Santa Clara win late at Casa Pia and keep their unbeaten run going

Santa Clara left Rio Maior with another narrow win, and João Vasconcelos was the difference after coming off the bench to score in stoppage time. The 1-0 victory keeps them unbeaten in the league and moves them back level with Sporting in second place, with Benfica overtaken provisionally.

Santa Clara's late answer

Petit sent Vasconcelos on in the 57th minute, and he needed only 33 minutes to settle Casa Pia vs Santa Clara. He struck low near the right post in stoppage time, the kind of finish that fit a match Santa Clara never really controlled for long stretches.

His impact was also reflected in the numbers. Vasconcelos had the highest Santa Clara rating at 8.2, and the visitors conceded only four league goals across seven matches, which helps explain why they keep finding a way through games like this.

A game that never opened up

The first half was almost barren. João Rêgo was the only player to test the goal before the break, and the teams managed just two shots apiece in the opening 45 minutes, with one on target in total.

Casa Pia's complaints are understandable after David Sousa was sent off in the 52nd minute, with the yellow card turned into red after VAR intervention. Filipe Coelho said they still controlled the game for 10 to 15 minutes after the dismissal, and that was close to true, because Gonçalo Paciência came within centimetres of scoring from the free kick that followed. Still, the match state changed from there, and Santa Clara eventually made the extra man count at the end.

Petit called it a difficult game and said Santa Clara ended up being lucky, but that luck sat on top of work they have already backed up over seven league matches. They are 4-3-0 now, still unbeaten, and the late goal at Casa Pia was another reminder that this side does not need to dominate to take points.