3pm 16 October 2022
Taça de Portugal, Third Round
Machico 1 Boavista 0 (att 1,700)
On holiday in Madeira so I got lucky when the draw for the third round of the Portuguese Cup pitted local side Machico, newly-promoted from island football into Portugal’s fourth tier, against top flight Boavista.
It proved to be quite an occasion, and a cup giantkilling to rival Sutton United’s win against Coventry City that I witnessed 33 years ago.
I don’t know what the possession stats were but they’ll have been very heavily in Boavista’s favour. Likewise for efforts at goal, completed passes and the new fad of ‘expected goals’ (still not quite sure what that means).
But of course in football the only stat that really matters is the score, and a far post header in first half stoppage time meant that was 1-0 to the hosts. It seemed impossible that Boavista wouldn’t score, but every Machico player put in a heroic shift to somehow deny them.
The home team’s goalkeeper pulled off countless saves, and despite facing almost constant pressure, especially as the second half wore on, Machico held on for what will doubtless go into their history as a famous win.
The municipal stadium, with a single seated stand and a running track around the pitch, was bouncing by the end as players and supporters celebrated. Tickets were easily available, and a bargain at just 10eu, but despite that hundreds opted to watch for free view from outside the ground.
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