731
Birth of the "Warriors from Minho"
People wonder when the Braga players became warriors and when the legion began to march forward and upwards...For me it was on the 19th of November 2005.
Both the Media and Benfica can assume blame for the escalation in rivalry between Braga and Benfica that is clear for all to see today. Ever since it was reported in media in 2005 that Benfica thought of Braga's stadium as second home, hostilities have risen to the point of boling over several times. When the two teams met in week 11 of the 2005-2006 championship there was a media frenzy around the game. Any result that gave the home team three points would be accepted. After Anderson scored for Benfica, Jesualdo Ferreira didn't wait long to switch Abel for Davide and give us more attacking options. Castanheira came on for Jaime at half time to try get a grip in midfield.
The second half began and Braga slowly began to control the game. Davide was strangely substituted again in the 63rd minute and it was a game changing moment when Maxi Bevacqua entered. In a matter of minutes Benfica had three yellow cards, Geovanni went off for Nuno Assis and seconds later Cesinha equalised for Braga. Buna(who sat beside me at the time) and myself did our obligatory Cesinha bows celebrating his goal that would never be forgotten. I recently met Cesinha in December 2010 while he was on a break from Romania(Rapid Bucharest) and recounted the goal. As with every player he was delighted that someone remembered his goal. He only managed a little over a handful of goals for Braga in three seasons(7 league goals, 1 UEFA cup goal and 1 goal in a friendly)but it was certainly the most important during his stay at Braga. Braga did everything for the next twenty minutes except score. Three minutes to and the most unlikely hero popped up. Maxi Bevacqua! The crowd went absolutely nuts. When the fourth official put his board up with 6 minutes compensation time there was disgust amongst the fans. Where did the time come from? Only 3 substitutions during the second half and hardly any stops in play.
Joao Ferreira was just about to become notorious with the Braga supporters and his reputation has only worsened in Braga ever since. An inoccuous ball into the box was chested down cleanly by Nem and incredibly he pointed to the spot. It was amazingly ajudged to have hit his arm! There was absolutely no doubt in anybodys mind that a travesty had occured. For a moment I thought there was going to be a pitch invasion such was the anger of the crowd. Nuno Gomes reaction after converting the penalty was disgusting and completely anti-sporting behaviour. When Maxi Bevacqua popped up again a couple of minutes later to score the winnerafter 94 minutes. In what looked a tame header it went in off the post to send the majority of the crowd into heaven. The stadium erupted. Offside or not, the goal stood.
The home supporters had gone from jubilation to complete utter outrage to celebrating once again. It was the worst, the best and possibly the most exciting 7 minutes of football I have seen in Braga. I doubt one single person that was in the stadium that day wil ever forget wha happened. Maxi Bevacqua only ever scored 2 goals in his one season at Braga. He will never be forgotten as they both came in that historic win. The headline of A Bola the next day was "JUSTO". Although the house of Benfica in Braga had been declining to the pointofnot being used an interesting article lay within the pages of A Bola. "Death of the House of Benfica in Braga!" Since then Benfica supporters have never out numbered Braga supporters in Braga and this is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future.
The "Guerreiros do Minho" were born. The passion was instilled by a Benfica Media Circus that badly backfired and it has continued to snowball and grow just as the support of Benfica within the Minho area haswaned considerably. Long may it continue..
People wonder when the Braga players became warriors and when the legion began to march forward and upwards...For me it was on the 19th of November 2005.
Both the Media and Benfica can assume blame for the escalation in rivalry between Braga and Benfica that is clear for all to see today. Ever since it was reported in media in 2005 that Benfica thought of Braga's stadium as second home, hostilities have risen to the point of boling over several times. When the two teams met in week 11 of the 2005-2006 championship there was a media frenzy around the game. Any result that gave the home team three points would be accepted. After Anderson scored for Benfica, Jesualdo Ferreira didn't wait long to switch Abel for Davide and give us more attacking options. Castanheira came on for Jaime at half time to try get a grip in midfield.
The second half began and Braga slowly began to control the game. Davide was strangely substituted again in the 63rd minute and it was a game changing moment when Maxi Bevacqua entered. In a matter of minutes Benfica had three yellow cards, Geovanni went off for Nuno Assis and seconds later Cesinha equalised for Braga. Buna(who sat beside me at the time) and myself did our obligatory Cesinha bows celebrating his goal that would never be forgotten. I recently met Cesinha in December 2010 while he was on a break from Romania(Rapid Bucharest) and recounted the goal. As with every player he was delighted that someone remembered his goal. He only managed a little over a handful of goals for Braga in three seasons(7 league goals, 1 UEFA cup goal and 1 goal in a friendly)but it was certainly the most important during his stay at Braga. Braga did everything for the next twenty minutes except score. Three minutes to and the most unlikely hero popped up. Maxi Bevacqua! The crowd went absolutely nuts. When the fourth official put his board up with 6 minutes compensation time there was disgust amongst the fans. Where did the time come from? Only 3 substitutions during the second half and hardly any stops in play.
Joao Ferreira was just about to become notorious with the Braga supporters and his reputation has only worsened in Braga ever since. An inoccuous ball into the box was chested down cleanly by Nem and incredibly he pointed to the spot. It was amazingly ajudged to have hit his arm! There was absolutely no doubt in anybodys mind that a travesty had occured. For a moment I thought there was going to be a pitch invasion such was the anger of the crowd. Nuno Gomes reaction after converting the penalty was disgusting and completely anti-sporting behaviour. When Maxi Bevacqua popped up again a couple of minutes later to score the winnerafter 94 minutes. In what looked a tame header it went in off the post to send the majority of the crowd into heaven. The stadium erupted. Offside or not, the goal stood.
The home supporters had gone from jubilation to complete utter outrage to celebrating once again. It was the worst, the best and possibly the most exciting 7 minutes of football I have seen in Braga. I doubt one single person that was in the stadium that day wil ever forget wha happened. Maxi Bevacqua only ever scored 2 goals in his one season at Braga. He will never be forgotten as they both came in that historic win. The headline of A Bola the next day was "JUSTO". Although the house of Benfica in Braga had been declining to the pointofnot being used an interesting article lay within the pages of A Bola. "Death of the House of Benfica in Braga!" Since then Benfica supporters have never out numbered Braga supporters in Braga and this is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future.
The "Guerreiros do Minho" were born. The passion was instilled by a Benfica Media Circus that badly backfired and it has continued to snowball and grow just as the support of Benfica within the Minho area haswaned considerably. Long may it continue..
Registado
