened the scoring and I'm not going to lie, other than I remembered the final score, I don't remember a single thing about it. Too much football played already and we're only just about to fall into March.
A reminder of how their season was going before the two sides met -
Their campaign started away to Levski Sofia on July 24th in the Europa League qualifiers and the game finished 0-0. At home a 1-0 win after extra time to qualify for the next round.
Away to CFR Cluj and a 2-1 win with a Gorby brace to take into the home leg. The Portuguese league kicks off and maybe fortunately for Braga their campaign starts against newly promoted Tondela at home with a 3-0 win. Braga's XG 1.98 to 0.78 however the visitors recorded and missed 3 Opta defined big chances.
CFR Cluj at home results in a 2-0 win, 4-1 on aggregate and then we're back to the league again away to the other newly promoted Alverca. They had five Opta defined big chances and missed them all as they went down 3-0 and they even had the better XG of 2.21 to Braga's 1.50 but nevertheless 6 points from 6 for the northerners who despite the congested fixture list are holding their own on the field.
Lincoln Imps were thrashed 4-0 away before AVS at home proved a side that could at least take 50% of their big chances and led 2-1 until Braga pulled it back to 2-2 with four minutes remaining. Their XG does suggest however they should have won with 2.08 to the visitors 0.51.
Wheels back on the rails at least with the visit of Lincoln Imps in the return leg, another 5-1 thrashing to go through on aggregate 9-1.
Then the wheels came off again, firstly away to Rio Ave where they needed an equaliser 3 minutes from time to again draw 2-2 albeit the XG once more suggesting they should have won with 2.20 against the home sides 1.05. Gil Vicente at home is their first loss of the campaign and this time is Braga with 5 Opta defined big chances and 5 misses. The Xg an almost even 1.42 to 1.26. Vitória away and they took the lead at least but the game finished 1-1 and again Braga guilty of missing 2 of their 3 big chances over 90 minutes. That's 3 points collected from a possible 12.
Feyenoord the visitors in the Europa League proper and a 1-0 win in a somewhat dull affair. Braga's XG just 0.68 against the Dutch sides 0.27.
A 1-0 loss at home to Nacional in the league, Ramirez scored after 5 minutes Xg 0.61 to 1.77. Braga missed their sole big chance, Nacional missed 2 of their 3. A trip to Glasgow brought a 2-0 away win to Scottish Champions Celtic with goals from Horta (19) and Martinez (84). Xg in their favour 1.09 to 0.64. Celtic missed both their big chances, Braga scored one of two and we're back up to date before they met at the José Alvalade.
The Fraggles have been busy little bastards so I'm going to do this competition by competition.
Taça de Portugal
Round 3 - Bragança A. A Horta goal 7 minutes from time secured a 1-0 win. The home side reduced to ten when Carlos Ferreira shown a straight red a minute into additional time at the end of the 90.
Round 4 - Nacional H. Braga raced to a 3-0 lead before halftime. Horta opening the scoring on 9 and made it 2-0 from the penalty spot on 14. Lagerbielke made it 3 on 43. Baeza made it 3-1 on 53, Ramirez 3-2 on 59. No way back however when Gomez made it 4-2 4 minutes from time.
Round 5 - Caldas A. Navarro finally put the visitors ahead 4 minutes into the second half and 1-0 quickly became 2-0 just 3 minutes later through Oliveira. Dorgeles made sure of a place in next round just before the hour mark and secured a 3-0 win.
Round 6 - AD Fafe A. Big cupset on the cards as the home side went 1-0 up through Santos on 41. Daniel made it 2-0 on 69. Dorgeles scored four minutes into additional time but too little too late and any dreams of silverware vanished in a 2-1 defeat
Taça da Liga
Quarter finals - Santa Clara H. Braga made extremely light work of the islanders. Five individuals found the net in a 5-0 win - Pau Victor (6), Lelo (23), Navarro (72), Rodrigues (83) and Moscardo (87). Xg 1.40 to 0.65. Six big chances for them scoring and missing 3. Santa missed their only one.
