Portugal
Taça de Portugal 4th Round
Saturday 25th November 2023
Kick Off 17.00 Actual 17.01
F.C. Penafiel 3 Vitoria F.C. Setubal 2 (A.E.T.), attendance 675
1’ 0-1
27’ 1-1
60’ 2-1 (pen)
77’ 2-2
96’ 3-2
@ Estadio Municipal 25 de Abril
Rua de Abílio Miranda
4564 Penafiel
€7 Admission
No Programme.
It was a 40 minute drive east to Penafiel for the second game of the day, again in the Portuguese Cup. Arriving so early meant we were able to grab a space in the car park right next to the stadium, at the foot of some steps that led up to the corner of the ground, but on the right side for the ticket office. Again, no problem obtaining tickets and no need for identification either. We chose the main stand, but could also have gone in with the away fans behind the goal if we’d wanted to. Both sections were priced the same.
The game was another with a possibly of producing an upset. Penafiel are 16th in Liga 2, whilst visitors Vitoria Setubal are two levels lower, currently sitting in second place in Campeonato de Portugal Prio 4D. I had only visited Setubal in December 2019, when I saw them host Vitoria S.C. Guimaraes in a Primeira Liga game, so they’ve plummeted very quickly, although perhaps they’re now on the way back up?
The two level gap between the teams certainly wasn’t evident. They seemed very evenly matched and it produced a good end to end contest from start to finish. The visitors got off to a perfect start, scoring with their first attack, after a break down the left saw a cross to the far post put into his own net by a defending player trying to clear, much to the delight of the 162 away fans behind that goal. They thought they’d scored again after twelve minutes, with an exact build up to the first goal, but it was ruled out for offside. Penafiel levelled just before the half hour mark, scoring with an angled shot across the ‘keeper into the far corner.
On the hour mark Penafiel went 2-1 up, scoring with a penalty, but Vitoria deservedly equalised with thirteen minutes left, breaking down the right before putting a striker clear and his shot was deflected over the ‘keeper, which was credited as another own goal. Neither side tried to win it from here and both seemed happy to take it to extra time. Just six minutes into the first period, Penafiel got what turned out to be the winner, when a cross in from the left was volleyed in side footed from 12 yards.
The stadium here has a 6,500 all seated capacity. The main stand runs the full length of one side, made up of 14 rows and has a section of VIP seats at the back. The visitors end is to the left, whilst the opposite goal end is just fenced off and displaying adverts. The opposite side has an old section in the centre, with newer looking blocks on either side.
