Belenenses opened their Regular Season campaign with a commanding 5-0 triumph over União Santarém in Liga 3 on Saturday. The hosts made no mistake from the first whistle, establishing dominance that never wavered. By then, the contest had already been decided in the opening exchanges. Nuno Tomas struck just four minutes in, setting the tone for what would follow. The visitors struggled to find any foothold in midfield.
The second goal arrived in the forty-fourth minute when Chamito doubled the advantage. União Santarém failed to respond, and Belenenses extended their lead before the break. E. Barros added a third goal at the very start of second-half injury time. The visitors offered little beyond throw-ins and goal kicks, their attacks stalling in the final third. By the sixty-fourth minute, Bruninho had made it four.
A. Afonso completed the scoring in the seventieth minute, capping an afternoon of sustained pressure. The visitors received two yellow cards for G. Isnaba, who seemed to be fighting a rearguard action throughout. Multiple substitutions were made in the closing stages as the hosts managed their players. The result left União Santarém winless after four league matches. Belenenses sit top of the table with a perfect record of four victories.
The statistics tell their own story. Belenenses registered eleven shots on target compared to zero for the visitors, who managed only four off target. The hosts dominated possession at fifty-two per cent and launched eighty-one attacks against fifty-five. União Santarém's goalkeeper faced no shots on target all afternoon, a reflection of how thoroughly he was protected by his own side's inability to penetrate. The goal difference now stands at five for the hosts and minus five for the visitors after three rounds.
Belenenses have now collected twelve points from four games, maintaining their unbeaten run. União Santarém remain rooted in tenth place with just one point from their opening four fixtures. The gap between them at the table has widened considerably. This result ended the visitors' hopes of a positive start to the season. Belenenses will fancy their chances of mounting a serious challenge this term.