Ponte Da Barca — Amarante, Taça de Portugal

Amarante edge past Ponte da Barca in cup upset

Amarante secured a 2:0 victory over Ponte da Barca in the Round of 128 of the Portuguese Cup on Sunday. The away side took the lead early and held on despite a red card for one of their players. To be fair, they never looked like letting it slip away.

The opening goal came at the 14th minute, catching the home side off guard. Ponte da Barca tried to respond but the penalty miss at 45+1' proved costly. By then, the visitors had already established control of the encounter.

A red card at 73' changed the complexion of the second half, though it was issued to a guest player rather than the hosts. The home side had to manage the game with ten men for the final quarter, and it showed.

Amarante added a second goal in 90+4' to put the result beyond doubt. The late strike was more about timing than anything else, but it sent the away fans home content.

Statistics tell an even story. Both teams recorded around 90 attacks, and each side landed five shots on target. The home side had possession of 46 per cent but could not convert their numbers into goals.