Portuguese FA Cup 4th round: Portimonense 1-4 Braga
It was a bitter-sweet homecoming for Braga’s Portimão-born João Moutinho, back on home soil following an absence of 12 years, with Portimonense’s 6-1 second half league debacle at Braga three weeks ago coming back to haunt them last Saturday afternoon as a good opening 45 minutes were again undone within moments of the second-half restart.
The tie began with a beautifully executed Álvaro Djaló strike curled into the top right-hand corner of the Portimonense goal for the early lead. It took manager Paulo Sérgio’s men the best part of half-an-hour to recover from that setback, but thereafter both Jasper and Ronie Carrillo could have scored but for two very good saves from keeper Lukas Hornicek whilst Alemão stabbed his effort agonizingly wide.
That strong finish to the half should have boosted the Algarveans’ confidence after the break – instead, Ricardo Horta found the back of the net twice in quick succession, Rony Lopes added a fourth unopposed against the by-now dispirited hosts who hardly managed to raise a cheer when Filipe Relvas headed in his consolation effort close to the finish.
Portimonense return to league action away at rapidly sinking Casa Pia on Saturday evening, with Farense welcoming league table neighbours Vitória de Guimarães earlier that afternoon.
By SKIP BANDELE
