PortuGOAL
·7 November 2024
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Yahoo sportsPortuGOAL
·7 November 2024
They’ve done it again! Vitória Sport Clube won their ninth consecutive game in European play this season, extending the record for a Portuguese team that they had established in their previous UEFA Conference League match.
A first-half penalty by captain Tiago Silva and a goal by Spanish debutant Óscar Rivas on the hour mark set Rui Borges’ men on their way to victory over Mlada Boleslav at the Estádio Dom Afonso Henriques in Guimarães.
Vasil Kusej pulled a goal back for the Czech team and made for a nervy ending, but Vitória held on to remain in the leading pack in the Conference League table with 9 points from three matches.
On 100% record in Europe: “It’s great that this has happened. It’s down to the players and it’s a landmark for them, and also for our country. We have to keep going. If we don’t make it to the round of 16 it will have little meaning for me.”
On the anxious end to the match: “We were playing calmly, but then we caused problems for ourselves. We played against a good team. They are full of internationals. We conceded a goal we can’t concede. We dropped our guard. We settled down in the last five or ten minutes. Nélson Oliveira coming on also helped us.”
How good are this Vitória SC?: “We have done really well to achieve this. People have to realise all these clubs we are playing against are tough teams. Credit to our opponents today who made it very hard for us to carry out our transitions. But we controlled the game, we were competent and what matters is that we won the three points.”
On debutant Óscar Rivas: “He’s a player who has worked really hard, always waiting for an opportunity. We thought it was the right time and we were right. He’s a very focused player, who has enormous potential, who is a good listener and who likes to learn.”