By CHRIS WRIGHT
SC Braga arrived in Olhão, following their recent success in the UEFA Europa League, for a game that proved to have excitement and thrills from start to finish.
Cauê opened the scoring for the home side on three minutes and it could so easily have been two just a few minutes later when Salvador Agra’s shot was turned away for a corner by Quim.
Wilson Eduardo also went close to increasing Olhanense’s lead before Yontcha added a second ten minutes before half-time.
Olhanense totally dominated the first 45 minutes but the home crowd were soon silenced in the second-half as Braga rattled in four goals in half-an-hour through Douglão, Elderson, an own goal by Mauricio and then Lima.
Olhanense keeper Fabiano Freitas, normally so reliable, should have done better with the first two goals from corners. 4-2 down but Olhanense fought back and yet more drama was to follow.
With fifteen minutes to go Cauê got his second to reduce the arrears. Djalmir, Mateus and Meza entered the fray as Olhanense strived for an equaliser. With five minutes remaining Fabiano Freitas was sent-off for handling outside the area.
With all three substitutes having been used it was Cauê who went between the sticks and saved the subsequent free-kick. The home side, despite the numerical disadvantage, pressed forward.
Deep into stoppage time a left wing cross fell to Djalmir some eight metres out but with the goal at his mercy he blazed his shot over the bar.
A fantastic game that will have done much to restore the team’s confidence after the poor result against Academica the week before.
Last night (Thursday) the team was striving to reach the semi-final of the Portugal Cup when they took on second division Oliveirense in the quarter-finals in Oporto.
The next league action is in Madeira when Olhanense play Maritimo on the weekend of January 7 and 8.
