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….
