DAfter being the victim of one of the biggest surprises of the third round of the Portuguese Cup, as a result of the defeat suffered in the visit to AVS, by 1-0, Moreirense returned, in the early afternoon of this Sunday, to victories… and what victories, as they got the better of Estoril, in the António Coimbra da Mota Stadium, by 1-3.
An authentic ‘overrun’, which began to take shape just after the 12th minute, when Leonardo Vonic took advantage of the passivity of the opponent’s defense to shoot for an incomplete save by Joel Robles, before Manuel Mendonça deflected the ball into the back of the net and spilled the first ‘bucket of cold water’.
The scenario at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota was not, at all, the best, and it became even worse, just three minutes later, due to the ‘fault’ of Tiago Andrade, who took advantage of a new lack of attention on the part of the Canarinhos’ rearmost sector to, completely free, make a mistake.
The calming goal came before Carlos Macedo, a referee affiliated with the Braga Football Association, blew the whistle for half-time, this time through Nile John, who masterfully won and converted a free kick at the edge of the opponent’s penalty area.
The answer would eventually emerge during the injury time, through Peixinho (who had come in, moments before, to replace João Carvalho), at a time when, however, there was nothing left to do other than accept that the outcome of this match would really be another defeat.
The results (and accounts) of the I League
So far, in the ninth round of the I League, there have been triumphs, not only for Moreirense, but also for Vitória SC (over MarÃtimo, 5-0), Casa Pia (over Estrela da Amadora, 0-2), Alverca (over Arouca, 0-1) and FC Porto (over Gil Vicente, also by the minimum margin).
Also this Sunday, Nacional-Sporting de Braga and Rio Ave-Famalicão will play simultaneously at 6pm (Mainland Portugal time), preceding Sporting-Académico de Viseu at 8:30pm. For Monday, at 6:45 pm, the last duel of the round is reserved, which will pit Santa Clara and Benfica face to face.
All things considered, with this result, Moreirense now has 11 points and rises, provisionally, to eighth place in the table, on par with Sporting de Braga (which is yet to enter the scene) and Alverca, and already with a four-point advantage over Casa Pia, the team that lives immediately below the ‘water line’.
Estoril, on the other hand, is in a much more delicate situation, as it is 20th and last placed, with just two points won, as a result of the draws against Famalicão (1-1) and Arouca (1-0), five less than Rio Ave (which has one less game played), the first group of those who live in the places of ‘salvation’.