Semi finals - Benfica. Braga raced to a 2-0 lead with goals from Pau Victor (18) and Zalazar (32). Pavlidis pulled one back from the penalty spot on 63. Lagerbielke made it 3-1 ten minutes before time and the dirty pigeons misery complete when Otamendi sent off for a second yellow 2 minutes before the end of the 90. Xg 2.35 to 1.85 in Braga's favour. They scored 3 of their 5 big chances. Benfica scored 1 of 2.
Final - Vitória. I don't remember who Vitória beat in their semi final in extra time. Dorgeles put Braga ahead on 16. Samu equalised from the penalty spot on 58. Ndoye with the winner 8 minutes from time. Vitória living up to the translation of their name as they win the Taça da Liga 2-1.
OK at this juncture I'm going to revise my earlier statement that Braga aren't having a good season to one of - I've clearly not being paying any attention to their season.
Europa League
I've mentioned already the qualifiers -
Levski Sofia 0-0 and 1-0.
CFR Cluj 2-1 and 2-0.
Lincoln Red Imps 4-0 and 5-1.
Plus wins against Feyenoord 1-0 and Celtic 2-0.
Matchday 3 - FK Crvena Zvezda H. Navarro opening the scoring on 21. Dorgeles gave them a 2-0 win scoring on 71. Xg 1.73 to 0.41. Braga missed 2 of their 4 big chances. The Serbians failed to fashion a single won. Eight wins from nine including the qualifiers. What idiot wrote they seem to be having an off season? I'm now working out why Portugals co-efficient is better then I thought it was going to be.
Matchday 4 - Genk H. A brace from Zalazar (29 and 70) and a third from Navarro (85) were still not enough to secure anything against the Belgians as they went down 4-3 at Fraggle Rock. Heymans 45+1, Sor 47, Oh 58 Medina (72) secured a 4-3 away win. Xg 2.55 to 1.09. Genk scored all 3 of their big chances, Braga 2 of their 4.
Matchday 5 - Rangers A. Braga back in Glasgow to take on the blue half of the old firm. Tavernier opened the scoring on 45+2 with a penalty. Martinez equalised on 68 to secure a point in a 1-1 draw. Xg 1.69 to 1.67. Rangers missed 1 of 2 big chances, Braga missed 2 of 3.
Matchday 6 - Nice A. A Pau Victor goal after 27 minutes secured a 1-0 away win in France. Xg 1.50 to 0.73, Nice missed all 3 of their big chances whilst Braga scored 1 of their 2. A reminder it's only one set of numbers you need in your favour at the end of full time.
Matchday 7 - Nottingham Forest H. Chaos in the rain as Braga failed to register a single shot on target over the course of the 90. Despite that anomaly they won 1-0 with a Yates own goal on 53. The premier League sides misery compounded by the dismissal of Elliott Anderson in additional time. Xg 0.55 to 1.79. Forest missed all 3 of their big chances. Braga did somehow create one.
Matchday 8 - Go Ahead Eagles A. Braga travelled to Deventer in Holland for the final group game. I'm a little sad there's no Dutch town called Go Ahead. I imagine anyone who went was left wishing they hadn't given the 0-0 scoreline and Xg of 0.18 to 0.44. A grand combined total of 0 big chances.
Their record after 8 games was 5 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss. GF 11 GA 5. Good enough for sixth place and a slot in the knockouts. By my maths that's 14 Europa ties, 3 Taça de Liga, 4 Taça de Portugal and here on February 27th Braga have already played more games than most of the Portuguese top flight clubs will play all season with 44 already in the bag.
Liga
Matchday 9 - Casa Pia H. A comfortable 4-0 win with goals from Horta (4), Lagerbielke (8), Dorgeles (47) and Zalazar 56 pen). Xg 2.61 to 0.21. Braga scored 4 of 5 big chances. Casa Pia missed their only 1.
Matchday 10 - Porto A. Mora scored for the leaders on the cusp of half time. Gomez levelled 5 minutes into the second half but Sainz goal in the 78th minute secured a 2-1 loss. Xg a fairly even 0.93 to 0.91. Porto scored their 1 big chance, Braga 1 of their 2.
