Guimaraes shatter Braga’s invincibility
Vitoria de Guimaraes 1-0 Sporting Braga
 Paulo Sergio promised as much before the match, and Vitoria de Guimaraes fulfilled his prophecy by becoming the first team to defeat Sporting Braga this season. A marvellous goal from Desmarets gave the hosts the sweetest of victories against their bitter local rivals.
The Minho derby is a fierce affair at the best of times, but with Braga’s sensational form contrasting starkly with a poor season thus far by Guimaraes, a cracking atmosphere in the D. Afonso Henriques stadium was guaranteed.
Braga went into the match on a high after their victory over Benfica last weekend, but were strangely subdued in the first half and always second best to an impressive Guimaraes.
Desmarets thunderbolt
The hosts responded to the encouragement of their fanatical supporters with a dominant first-half display. Desmarets, Nuno Assis and Roberto had all gone close to giving the home side the lead, before the deadlock was broken in the 29th minute. Nuno Assis swung over an inviting cross and Frenchman Desmarets showed tremendous technique to fire an unstoppable volley past the helpless Eduardo.
Watch Desmarets’ superbly timed strike:
Braga tried to respond and Meyong hit a shot narrowly wide. At the other end of the pitch a Moreno header caused a panicked scramble in the Braga defence, with Eduardo grateful to see the ball eventually roll gently into his arms.
Upon the restart it was a different story, with Braga producing something like the form that has swept all before them this season. Yet despite enjoying most of the possession and staying on the offensive throughout the second half, the visitors failed to produce clear-cut chances.
The best of them fell to substitute Adriano, but the former FC Porto striker showed his lack of match sharpness as he let the ball escape when in on goal and the chance was gone.
The defeat in what is always one of their most difficult matches of the season will not worry Braga coach Domingos Paciencia unduly, and the Arsenalistas will remain on top of the table regardless of other results this weekend.
His opposite number, Paulo Sergio, looks to have instilled more belief in Vitoria de Guimaraes since taking charge recently, and it would be no surprise to see the northerners quickly climb the table in the coming weeks.
V. Guimaraes:
Nilson, Andrezinho, Moreno, Gustavo Lazzaretti, Sereno, Joao Alves (Custodio, 77), Flavio Meireles, Desmarets, Nuno Assis (Alex, 81), Targino, Roberto (Rui Miguel, 89)
Yellow Cards: Flavio Meireles, Sereno, Moreno, Nuno Assis, Targino, Desmarets
Sp. Braga:
Eduardo, Ney, Moises, Rodriguez, Evaldo, Vandinho, Hugo Viana (Osvaldo, 88), Alan, Mossoro (Adriano, 77), Paulo Cesar (Matheus, 52), Meyong
Yellow Cards: Rodriguez
Goals:
[1-0] Desmarets, 29
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