30 | January | 2026 | Hopping across The Pond

Portugal

Primeira Liga

Friday 30th January 2025

Kick Off 20.45 Actual 20.49

Vitoria Sport Clube 1 Moreirense 0, attendance 10,826

66’ 1-0 (pen)

@ Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques

Avenida de Sao Goncalo 888

4810-527 Guimaraes

€15 Admission

No Programme.

Travelled out from London Gatwick on TAP yesterday morning, which departed 40 minutes late, bound for Porto and a few days in a rather wet and windy north west Portugal. First up was two nights in Guimaraes, the second of which would take in a match at Vitoria Sport Clube, who play at the 29,464 capacity Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques, which hosted games during the Euro 2004 Championship. Tickets were easily obtained from the club office at the stadium on Thursday afternoon, with no identification required, although as a non member you were limited to three areas. It would have been no problem buying tickets on the night though, as the ground was only just over a third full, with the visitors contributing about 200 of those. We chose to sit in the only one of the three areas available to us that were covered, in the top tier of the end behind the goal at the north end, which was a good choice, especially when the rain arrived (yet again) during the first half, causing those in the open areas to run for cover. The stadium is like an elongated horseshoe, with the stand that runs behind the south goal running straight across the bottom.

It was 9th versus 6th as far as league positions go, so we’d expected a decent game. Unfortunately, we got the opposite. Two teams lacking any ambition at all in getting forward, content with constant sideways and backwards passing, with the latter certainly favoured where possible. Every goal kick saw two defenders and the ‘keeper pass it between them around the six yard box, before playing it out to either fullback as the opposition closed them down, then back to the ‘keeper and start again. Neither side were any good at it, but both continued to play this way regardless. There was only one goal attempt in the first half, when a shot from the visitors was tipped round the post. The second half improved, but not by much. Vitoria did finally create a chance or two, but it was probably fitting that the only goal came from the penalty spot midway through the half. It was duly dispatched to give the hosts all three points.

There was late drama though, as after five of the seven added minutes of stoppage time had been played, the floodlights flickered. The bulbs then went out on two of them, followed about thirty seconds later by the other two. After fourteen minutes of darkness, they gradually came back on and the final couple of minutes were played out, with the final whistle sounding at 23.00. The stadium was in sight of our hotel and the lights had been on over three and a half hours before kick off, which probably didn’t help in them failing and it was after midnight before they were finally turned off!