Estrela da Amadora secured a 3-2 victory over Nacional at the Estádio da Madeira on Sunday, moving up to seventh place in the Primeira Liga standings. The match concluded after ninety minutes of play on August 30th, with the visitors taking all three points despite a spirited home performance. And here's the thing — it wasn't a game that looked settled until the final stages, when Antonetti's late strike for Estrela proved decisive.
Wesley Gasolina opened the scoring for Nacional in the third minute, giving the hosts an early advantage that lasted until the half-hour mark. Stoica equalised from the penalty spot just before the break, converting his opportunity in the forty-fifth minute plus one. Marcus restored Estrela's lead in the sixty-second minute, and Pablo Ruan doubled their advantage six minutes later to put the visitors in control.
The match saw several tactical changes as both managers sought to influence the outcome. Nacional brought on Robinho in the sixty-seventh minute, while Estrela responded with three substitutions around the sixty-ninth mark, bringing on Daniel Junior, Pablo Ruan, and Robinho. Kokolo received a yellow card in the forty-eighth minute, and Ze Vitor followed suit just before the break, adding to the physical nature of the encounter.
Statistically, the match was evenly balanced in many respects. Both teams held fifty percent possession, though Nacional registered five shots on target compared to Estrela's four. The hosts managed six shots outside the penalty area while the visitors concentrated their efforts inside with eight attempts. Failed passes were roughly equal at sixty-five for Nacional and sixty-four for Estrela, suggesting both sides struggled with composure in the final third.
The result moves Estrela da Amadora into seventh place with five points from three matches, while Nacional remains in ninth position with four points from four games. The visitors have not lost since their opening match, and this victory extends that unbeaten run to three games. Nacional, meanwhile, have now lost two of their four matches and face a challenge to climb away from the lower reaches of the table.