Estrela da Amadora beat Braga 2:1 in the Primeira Liga on Wednesday night at the Complexo Desportivo FC Alverca. The result leaves the hosts ninth in the table with six points from four games, while Braga remain seventh on seven points after three matches.
Gabriel Martínez Aguilera opened the scoring in the fifth minute, and here's the thing — Braga looked uncomfortable from the start. Ianis Stoica doubled the lead just before the break, then added a second in the 56th minute. Stefan Lekovic picked up a yellow card for the hosts in the 27th minute, and by then Braga were already chasing the game.
Braga pulled one substitution in the 61st minute when Fra Navarro came on for Gabriel Martínez Aguilera, who had scored. Estrela responded with three changes in quick succession: Mario Dorgeles replaced the goalscorer, Santiago Serra went off in the 75th minute, and Ianis Stoica was withdrawn at the same stage. Pau Victor and Demir Ege Tıknaz were paired together for the visitors in the 76th minute.
João Moutinho received a yellow card in the 77th minute, and Luan Patrick followed in the 85th minute. Leandro Antonetti came off in the 87th minute before Lovro Zvonarek finished the evening as a substitute in the 90th minute. Three yellow cards in total, no reds, and the visitors couldn't find the equaliser.
The statistics tell a story of control without penetration. Braga held 63 per cent of possession and completed 511 passes compared to Estrela's 280. They created one big chance each, but Estrela's shots on target were five to Braga's four. Expected goals were almost identical — 0.58 for the hosts, 0.59 for the visitors.
It was another result that keeps Estrela unbeaten, following draws with Famalicão, Nacional, Alverca and Sporting. Braga had won their previous two league matches against Alverca and Guimarães, but this was the first time they have dropped points. The goal difference remains level at zero for both sides after three rounds.
