Braga stymied by determined Setubal
Vitoria de Setubal 0-0 Sporting Braga
  Braga went back to the top of the table with a point won at relegation battling Vitoria de Setubal tonight. But Domingos Paciencia’s team will be disappointed they missed the chance to put more pressure on Benfica, who will look to reclaim top spot tomorrow at home to Pacos de Ferreira.
It was a hard-fought match of few chances at the Bonfim. Braga were striving for another win to maintain their strong championship challenge while Vitoria came into the match on the back of two defeats that saw them hovering perilously close to the relegation places.
In a scrappy first half in which neither team got going, it was the hosts who came closest to breaking the deadlock early on. Kazmierczack let fly with a tremendous shot from distance in the 6th minute, and Braga goalkeeper Eduardo showed exactly why he is Portugal’s undisputed number one with a stunning save.
The Arsenalistas surged forward in the second forty-five minutes but could not translate their overwhelming superiority in possession into goal-scoring opportunities.
Keita chance
Indeed, if Setubal’s top scorer Keita had been a little more alert midway through the second half he would surely have converted a straight-forward chance when the ball unexpectedly fell to him in front of goal. A moment’s hesitation proved costly and the opportunity was gone.
Substitute Matheus freshened up the Braga attack, with the speedy winger causing all sorts of problems for the Setubal rearguard with his searing pace. But with the midfield trio of Hugo Viana, Luis Aguiar and Mossoro off colour, the Arsenalistas could not produce the killer pass and had to settle for a point.
Braga next host Rio Ave before travelling to the Estadio da Luz in what could be a championship decider at the end of the month.
by Tom Kundert
Vitoria Setubal:
Nuno Santos, Collin, Andre Pinto (Zoro, 82), Ricardo Silva, Ruben lima, Sandro, Djikine (Zarabi, 84), Ney, Helder Barbosa, Kazmierczack, Keita (Henrique,89)
Yellow Cards: Collin, Keita
Braga:
Eduardo, Filipe Oliveira, Moises, Leone, Evaldo, Madrid, Hugo Viana, Mossoro (Rafael Bastos, 71), Luis Aguiar (Matheus, 68), Alan, Meyong (Renteria, 74)
Yellow Cards: Filipe Oliveira
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