Portugal

Associacao de Futebol do Porto

Campeonato Divisao Elite

Sunday 1st February 2026

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.01

Sport Club Castelo Maia 2 Associacao Desportivo Grijo 0, attendance 205

6’ 1-0

36’ 2-0

@ Estadio Municipal Dr. Costa Lima

Rua do Campo de Futebol

Castelo da Maia

4475-169 Maia

€5 Admission

No Programme.

Despite the earlier game not finishing until 17.23 we were still parked up at the second game for 17.35 as it was only five miles drive north east. We parked in the street adjacent to the ground, right outside the original old entrance gate, which has the club initials and year of formation depicted.

Nowadays you enter behind the goal, having purchased your ticket at the bilheteira on the corner. As with this afternoon, it’s a ground that has a 3G pitch, with one large stand along the side and no spectator access to the other three sides, although it is evident this ground has hosted football at a higher level in the past and is more characterful than the dreadful cage set ups that blight our non league system these days, having been a grass pitch in bygone days.

The match was 9th versus 4th in the league table. It was a decent enough watch, but was never going to match the superb spectacle of this afternoon. The hosts took an early lead, when a quick break down the left was finished with an angled shot into the far corner. The second goal came nine minutes before halftime, when a corner from the right saw the ‘keeper come to clear, but he missed his punch and the ball was nodded in from six yards. Plenty of chances created at both ends, but neither side looked like adding to the scoring.

As with earlier, the pitch suffered from the rain, with it being much more persistent as the game wore on. Never in doubt of not getting to a finish though…at least that’s the impression I got. The flight home with TAP from Porto to London Gatwick wasn’t until Monday evening and a break in the weather meant a nice stroll along the beach in Pavoa de Varzim before heading back to the airport. The 1820 flight left 20 minutes late and we were sat five rows behind West Ham United manager Nino Espírito Santo, who I doubt was hoping to tie up a transfer deadline day signing of any of the players I’d witnessed this weekend, although being West Ham, you never know….

Portugal

Associacao de Futebol do Porto

Campeonato Divisao Elite

Sunday 1st February 2026

Kick Off 15.30 On Time!

Desportivo Leca Balio 3 Valadares Gaia 5, attendance 147

1’ 1-0

5’ 1-1

42’ 1-2

60’ 1-3

67’ 1-4

74’ 2-4

88’ 2-5

90’ 3-5

@ Complexo Desportivo de Leca do Balio

Rua de Dom Dinis

4465-612 Leca do Balio

€6 Admission

No Programme.

Today should have started with a game at Liga 2 club Uniao Leiria, who play at a stadium that hosted games in the Euro 2004 Championship, but storm damage on Thursday evening meant the game was postponed. There were still double opportunities though, but it would mean both being at a lower level and instead of driving miles, I opted to stay north of Porto. First up was Desportivo Leca Balio, whose ground has a large stand on one side, but with no access to the other three. Toilets are under the stand and there’s a small clubhouse behind the near goal end. There is a small car park, but with plentiful street parking, not a problem. Luckily, it has a 3G pitch, as it started raining shortly before kick off and by the end the pitch was starting to flood, although the ball was still just about running freely through an increasing number of puddles. However, neither the Referee or teams seemed the slightest bit bothered. I doubt very much that the game would have continued here in England, such is our health and safety/blame culture these days and clubs looking for any excuse to not actually play games if possible.

The game was at level six in the pyramid, with 6th hosting 12th in the league table. It was an excellent watch, with both teams opting for an all out attack approach, which was superb from a neutral point of view. Leca were ahead inside a minute, but were pegged back four minutes later. Three minutes before halftime a through ball down the left was finished with a 20 yarder into the top corner to give Gaia a 1-2 lead at the break. On the hour mark a deflected shot saw them go 1-3 up and midway through the half a one two on the edge of the box was finished low into the far corner to make it 1-4. A low angled shot saw Leca pull one back with sixteen minutes left, to make it 2-4, before they had another effort ruled out for offside a few minutes later. Gaia hit the bar with a 30 yard free kick, before adding a fifth goal with two minutes left with a 25 yarder into the top corner. The hosts then got a last minute goal to make it 3-5 and the final whistle blew as the game re-started.