BRAGA. Sporting Braga succeeded in turn the tables against Rio Ave to win 2-1. It was Rio Ave to strike first with an early goal of Leonardo Ruiz at the 5′. Then it was a goal in the 90′ minute to make things even for 1-1. Eventually, Abel Ruiz gave the win to Sporting Braga in the 90′ minute. Sporting Braga was much superior in terms of ball possession (72%) and that was among the factors of its victory.​

The match was played at the Estádio Municipal de Braga stadium in Braga on Saturday and it started at 6:00 pm local time. In front of 16,093 spectators.​ The referee was Manuel António Rodrigues Oliveira with the help of Tiago José Pereira Costa and Carlos Campos. The 4th official was Iancu Ioan Vasilica. The weather was few clouds. The temperature was extremely hot at 32.36 degrees Celsius or 90.25 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 20%.​

Match Statistics​

Sporting Braga

2 - 1

Rio Ave

  • ! 72 Ball Possession 28
Shots
  • 34 Total 9
  • 9 On Target 3
  • 13 Off Target 6
  • 12 Shots blocked 1
  • 132 Attack 76
  • 109 Dangerous attack 20
  • 89 Ball safe 65
  • 0 Penalties 0
  • 16 Corners 1
  • 2 Off Sides 2
Fouls
  • 6 Total 11
  • 1 Yellow Cards 2
  • 0 Double Yellow 0
  • 0 Red Card 0
Other
  • 5 Substitutions 5

Ball possession

Sporting Braga had a strong ball possession 72% while Rio Ave was struggling with a 28% ball possession.

Attitude and shots

Sporting Braga had a more offensive attitude with 109 dangerous attacks and 34 shots of which 9 were on target. This is one of the reasons why Sporting Braga won the match​.

Sporting Braga shot 34 times, 9 on target, 13 off target. Talking about the opposition, Rio Ave shot 9 times, 3 on target, 6 off target.

Cards

Sporting Braga received 1 yellow card (S. Saatçı). Talking about the opposition, Rio Ave received 2 yellow cards (Vítor Gomes and Jhonatan).

Match Timeline

5'
Serdar Saatçı - Yellow
40'
Cristián Borja- sub ->Adrián Marín
46'
Abel Ruiz- sub ->Pizzi
46'
62'
Ukra- sub ->Zé Manuel
Roger Fernandes- sub ->J. Mendes
63'
72'
Vítor Gomes - sub ->João Graça
72'
Hernâni- sub ->Leonardo Ruiz
74'
Jhonatan- Yellow
79'
Fábio Ronaldo(VAR)
80'
Vítor Gomes - Yellow
Rony Lopes- sub ->Álvaro Djaló
81'
João Moutinho- sub ->R. Zalazar
81'
84'
Patrick William- sub ->Josué Sá
85'
Sávio- sub ->Josué Sá
Simon Banza(goal)Roger Fernandes
90'
Abel Ruiz(goal)Roger Fernandes
90'

Standings

Standings
Team
Pts
Pl
Last 5
Sporting CP
87
33
Benfica
79
33
Porto
69
33
Sporting Braga
68
33
Vitória SC
60
33
Moreirense
52
33
Arouca
46
33
Famalicão
42
33
Farense
37
33
Rio Ave
36
33
Gil Vicente
36
33
Casa Pia
35
33
Estoril
33
33
Boavista
31
33
Estrela Amadora
30
33
Portimonense
29
33
Vizela
25
33
Chaves
23
33

After playing this match, Sporting Braga will have 16 points like Porto to hold in the 3rd place. Regarding the opposition, Rio Ave will stay with 5 points like Estrela Amadora to remain in the 17th place.

Next matches

In the next match in the Liga Portugal, Sporting Braga will play away against Vitória SC on the 12th of May with a 21-8 head to head statistic in favor of Sporting Braga (8 draws).

Rio Ave will host Vitória SC on the 5th of May with a 17-7 head to head statistic in favor of Vitória SC (10 draws).

