Leixões claimed a comfortable 2:0 victory over Portimonense in the fourth round of Liga Portugal 2 on Saturday at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão. Bryan Róchez was the architect of both goals, firing in from open play before converting a second-half penalty to extend his side's unbeaten run to eight.
Róchez made his mark early, finding the net in the fortieth minute to give Leixões the lead just before the interval. The academy graduate marked his first start with a goal, and by then Portimonense were already on the back foot. The hosts had a yellow card to settle after Paulinho's twenty-sixth minute booking, but could not find a way back into the contest before the break.
Leixões doubled their advantage in the seventy-seventh minute when Róchez stepped up to convert a penalty. The academy graduate has been a menace all night, and his second goal saw Portimonense find no answer. There were changes around the game — Marlon Junior, João Casimiro and Paulinho came off together for Portimonense in the forty-sixth minute — but the result was never in doubt after that spot-kick.
Leixões kept possession more comfortably, holding 56 per cent to 44 per cent, and their six shots on target told a different story than Portimonense's three. The visitors won seven corners to the hosts' two, and while the attack count was even at 70 and 67, the quality of chances separated the sides. Many shots with one goal means chances went begging for the home side.
Portimonense remain seventh with seven points from four games, while Leixões sit eleventh on six. The hosts had won two of their previous three before this defeat, but the old head settled them down was not enough here. Leixões dug in after their mixed results and saw out a match they controlled.
