The second round of the new Liga Bwin season unfolded this weekend as the league table has already begun to shape up in a familiar fashion.
Usual suspects Porto and Benfica were made to work though in securing narrow triumphs over Vizela and Casa Pia respectively, while Sporting got their first win of the season by comfortably beating newcomers Rio Ave.
Boavista and Vitória Guimarães both maintained 100% starts, the former coming from behind to beat Santa Clara while the latter responded to midweek European disappointment by overcoming Estoril.
The jornada began with a confident victory for Braga on Friday night as their new signing Simon Banza haunted his old club Famalicão with a two goal display: last season’s final PortuGOAL Figure of the Week is in focus for the second edition of 2022/23.
This summer 26 year old French-Congolese striker Simon Banza returned to Portuguese shores to join Braga from Lens having impressed highly in a loan spell with Famalicão in 2021/22. With the latter he registered 14 league goals, two of which coming against Braga on the final day of the campaign to help fire his then team to an 8th place finish.
Braga witnessed up close exactly what Banza is capable of and it clearly made a sizeable impact as he joined up with them only weeks later on a permanent basis for €5m. Incoming manager Artur Jorge appeared to make this deal a priority in terms of acquisitions and the forward quickly integrated into pre-season when the transfer finally got over the line.
Despite heavy competition in the number nine position in the form of Spaniard Abel Ruiz and promising Portuguese youngster Vitinha, Banza already looks to have cemented his position in Jorge’s preferred XI with a seamless transition to Os Gvrreiros. His debut on the opening day was notable, opening his account with the club in the 3-3 thriller with Sporting so his selection for Friday evening’s trip to his old club Famalicão was no surprise at all.
Jorge has been favouring an attacking 4-4-2 approach and he did so once more by pairing Banza with Vitinha, the striking duo then flanked by the supremely talented creative forces of Ricardo Horta and Iuri Medeiros. It did not take long for the quartet to click into gear and cause their opponents all manner of issues.
It was however the unlikely source of left-back Nuno Sequeira, on his weaker right foot no less, to open the scoring after 12 minutes, lashing home after persistent work from Vitinha.
Banza coming back to haunt his former side felt inevitable and this transpired just six minutes later. Braga broke and the ball eventually found Vitinha in a promising position, and although his effort was well kept out by Famalicão keeper Luiz Júnior, Banza reacted instinctively to head the rebound into the net.
⚽ GOLO
— VSPORTS (@vsports_pt) August 12, 2022
Banza 18'
Liga Portugal bwin (#2) | Famalicão 0-2 SC Braga#LigaPortugalbwin #FCFSCB https://t.co/0BBGTSooA0 pic.twitter.com/n1fZPec5lO
The movement of Banza continued to be a problem for Famalicão into the second half. In a sense the French-born attacker should have doubled his tally early into the period but Medeiros failed to spot his advantageous position and instead went for goal himself, narrowly dinking wide when a cutback to his striker seemed the better option.
Banza persisted though and nearly got his second goal after good work from substitute Diego Lainez, the Spanish winger picking out Banza’s run and his shot from a tight angle was pushed aside by Júnior.
With a little over ten minutes remaining Banza finally got on the scoresheet once more as he grabbed a brace at Estádio Municipal 22 de Junho for the second game running. Again it was one of Jorge’s substitutes on the supply lines as youngster Álvaro Djálo crossed low into the box and there was Banza lurking to bundle in another classic “striker’s finish”.
⚽ GOLO
— VSPORTS (@vsports_pt) August 12, 2022
Banza 79'
Liga Portugal bwin (#2) | Famalicão 0-3 SC Braga#LigaPortugalbwin #FCFSCB https://t.co/0BBGTSooA0 pic.twitter.com/ZpAGQtQUZF
Banza was withdrawn minutes later for a well earned breather as Braga comfortably completed their first win of the new campaign.
☑ RESUMO
— VSPORTS (@vsports_pt) August 12, 2022
Liga Portugal bwin (#2) | Famalicão 0-3 SC Braga#LigaPortugalbwin #FCFSCB https://t.co/0BBGTSooA0 pic.twitter.com/Aw0w8I4zN6
It is early days in terms of his Braga career yet, but this is looking like one of the most shrewd signings of the summer as Banza already shares leadership of the Liga Bwin scoring charts with Sporting’s Pote. Braga’s post-Carlos Carvalhal era appears a rosy one, and Banza and his team certainly look ones to watch in the coming months.
By Jamie Farr
