Jornada ten of the Liga Bwin was a notable one as a typically tense ‘Clássico’ began the round’s proceedings, Benfica edging Porto to extend their lead at the top of the division.
An improving Vitória Guimarães maintained their positive run, dramatically defeating Boavista to move into the top six. Narrow wins for Famalicão, Santa Clara and Rio Ave eased their respective troubles at the wrong end of the table.
Another lower half mover was Chaves as they scraped into the top half of Liga Bwin thanks to a comeback win over Gil Vicente. Unsung midfield man João Mendes took the spotlight with two second half goals to inspire his team, and the Portuguese is our PortuGOAL Figure of the Week.
João Mendes’ beginnings were fairly humble, coming through the youth systems of Leixões and then Gondomar, working his way up the leagues before an initial loan move to then-Primeira side Tondela was made permanent in 2019.
Signed by a second tier Chaves in the summer of 2021, Mendes was a semi regular in XI as the team would achieve promotion to Primeira Liga in the previous campaign. Mendes himself lacked top flight experience, his time with Tondela in the past being his only taste and it was limited at that. Furthermore, his benching for Chaves’ promotion playoff tie with Moreirense that ultimately sealed their rise suggested perhaps the midfielder might be surplus to requirements for the step up that followed.
However, Mendes has ended up becoming an integral part of manager Vítor Campelos’ setup, starting all but one Liga Bwin match this season, generally operating as the most advanced of the midfield trio of João Teixeira and Guima.
Mendes is best used in central areas, as an attacking midfielder arguably most effectively but he is also capable a little further back amongst a trio, or further forward and playing a little bit closer to a solo striker.
Chaves’ return to the Portuguese top tier has been a mixed one, no better illustrated by the fact that going into Sunday evening’s home contest against Gil Vicente they had registered three wins, three draws and three defeats from their nine league matches. Campelos has been tinkering with the eleven in recent matches but his aforementioned midfield three remained in place for the game, as Chaves looked to make it consecutive Liga Bwin triumphs after their impressive victory at Braga in the last round of matches.
Matters did not start so well for Chaves as they found themselves behind midway through the first half, makers of their own downfall as a sloppy giveaway led to Gil Vicente punishing the home team on the counter attack.
In the second half however Mendes inspired a roaring comeback, albeit helped by a late first period red card for their opponents. The 28 year old Portuguese was the man to level matters just moments after the break, tapping into an empty net after some neat patient buildup.
⚽ GOLO
— VSPORTS (@vsports_pt) October 23, 2022
João Mendes 46'
Liga Portugal bwin (#10) | Desp. Chaves 1-1 Gil Vicente#LigaPortugalbwin #GDCGVFC https://t.co/A0HQPdEcDT pic.twitter.com/JmpB9qx9hK
Chaves pressed home their advantage and took the lead through Spaniard Jonathan Arriba soon after, before Mendes stepped in once again to put the match beyond Gil Vicente. This time it was a well-worked corner routine, Mendes lurking unmarked on the edge of the area and picked out by Teixeira’s cut-back delivery, meeting the set piece with a crisp finish into the bottom corner leaving opposition keeper Stanslav Kritsyuk little chance.
⚽ GOLO
— VSPORTS (@vsports_pt) October 23, 2022
João Mendes 67'
Liga Portugal bwin (#10) | Desp. Chaves 3-1 Gil Vicente#LigaPortugalbwin #GDCGVFC https://t.co/A0HQPdEcDT pic.twitter.com/lQLi2uYtFI
A fine finish to cap an excellent display from the midfield man, who’s first goals of the campaign should give him the confidence to add more as the season wears on, and improve on an element of his game that has been hitherto a little lacking.
☑ RESUMO
— VSPORTS (@vsports_pt) October 23, 2022
Liga Portugal bwin (#10) | Desp. Chaves 3-1 Gil Vicente#LigaPortugalbwin #GDCGVFC https://t.co/A0HQPdVfFT pic.twitter.com/LMvcm9ViTH
Chaves’ start to the campaign has been roughly par for the course in the context of being a promoted team but this should be a belief-boosting win, the sort of fixture they will likely need to be on the right side of more often than not if they wish to maintain their top flight status for 2023/24. Mendes might typify his club in a sense in that they might not be a familiar name in football, particularly outside of Portugal, but they can rightly gain some attention this weekend even amid the ‘Clássico’ chaos.
By Jamie Farr