Matchday 11 - Moreirense H. A Zalazar penalty after 12 and a Horta goal on 70 gave Braga a two goal cushion. Maracas pulled a goal back 9 minutes from time but the home side held on for a 2-1 win. Xg 2.22 to 0.83. Braga scored 2 of their 3 big chances, Moreirense 1 of their 2.
Matchday 12 - Arouca A. Braga ably assisted by own goals from Mantl (25) and Pinto (45+1). Plus two from Horta (23) and Lagerbielke (70) secured a 4-0 win. Xg 0.06 to 2.84. Braga despite scoring 4 times were guilty of missing a massive five of six chances. Unsurprisingly with an Xg of just 0.06 Arouca failed to fashion a single one over the course of the 90.
Matchday 13 - Famalicão A. A Horta opening goal on 23 was cancelled out by Zabiri on 40. Pau Victor (71) with the winner in a 2-1 win. Xg 1.40 to 2.76. Fama missed 2 of 3 big chances, Braga 1 of 2.
Matchday 14 - Santa Clara H. A fourth straight league win secured from a Horta goal on 41 to secure a 1-0 win. Xg 0.85 to 0.57. Braga converted their sole big chance whereas the islanders missed their sole opportunity.
Matchday 15 - Estoril A. An apologetic Lacximiant with the goals only game on 43 put an end to Braga's winning run as the canaries won 1-0 through the former Braga B’s players goal. Xg 1.99 to 1.94. some truly woeful finishing from both sides. Estoril missing 4 of 5, Braga missed 4 of 4.
Matchday 16 - Benfica H. Otamendi gave the dirty pigeons the lead on 28. Zalazar equalised with a penalty on 37. Pau Victor put them 2-1 ahead on the stroke of half time. Aursnes leveller on 52 meant both sides had to settle for a point in a 2-2 draw. Xg 1.70 to 1.23. Braga scored 2 of 3 big chances, Benfica missing 2 of their 3.
Matchday 17 - Estrela A. Moutinho put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot after 11 minutes only for Kikas to equalise 4 minutes later. Navarro restored the lead on 50 and Zalazar must have thought he'd won the game when he made it 3-1 after 63 minutes. My boy Jovane made it 3-2 on 68 and Marcus made it 3-3 on 72 and that's how it finished in a pulsating game. XG 1.05 to 3.27. Estrela scored both their big chances, Braga scored 3 of their 5.
Matchday 18 - Tondela A. Braga left it super late scoring through Zalazar with a penalty on 90+1 to leave with all 3 points in a 1-0 win. Xg 1.27 to 1.58. The promoted side missed both their big chances, Zalazar scored Braga's only one.
Matchday 19 - Alverca H. If the other promoted side felt aggrieved the game before then for Alverca the final whistle couldn't come soon enough as they were truly put to the sword. Five different goalscorers in a 5-0 win. Carvalho on 16, Zalazar 22, Pau Victor 29 and a Horta penalty 44 put them 4-0 up at half time. Navarro with the fifth on 78. Xg 3.42 to 0.28. No surprise that Alverca didn't create a single big chance. Maybe a little surprising that Braga scored all 3 of theirs.
Matchday 20 - AVS A. I think the so called fixture computer likes Braga and they like it in return. Four more goals for a 4-0 win against Portugals bottom side. Horta (6), Zalazar (29) and a Pau Victor brace (79 and 82). Xg 0.78 to 2.27. despite languishing bottom without a win AVS did at least create 3 big chances of which they clearly missed all 3. Depending on your point of view in life Braga either scored or missed 3 of their 6.
Matchday 21 - Rio Ave H. Their goal tally fell again by one but importantly 3 goals were more than enough for a 3-0 win to give an aggregate score of 12-0 over their last 270 minutes and that's folks, why they tend to finish 4th every year. They win their bread and butter games. Grillitsch made it 1-0 after just 3 minutes. Horta with a brace on 72 and 90+1. Xg 2.82 to 0.15. no big chances for Ave. Braga as per the previous round missing or scoring 3 of 6 depending on your world point of view. I think Rio Ave are bang in trouble this season even with two and a half months to go.
