Paredes beat Vitória Guimarães B 3-1 in the opening round of the League 3 regular season on Friday evening. The hosts took all three points at home, moving to second place in the table with nine points from four matches. Vitória Guimarães B remain in sixth with five points after one win, two draws and one defeat. And here's the thing — the result puts more pressure on the visitors from the very first week.
Paredes have now won three of their four games this season, losing just once to Santa Clara. The margin of victory matters as much as the points, especially when you consider Vitória Guimarães B had only picked up five points from their previous outings. To be fair, the visitors have shown they can grind out results, but this was a different kind of afternoon.
The statistics tell a story of control rather than domination. Paredes registered 93 attacks compared to 82 for the visitors, while possession sat at 55 percent in the hosts' favour. Shots on target were five to two, and corners eight to three. By then, the gap between the sides had opened up enough that Vitória Guimarães B were chasing the game rather than dictating it.
What stands out is how Paredes converted their pressure into goals without needing to go for the jugular. The visitors managed only two shots on target across the entire match, while the hosts kept knocking on the door until it opened. Three yellow cards for each side suggests a physical contest, but neither team was sent off.
The table now shows Paredes four points clear of Vitória Guimarães B, with both teams having played four matches. The hosts fancy their chances of pushing into the upper reaches, while the visitors will need to find consistency quickly. That price has gone up for the away side, and it's not coming down anytime soon.