Olhanense achieved today its first victory in the 2011/12 Football League, by defeating Rio Ave 1-0 away, in the third round, thanks to an own goal by central Éder Monteiro in the 35th minute.
Rio Ave continues like this without winning and without scoring goals, adding just one point, the result of the home draw in the first round against Sporting de Braga, and lost at home to the Algarve team for the third consecutive season.
Rio Ave started the game badly and created a single scoring opportunity throughout the first half, following a cross by Saulo that Vítor Gomes matched with a crossbar header.
The team felt great difficulties, namely, to overcome the good defensive organization of Olhanense, where the veteran Brazilian central Maurício still pontificates.
The Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu, loaned to Rio Ave by FC Porto, was a totally failed bet by coach Carlos Brito, who, in the projection of this meeting, had said that he now had more options for the attacking sector.
In addition, bad luck hit the door of Rio Ave in a set-piece, a corner scored in the 35th minute by Wilson Eduardo, which Éder Monteiro deflected into his own goal, scoring a goal that Olhanense had not so far justified.
Éder Monteiro today replaced central defender Gaspar, who was injured in the last round, and ended up leaving his personal mark in Rio Ave's second consecutive defeat.
What is certain is that the goal was a bucket of cold water for the Vila do Conde team and, at the same time, a tonic for the visitors, who showed a more connected football and a good ability to circulate the ball.
Rio Ave went to the second half with Yazalde (no rhythm) in place of Saulo, who was also very quiet, and Kelvin (there were some interesting details, but that's all) in place of Christian Atsu and the truth is that these changes have improved the performance of the team, but the Algarve goal was never really in danger.
Olhanense was under great pressure in the opening minutes of the second period, but recovered quickly and Wilson Eduardo scared Paulo Santos with a strong forward from a distance.
Nervous and very anxious, Rio Ave did not create any clear chances of goal and it was Olhanense who came closest to the second goal, first through Salvador Agra, who had replaced Ivanildo, with a strong shot that Paulo Santos deflected to the crossbar ( 84), and then by Stir, with a headbutt that narrowly missed.
In this period, the best that the host team achieved was a cross from the right by Braga, one of the most discontented, which Maurício, always very attentive, deflected to a corner, when João Tomás was already preparing to finish from close range.
What remains of this game is the image of a safe and more confident Olhanense than Rio Ave, which showed great attacking weakness, despite the various attacking options available to coach Carlos Brito (João Tomás, Saulo, Christian Atsu, Yazalde and Kelvin) and a lot of anxiety about the succession of negative results.
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