Matchday 22 - Gil Vicente A. The new pretenders to Braga's eternal fourth place crown. Goals from Varela (64) and Garcia (75) reversed Horta’s opener for Braga after 20 minutes and the Barcelos based side won 2-1. Xg 1.21 to 0.65. Gil converted both their big chances, Braga left to rue their only 1.
Matchday 23 - Vitória H. The Fraggles put looking to avenge defeat in the final of the Taça da Liga. Zalazar with a 16th minute penalty put them 1-0 ahead before Barisic turned the ball into his own net two minutes later to make it 1-1. Horta (32) makes it 2-1, Silva (53) made it 2-2. Revenge finally secured when Zalazar completed his brace on 56. Xg 2.68 to 1.19. For a third time in four matches Braga creating a massive six chances, scoring three, missing three. I'm running out of ways to write the same thing. Vitória missed 1 of 2. Of course losing in the final isn't going to be wiped out by 3 points at home but it keeps Gil 2 points behind going into Matchday 23.
Matchday 24 - Nacional A. Not for the first time this campaign Braga handed a get out of jail free card. Zalazar opened the scoring on 10, Bóia equalised on 58 before Zalazar handed the chance to score the winner from the penalty spot to complete his brace on 90+6 for a 2-1 win. Xg 0.96 to 2.48. 0 big chances created for the islanders, Braga scored their only one.
Winter Transfers
Incoming
Demir Tiknaz from Beşiktaş for £5.8 million
Adrian Leon Barisic on loan from Basel
Samy Jr. Merheg from Deportivo Pereira for free
Outgoing
João Marques to Casa Pia on loan
Afonso Patrao to Westerlo for £183,000
Sporting B
Sporting CP v Leixoes
Saturday February 28th, 2026
Matchday 24
Starting XI
Callai, Blopa, Ramos, Moreira, Dias, Couto, Justo, Tanlongo, Cardoso, Silva and Gonçalves
Substitutes Used
Nel, Bafdili, Anjos, Felicíssimo and Mendonca
A 20th minute penalty from Bica enough to give the visitors with the clip art club crest all 3 points. Despite the result being their tenth loss of the season, for now the lions remain third in the table. You wonder how much the exertions for many of the youngsters in Germany midweek starting to catchup with them.
In the markets
Sporting Braga 5/2
Draw 12/5
Sporting CP evens
Team News
Starting XI
Silva, Araújo, Inácio, Diomande, Fresneda, Morita, Hjulmand, Gonçalves, Trincão, Geny and Suárez
Substitutes
Virgínia, Nuno Santos, Vagiannidis, Quaresma, Guilherme, Bragança, Simões, Faye and Debast
One change to the starting XI for the first time in four matches as Pedro Gonçalves returns for Luis Guilherme. A return to the matchday squad for Zeno Debast in place of Nel.
Sporting Braga Starting XI
1 Horníček, 26 Arrey-Mbi, 14 Lagerbielke, 15 Oliveira, 8 Moutinho, 27 Grillitsch, 50 Rodrigues, 2 Gómez, 21 Horta, 18 Pau Victor, 10 Zalazar
First Half
The one statistic I keep coming back to before kick off is that Braga have been awarded 13 penalties in 24 games played in the league. The equaliser in the 1-1 draw having come of course from a penalty after Hjulmand was penalised for holding in the box and scored in the 96th minute. Braga the only side that Rui Borges domestically is still to beat as the Sporting mister. Braga have the potential to shape where the title lands up. Sporting today, Porto up next after their European sojourn and Benfica in their penultimate game. For Porto, still top at the time of writing they face Benfica tomorrow before their Braga game. The lions in fact have a weekend off after the Tondela game was postponed. Hurdles are there to be jumped or to trip you up. We should have won at the José Alvalade. We've won in all sorts of fashions in Braga from the comeback from 2-0 down in Ruben Amorim's last game in charge to win 4-2, to the 1-0 win in April 2021 down to ten men for the majority of the game and Nunes’ winner late on when for the first time I was convinced we were destined to win the title. This game gives me anxiety. I've seen 5-0 wins on more than one occasion, a 3-3 here where we took the lead 3 times. The 1-0 loss in the Taça semi final where we hit the woodwork 3 times. I can't be the only who's nervous. The only blessing is that at no stage this season have I thought we would win the league so if we trip up here whilst I'll be naturally disappointed it won't be the end of the world.
