Braga back with a bang
Friday, November 3, 2006
Article summary
After a surprise weekend loss, SC Braga fans could not have asked for a better reaction from their team last night than the 4-0 win against FC Slovan Liberec.
Article body
SC Braga fans could not have asked for a better reaction from their team following last Sunday's 4-1 shock defeat at home against SC Marítimo in the Portuguese Liga. Having already lost 3-0 at AZ Alkmaar in their first game in Group C of the UEFA Cup, Braga bounced back in great fashion last night with a 4-0 home win against FC Slovan Liberec.
For the fans
Goals from Ricardo Chaves, Marcel, Césinha and Bruno Gama ensured Braga are now second three points behind leaders AZ and coach Carlos Carvalhal was more than thrilled with his team's performance. "When we play like a team we become a very tough opponent to beat. Tonight was our night. We made too many mistakes in our previous game but tonight we were perfect," he said. Although Braga had such a miserable weekend, their fans remained faithful and were a key factor in the triumph. "I want to dedicate this win to our fans, because they cheered us at the end of the defeat against Marítimo," Carvalhal added.
A night to remember
Forward Bruno Gama, who scored the last goal of the game just three minutes after arriving as a substitute, was ecstatic with his debut in UEFA club competition but even more with the outcome of what had looked a difficult tie on paper against the Czech Republic champions. "I'm extremely happy with my debut, mainly because we won and I scored. This result will help us to recover from a difficult period. I think this was our best display of the season so far," the 18-year-old said.
Braga's lesson
Liberec coach Vítězslav Lavička was equally complimentary about the hosts' performance but found some comfort in the experience gained by his players. "I want to congratulate Braga for their deserved win," he said. "I think that we received a lesson on how to play good football. We were always one step behind our opponent. We made two mistakes in defence and Braga took advantage of that. I never thought I would be living a moment like this one but I also believe that this defeat will help us to gain more experience for the future."
