Santa Clara made a spectacular start to life back in the Primeira Liga by outplaying Estoril Praia to register a 4-1 victory in the season opener at a sunbaked Estádio António Coimbra da Mota this afternoon.
Alejandro Marques gave Estoril the lead in the 19th minute against the run of play but Vinícius Lopes equalised for the islanders on the stroke of half time.
Alisson Safira from the penalty spot, and substitutes Ricardinho and João Costa scored in the second half for the visitors to maintain the momentum for last season’s Segunda Liga champions.
Santa Clara started confidently, taking the initiative and asking questions of the home defence from the get-go. Ultra aggressive striker Alisson Safira’s battle with former Porto centre-back Mangala was a feature of the opening half, with the Brazilian striker first to threaten, his header from a Gabriel Silva cross comfortably saved by Dani Figueira.
First attack, first goal
Estoril had hardly got out of their own half in the opening 20 minutes, but the first time they put together an attacking move it resulted in a goal. Vinicius Zanocelo’s delightful ball over the top of the defence played in Yanis Begraoui who did well to hold up the ball and tee up Alejandro Marques who produced a cool low finish.
The home team’s confidence visibly increased. Rafik Guitane, who had seen little of the ball, showed what a talent he is with some lovely trickery to beat his marker and set up a shooting chance, his long-range effort whistling past the post.
After being momentarily knocked off their stride, the islanders were soon back on the front foot. MT’s dangerous cross caused panic in the home defence, with Gabriel Silva’s follow-up header saved on the line by Dani Figueira.
Vinícius Lopes does it on his own
If Estoril had held onto the lead until the interval it could have been a different story, but Santa Clara grabbed a deserved equaliser just before the break. Vinícius Lopes turned neatly and showed a clean pair of heels to Michel Costa, finishing a long run with a skidding low finish into the corner of the net from 20 yards out.
The visitors continued on top in the second half, centre-back Sidney Lima heading narrowly over the bar from a corner.
Estoril tried to freshen up their ideas on the hour mark with a double substitution. Bernardo Vital and Fabrício Garcia coming on for Jandro Orellana and Yanis Begraoui.
Three goals without reply in 14 minutes
But the pattern of play did not change and Santa Clara took the lead in the 70th minute. The lively Gabriel Silva was too quick for goalkeeper Figueira, who brought down the forward clumsily for a penalty. Safira made no mistake from the spot.
Santa Clara made a double substitution immediately and one of the substitutes, Ricardinho, got on the scoresheet with his first touch, finishing a well-worked move from close range as he tucked away Safira’s clever outside-of-the-foot pass.
The Azoreans were now playing with real swagger, a superb flowing move cutting through Estoril’s defence again to allow another substitute, João Costa to score the fourth goal and round off a highly satisfactory afternoon for Santa Clara.
Analysis – Two clubs going in opposite directions
On this evidence Santa Clara will have little trouble consolidating their place back in the top flight.
Coach Vasco Matos did an impressive job guiding the club back into the Primeira Liga after just one season in the second tier and today his Midas touch was in evidence again, with two of his substitutions finding the net two minutes after entering the fray.
It was Santa Clara’s confidence, organisation and enterprise that stood out though, central midfielder Pedro Ferreira a commanding presence and the curiously nicknamed MT also catching the eye.
On the other side of the coin it was a horrible start for Estoril. New coach Ian Cathro was unable to take his place in the dugout because of work visa issues. It is inexplicable that the bureaucratic hitch was only detected days before the season kickoff, with Estoril unable to get the paperwork in order on time for the Scot take part.
Whether or not the blame should be attributed to Estoril or to the Portuguese football authorities, the club appear to have another problem that is likely to be far more difficult to overcome.
Despite the fact Estoril had a high-quality squad last season the team flirted with relegation, and having lost players of the calibre of Rodrigo Gomes, João Basso, Mateus Fernandes and João Marques, the new manager has a tough challenge on his hands to steer clear of the drop this time around.
By Tom Kundert at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota
Estoril 1-4 Santa Clara highlights
Estoril: Dani Figueira, Wagner Pina, Eliaquim Mangala, Pedro Álvaro, Pedro Amaral; Vinícius Zanocelo, Jandro Orellana (Bernardo Vital, 60’), Michel Costa; Rafik Guitane (Hélder Costa, 76’), Alejandro Marqués (André Lacximicant, 76’), Yanis Begraoiu (Fabrício Garcia, 60’)
Santa Clara: Gabriel Batista, Sidney Lima, Frederico Venâncio, Alysson; Lucas Soares (Diogo Calila, 71’), Pedro Ferreira, Adriano Firmino (Gustavo Klishmahn, 86’), MT; Gabriel Silva (João Costa, 82’), Alisson Safira (Matheus Pereira, 82’), Vinicius Lopes (Ricardinho, 71’)
Goals:
[1-0] Alejandro Marqués, 19’
[1-1] Vinícius Lopes, 44’
[1-2] Alisson Safira (pen), 70’
[1-3] Ricardinho, 74’
[1-4] João Costa, 84’