The lions in their traditional green and white stripes. The two sides separated by two places but sixteen points before kick off. Spring must be close as the two sides take to the field still in light. Varandas with the Braga hierarchy stands arms folded and pensive. Sporting get us underway and will attack left to right.
2 Horta claims his innocence as he catches the top of Inácio's foot arms wide as if to say - who me guv?
3 Praying hands from Araújo as he clips Gómez who rolls like a giant panda over and over and you start to realise how Braga may have been awarded so many penalties
5 Despite a sea of red shirts in the far stand there's only one set of fans you can hear, those of the travelling fans in fine voice since before kick off
6 Array-Mbi blows his lips out after being penalised for a soft foul on Luis Suárez
8 Long ball over the defence for Gonçalves to chase but Horníček wise to the danger was quickly out
9 I'm reminded already that this fixture generally creates the less chances of any match we play each season
9 Zalazar penalised for a foul on Fresneda in the centre circle who clutches the back of his head. It appears to me the Spaniard fell and I can't see where there was any contact
10 Geny’s shot from 25 yards centrally deflected far side for a corner
11 Diomande's header from six yards appeared to strike a defender's hand but not looked at. The ball fell to Geny whose shot from 20 yards off target.
11 Brave from Horníček who comes to head outside his area with his goal wide open but Braga clear the danger. The lions starting to gain the upper hand in this contest
13 Close up of the Braga fans with their hands on the back of their heads facing the wrong way. Erm…
14 Long ball over the top to Gonçalves who fires wide from ten yards of the left post. He wags his finger as the offside flag had gone up. He was offside, correct call but interesting to see the lions playing as they did against Estoril with the long ball dropped over the high defensive line
16 When the lions more patient with their attacking Braga are defending with a line of 5 or 6 defenders
17 Best chance of the game falls to Geny who hits a pass from Suárez inside the box first time and wide from 11 yards past the outstretched Horníček
18 Gonçalves with two hands around him unceremoniously dumped on the floor and a free kick awarded
19 Grillitsch knocks the ball past Diomande and runs into him despite the Ivorian having nowhere to move and free kick awarded
20 Braga can't get out of their own half at present. They're holding a defensive line around the 36 yard line and we see the ball over the top again which nearly pays off as Fresneda dispossessed on the edge of the area
21 Geny shot blocked from 5 yards on the left hand edge of the six yard box and out for a corner far side. He beat two men before getting his shot away
21 GOAL Sporting Braga 0 Sporting CP 1. From the corner Inácio rose like a salmon from 7 yards to glance the ball into the far corner of the net. The lions have deserved that and I take back my comment about a lack of chances in this game traditionally
23 So close to 2-0. Luis Suárez misses another one on one to add to the list from this season. Horníček stood still as the Colombian raced into the box trying to make his body as big as possible and the shot from ten yards deflected off the keepers right leg
25 The lions break again and Geny's pass inside the box can only find a red and white shirt. Braga have been as piss poor as I can remember them in a very long time
25 Gonçalves holds his head as his shot goes wide from 20 yards
26 Horníček down on his haunches asking for treatment. I was going to say it was tactical before they showed the keepers ankle buckle under a place kick and I'm going to let him have that one
29 Braga take a quick free kick after Fresneda penalised for a foul in their half. The lions have snapped at their heels constantly pressurising them and they look devoid of any ideas and are yet to fashion a chance
31 Geny glides into the box but as he tries to go in between two defenders is dispossessed and then slips and takes a Braga defender out who goes down like Barnes at the end of Platoon running for the helicopter before he's shot dead. Again how have Braga been awarded the most penalties in the division this season I'm wondering? They've some fantastically talented actors in their squad on the evidence seen so far. As long as they're doing it in their own box and not ours
33 GOAL Sporting Braga 1 Sporting CP 1. One chance on goal as Horta smashes home a cross from the left. Zalazar left Geny chasing shadows and a low cross met first time by Horta who'd beaten Inácio to the ball. Truly awful defending by the lions who'd not put a foot wrong up until then
35 I believe that's what they call playing possum. Braga break down the right but Araújo wise to the danger at least as he intercepts the cross and clears the danger. How important will that Suárez miss be?
