Round 21 of the Liga Bwin win season went to type in terms of the upper echelons of the league table as the traditional “big three” all won to keep the title race as you were, Porto leading the way by six points.
A typically passionate “Minho” derby was contested between Vitória Guimarães and Braga, the former coming out on top in a dramatic finale. In-form Gil Vicente and Santa Clara both remained unbeaten courtesy of an entertaining draw between the pair.
Down at the bottom there was a significant change of fortunes as Moreirense clawed their way out of the relegation zone by beating fellow strugglers Belenenses SAD. Under new boss Ricardo Sá Pinto, Os Verdes es Brancos look a different beast and the explosively passionate manager is our PortuGOAL Figure of the Week.
A popular if occasionally fiery character, Ricardo Sá Pinto had a decorated career as a player most notably for Sporting and for the Portuguese national team before turning to coaching after his retirement. His first senior role fittingly was with his beloved Leões, being promoted from coach of the U19 side to the first team back in 2012.
Sá Pinto’s coaching career since then has been full of ups and downs and no shortage of travels, the now 49 year old managing in Serbia, Greece, Belgium, Turkey, Poland, Brazil and Saudi Arabia to pack out a diverse portfolio.
Sandwiched in between said globe-trotting has been several spells in Primeira Liga back home, positions in charge of Os Belenenses and Braga being typically bright but ultimately brief tenures full of Sá Pinto’s trademark touchline bravado, the Portuguese being a highly animated character that demands the best from his teams at all times albeit to somewhat inconsistent effect in terms of results.
Sá Pinto has very recently made his latest return to Portugal tasked with reversing the fortunes of an ailing Moreirense side that has found themselves deep in the relegation mire in 2021/22, replacing Lito Vidigal in the hotseat in early January of this year.
Sá Pinto’s impact was instant, leading the team to a vital 1-0 victory away at fellow strugglers Vizela in his maiden game. Setting up with what has been almost a trademark of five at the back through his career, this Moreirense squad looks well-suited to the coach’s needs with Sá Pinto being one that prefers to build off of defensive stability as a paradigm. To this end, he has no shortage of options to choose from, with the likes of Lazar Rosić, Pablo Santos, Steven Vitória and Artur Jorge all offering swathes of experience between them at centre-back in particular. In the wing-back areas, Pedro Amador and Paulinho have been standouts under the new management.
It is further forward that Moreirense’s problems have lied and despite Sá Pinto leading his team to a highly impressive point at Benfica in his second match in charge, the team’s attacking issues have reared their ugly heads in their previous two encounters, failing to score in defeats to Santa Clara and Braga.
Sá Pinto looks to have pulled off quite a coup however in looking to solve the team’s lack of firepower, recruiting Belgium international Kevin Mirallas in arguably the shock move of the Portuguese January transfer window. The manager’s role in achieving such a high profile name’s signature was integral, the pair previously working together in Turkey with Gaziantep FK.
The acquisition of Mirallas and Sá Pinto’s own influence looks to have given the team fresh impetus with regards to their attacking shortcomings though if Monday evening’s clash with Belenenses SAD is anything to go by as Moreirense romped to a comfortable victory, scoring four goals in the same match for the first time in over two years.
Brazilian winger Yan Matheus got the ball rolling for the home side in the 18th minute, making up for an earlier miss of his to finish off a fine move that he had started, exchanging passes with Amador before sweeping an effort past Belenenses SAD keeper Luiz Felipe.
Belenenses SAD levelled through Abel Camará but Sá Pinto’s men took a stranglehold of the match in a pivotal couple of minutes just before half time. Alioune Ndour picked up a red card for the away team due to an off the ball incident, and the set piece Moreirense had won seconds prior to the dismissal was terrifically delivered by Amador and powered home by Pablo Santos.
A double whammy for Belenenses SAD that they never recovered from as Moreirense made the advantage count further in the second half. André Luís extended the lead in the 67th minute with a smart spin and finish from the edge of the box, Yan Matheus turning provider on this occasion.
Rafael Martins and substitute Derik Lacerda each went close with efforts before finally Moreirense grabbed a fourth goal through the latter with just a couple of minutes remaining, and it proved to be the best of the quartet. Lacerda nudged Yohan Tavares aside before sensationally converting a loose ball in the penalty area.
A stunning acrobatic effort from the substitute and a perfect way to wrap up an important win for Sá Pinto and his team, their first triumph on home soil of 2022.
A slightly bumpy start to life under Sá Pinto means he of all people will be under no illusions as to the size of the task he faces at Moreirense but this was the latest of an already positive amount of promising signs that this could be a healthy marriage between coach and club. The three points was enough to see Moreirense move out of the relegation places in Liga Bwin, and obviously it will be Sá Pinto’s brief to keep them there. If his team can match his passion and energy displayed on the sidelines, it should be smooth sailing to safer waters.
By Jamie Farr