Sporting Braga – Formation

Sporting Braga
G
Matheus 1.Brazil
6.8
D
José Fonte 6.Portugal
7.0
D
Joe Mendes 17.Portugal
D
Serdar Saatçı 5.Turkey
7.5
40'
D
J. Mendes 17.Sweden
6.7
63'
D
Adrián Marín 19.Spain
6.4
46'
M
Bruma 7.Portugal
7.5
M
Al-Musrati 8.Libya
8.5
M
Álvaro Djaló 14.Spain
7.9
81'
M
Rodrigo Zalazar 16.Uruguay
8.7
81'
M
Ricardo Horta 21.Portugal
M
Pizzi 22.Portugal
7.0
46'
F
Simon Banza 23.France
7.5
90'
Substitutes
G
L. Horníček 91.Czech Republic
D
Sikou Niakaté 4.Mali
D
Cristián Borja 26.Colombia
7.1
46'
M
Vitor Carvalho 18.Brazil
M
João Moutinho 28.Portugal
7.3
81'
M
Castro 88.Portugal
F
Abel Ruiz 9.Spain
7.3
46' 90'
F
Roger Fernandes 11.Portugal
8.7
63'
F
Rony Lopes 20.Portugal
7.1
81'

Sporting Braga started with a 4-2-3-1 line-up (4-2-3-1).

The manager Artur Jorge Torres Gomes Araújo Amorim decided to play with the following team: Joe Mendes, Ricardo Horta, Matheus (6.8), J. Mendes (6.7), José Fonte (7.0), S. Saatçı (7.5), Adrián Marín (6.4), R. Zalazar (8.7), Al Musrati (8.5), Álvaro Djaló (7.9), Pizzi (7.0), Bruma (7.5) and S. Banza (7.5).

The home team had on the bench: S. Niakaté, C. Borja (7.1), Abel Ruiz (7.3), Roger Fernandes (8.7), Vitor Carvalho, Rony Lopes (7.1), João Moutinho (7.3), Castro and L. Horníček.

Substitutions

Sporting Braga made 5 changes: Pizzi for Abel Ruiz (46′), Adrián Marín for C. Borja (46′), J. Mendes for Roger Fernandes (63′), Álvaro Djaló for Rony Lopes (81′) and R. Zalazar for João Moutinho (81′).

Best player: R. Zalazar​

As per our analysis, the most impressive player for Sporting Braga was R. Zalazar even if he didn’t score any goal.

His rating is (8.7) with 67 passes (93% accurate) and 5 key passes. He was won 11 duels out of 15. He performed 12 crosses. He hit the woodwork once times.

Rio Ave – Formation

Rio Ave
G
Jhonatan 18.Brazil
7.5
74'
D
Aderllan Santos 33.Brazil
7.7
D
Renato Pantalon 42.Croatia
D
Miguel Nóbrega 3.Portugal
6.4
D
Josué Sá 23.Portugal
7.3
85'
M
Guga 6.Portugal
M
Amine 10.France
7.0
M
Bruno Ventura 11.Portugal
7.1
M
Costinha 20.Portugal
7.5
M
Zé Manuel 70.Portugal
7.0
62'
M
Fábio Ronaldo 77.Portugal
7.3
M
João Graça 21.Portugal
6.7
72'
F
Leonardo Ruiz 9.Colombia
7.3
72' 5'
Substitutes
G
Magrão 82.Brazil
D
Patrick William 4.Brazil
6.4
84'
D
J. Lomboto 13.France
D
Sávio 16.Brazil
6.1
85'
D
Nuno Namora 75.Portugal
M
Vítor Gomes 8.Portugal
6.4
72' 80'
F
Hernâni 7.Portugal
6.6
72'
F
Ukra 17.Portugal
6.6
62'
F
André Pereira 95.Portugal

Rio Ave started with an extremely aggressive line-up (3-4-3).

Luís Carlos Batalha Freire played with: Guga, Renato Pantalon, Jhonatan (7.5), Josué Sá (7.3), Aderllan Santos (7.7), Miguel Nóbrega (6.4), Costinha (7.5), João Graça (6.7), Amine (7.0), Fábio Ronaldo (7.3), Zé Manuel (7.0), Bruno Ventura (7.1) and Leonardo Ruiz (7.3).

These were the players on the bench: Patrick William (6.4), Magrão, Hernâni (6.6), Vítor Gomes (6.4), Julien Lomboto, Sávio (6.1), Ukra (6.6), Nuno Namora and André Pereira.

Rio Ave could not rely on the presence of Ukra (injured) and Sávio (injured).

Substitutions

Rio Ave made 5 changes: Zé Manuel for Ukra (62′), Josué Sá for Sávio (85′), Josué Sá for Patrick William (84′), Leonardo Ruiz for Hernâni (72′) and João Graça for Vítor Gomes (72′).

Best player: Aderllan Santos​

The most impressive player for Rio Ave was Aderllan Santos.

His rating is (7.7) with 12 passes (50% accurate) and 0 key passes. He was won 8 duels out of 11.

Results of the day

These are the results of the day in the Liga Portugal.​