37 Yellow to Morita for holding Grillitsch
38 Zalazar goes for the Hollywood pass from left wing to right and puts it straight out of play for a goal kick
38 Now it's the lions turn to hold a back line of six defenders
39 Oliveira smashes into the back of Suárez and claims his innocence. He knew exactly what he was doing there with an elbow into the back
39 Full bloodied tackle between Hjulmand and Mourinho and neither got the ball. Watch Porto referee the game through the courts with that challenge. You thought VAR was bad.
40 Clever from Araújo as he's caught by Grillitsch and goes down as the lions came under more pressure
40 Yellow to Oliveira for another foul on Suárez and takes his legs away
42 Mourinho clatters into Trincão
42 Oliveira just booked fouls Suárez again and he's holding up three fingers at the referee to remind him how many fouls from the same player in the last five minutes
43 Trincão free kick floated towards the edge of the six yard box is headed away
43 Penalty to Sporting. Suárez with his back to goal flicks the ball to try pass Arrey-Mbi and it struck his arm
44 Horníček colour co-ordinated with his blue Gatorade to his blue kit. VAR check ongoing. Possible off side from the original free kick from Trincão
45 Referee points to the spot
Plus three shown
+1 Referee makes Suárez respot the ball.
+1 GOAL Sporting Braga 1 Sporting CP 2. Suárez restores the lead low into the left hand corner past the outstretched hand of Horníček
+3 The name of Luis Suárez being sung from the gods as Moutinho backs into Hjulmand mid jump and claims his innocence
+5 referee blows on the 5 adding two minutes for the VAR check.
Half time
Sporting Braga 1 Sporting CP 2
The lead no less than the lions deserved and in truth should have gone in at least three goals to the good after Luis Suárez had missed a golden opportunity to make it 2-0. Don't discount this Braga side however. As useless as they've looked the one time they didn't was enough to find the equalising goal with a devastating break down the left. When I write that's the only thing they've offered that's not me being biased or indifferent about them, that is genuine. One shot, one goal. Xg 0.47 to 1.61. The lions with two big chances, the Suárez one on one and the penalty. 9 attempts in total for the lions. As we saw in the Estoril win it's been route one for the lions happy to play long passes over the top of the Braga defensive high line. Otherwise all the attacking input coming from Geny on the right flank. Trincão the conductor in a deeper roll pulling the strings as I've often suggested would be his best position. Occasionally, very occasionally I can claim to know what I'm writing about.
Braga’s players with an abundance of deliberate fouls. Oliveira and Moutinho the wily old masters at it claiming their innocence after the event. They clearly get away with it too given their lack of bookings throughout the campaign to date. I refuse to believe they can be that bad again in the second half. The lions need a third goal or at least ensure they're not caught napping at the back again as they were for the equaliser. It was complacency.
Second Half
The lions 2/7 to win, Braga 14/1 and 15/4 the draw. ➡️⬅️ Oliveira for Moscardo.
Welcome to the jungle booms over the tannoy which is ironic given they're playing the lions, king of the jungle. No changes for Sporting.
Braga get us underway. Sportinguista's voices rested at halftime get underway once more in the stands. They've been as relentless as the lions on the pitch
46 We can see why Braga have had the most passes of any side as they play in a horseshoe round the pitch. Play broken up as Morita fouls Moscardo
46 Araújo tells Rodrigues to get up after an arm into the face which he made the most of and referee totally uninterested let play continue
46 Fresneda cuts out a pass to Horta for a corner near side
46 Moscardo header off Diomande from 7 yards for another corner
49 Quick break down the right. Fresneda with a perfectly weighted ball to Suárez and his pass intercepted by Grillitsch for a corner
51 Another Braga player down, this time Zalazar who makes a meal out of it after minimal contact from Diomande. Wouldn't take the referee two seconds to book any of them for simulation
52 Arm up in apology from Inácio as he played the ball to a Braga player but he gets away with it
53 Araújo the man in the right place again to head a cross into the box away
54 Diomande's turn to head clear this time. Braga just starting to get a grip on this game. We await the long ball over the top which catches them out defensively with baited breath
55 Fresneda takes no chances as a floated ball into centre for Rodrigues to head sees the only thing enter the net was him and the Spaniard cleared for a corner
56 I wrote at half time I refused to believe Braga could be as bad again this half and they've had the better exchanges and the lions have been the ones to barely make it out their own half in a complete reversal of the first 45
57 Diomande booked for cutting off the run of Moscardo who had zero hope of ever getting the ball back having knocked it right and continued his run straight towards the Ivorian and Morita
58 Free kick 27 yards out
59 Free kick goes straight into the wall
59 Lions lead a charmed life as someone air kicked a ball inside the six yard box. Looks like Horta who failed to connect from 3 yards
60 Yellow to Lagerbielke for a soft foul on Suárez down the left wing
61 Gonçalves over the ball which is four yards to the left of the penalty area 12 yards from the goal line. Ball to the near post and Suárez shot from 2 yards blocked
62 Yellow to Moscardo for catching Geny far right wing. Free kick in almost the same position a minute ago opposite flank
63 Trincão takes, Morita flicks it to Fresneda who flicked it goalwards from six yards straight at a grateful Horníček
64 Brilliant work from Diomande and Fresneda who combine to clear the danger far side
64 Moscardo goes down in the centre and arms immediately up and appealing
65 Incredible skill from Moutinho who with a drag back and flick in between Gonçalves and Araújo got clear inside the area and then he shanked it out for a goal kick
66 If a fourth goal is coming at the moment it's going to be for the home side who are about to make another change
67 Braga's defensive line is now six yards inside their own half
67 Suárez whistles one well wide from 26 yards
67 ➡️⬅️ Moutinho and Rodrigues off
Gorby and Martínez on
68 Yellow to Araújo who touched the chest of Gómez who again with the play acting flies up in the air. Fuck me
69 Free kick to the near post headed wide from 7 yards. I think the offside flag went up to spare someone's blushes there
71 Touch from Geny on Martínez and Braga must have a diving board in the far corner as he flung himself like he was diving into a pool
72 ➡️ ⬅️ Morita and Gonçalves off
Simões and Guilherme on
73 I'm still shuffling in my seat waiting for the sucker punch to come. How things might have been different had Suárez put his one on one away
74 Audacious effort from Gómez wide right who from an acute angle tried to sneak the ball into the near post. Silva saves
74 Fresneda concedes another corner far side and the lions head clear
75 7/2 the draw I feel like betting it so I'll at least feel financially better when they equalise. This is torture akin to the 1-0 win in 2021
77 Zalazar sees his shot from 24 yards blocked by Hjulmand and out for a corner near side
77 Moscardo meets the corner and heads it away from danger thankfully from 10 yards
77 ➡️ ⬅️ Pau Victor for Navarro
79 Sporting's insistence on defending leads does not help my heart
79 Fresneda cross to the edge of the six yard box headed clear
80 ➡️ ⬅️ Quaresma set to come on. In fact he now does for Geny who claps up to the Sportinguista's up with the Gods who respond in kind
81 Braga's coach is presumably trying to tell the assistant something about using his eyes to look as he points to his cheeks. Hmmm...
82 Corner near side to Sporting. No idea what happened as they broke to a betting advert. You had one job people's, one job ...
83 What a surprise to see a Braga player down in the box again. Referee with no interest. Zalazar it was. Book the cheating cunt for simulation. That was pathetic
85 I don't remember a single half this season feeling like it's gone on for this long
85 Corner Sporting far side won by Quaresma
85 Horníček spills the ball. It fell into a Braga head and cleared as far as Araújo who spanked it over from 20 yards
86 Grillitsch does a good impression of Araújo the other end from 30 yards
86 ➡️ ⬅️ Gómez for Dorgeles
87 NFL from the lions. Silva gets them down field as Braga concede a throw
87 Araújo punts a ball down field straight into the arms of Horníček
88 Zalazar cross headed over by Diomande and Silva watches to make sure. Corner near side
89 Fresneda heads clear
89 I'm fidgeting and ageing a year by the minute
89 Huge tackle from Quaresma. Brilliant from the youngster on the edge of the box
Plus three shown
Clearly not enough time added on but I'm not complaining
90 Throw in the final third for the lions and Simões went to the corner with the ball
-1 Another throw and Suárez shields the ball. Simões tried to be clever and play it off a Braga defender and passed to a player on the edge of the area instead. Fuck me
+2 Big block from Guilherme and then Sporting clear again
+2 Araújo blocks for a throw
+2 Penalty awarded to Braga. Handball. Inácio with the arm wide open. Fuck me. Martínez had thrown himself on the ground under no touch from Inácio originally and the handball came from the second play
+4 Not sure what they're still checking
+4 GOAL Sporting Braga 2 Sporting CP 2. Zalazar levels from the penalty spot as the ball went right and Silva went left. Knew I should have bet it. Debast head in hand shakes his head. Morita shakes his too
+6 The lions kick off and that point where I said three minutes wasn't enough three minutes ago has come back to bite
+96’57
Full time
Sporting Braga 2 Sporting CP 2
The final word
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Three minutes of additional time is all they had to do to see out the game. How many times will Sporting sit back and try to defend a lead only to get caught out at the death? There is a litany of examples now where it's not worked out. Twice against Braga and both ended up in last minute penalties to throw away four points. Unfuckingbelievable. I've always had an irrational hatred of Braga which gets more rational with every season that passes. How have we not come away with six points from those two games? They had the ball in the corner of the far end of the field. How hard can it be to see three minutes of a game out? Silva and João Mario were masters at it. Turned it into an artform. This Sporting however? Too busy dropping the kitchen sink on their own feet. I'm not surprised because I was waiting for it to come all second half. The only surprise is that it took so long. Perhaps I should have bet it because the lions would have been more likely to hold on for all three points.
I blame Suárez for his one on one miss more than I do Inácio for the handball. There's not much he could have done to have gotten his arm out of the way of the shot. He probably had his concentration knocked by Martínez a second before who threw himself over looking for a penalty. That one on one miss was critical because 2-0 at that stage seemed an unassailable mountain for Braga to climb. 2-1 at half time and the lions propensity to sit back and defend and it was game on.
It's the biggest footballing cliché going to say it was a game of two halves but it really was albeit the lions fashioned a few more attempts when Braga dominated than we'd seen in the opening 45. These are the nights you miss the presence of Coates at the back. When he would command the defence as he did in 2021 and lead his charges over the line. All we can really hope now is that Benfica knock the stuffing out of Porto tomorrow night and that Braga do the same against them when they face off again in a couple of weeks time. Neither game I'd care to sit through but you imagine Braga v Porto is going to be an acting master class from both sides every time a player feels the slightest bit of contact.
Feels very little point in bemoaning it now what's done is done. Four votes for player of the match. In reality it feels like player of the first half as far as the lions were concerned and with that in mind first vote goes to Geny. Finishing aside he was the main threat from the right and only his finishing really let him down. Never got the chance to get going again in the second 45. Yes he gets done for the cross on the first goal but he's not the wing back and Fresneda should have been in that position defending. Vote two to Trincão again for his first half performance because again he rarely featured in the second 45. Pulled the strings to fine effect and certainly not his fault the lions didn't go in leading by more. Vote three goes to Araújo for another great defensive performance other than Moutinho’s trick inside the area which he and Morita could only watch and thank their stars that he then shanked it clear of Silva's goal. Final vote goes to Fresneda. Yes out of position for the opening goal but he was otherwise magnificent in defence all night long. Calm when needed, provided plenty of support once more on the right flank. He gets my man of the match.
Kick in the teeth and not really what you needed before embarking on a trip to just north of the arctic circle on Wednesday night.
Comments
Post a Comment