The floodlights at Reboleira dimmed on a night that, for Estrela da Amadora, felt less like a celebration and more like a tough lesson. They had just played for the José Gomes Trophy at home, battling Belenenses to a 1-1 draw. But the story ended with a loss on penalties to the Liga 3 side. For the “Tricolors,” the reaction was swift. This wasn’t just about a trophy; it was about the aches and pains of building something new.
For those watching from the Estrela dugout, the result barely scratched the surface of what was really happening. Paulo Moreira, who wore the captain’s armband by the end of the match, spoke clearly. He pointed out the deep fatigue that builds up during pre-season training. “We are growing,” he stated, “and many new faces are joining us. They come with a strong desire to work. But this is almost a completely new team. We will definitely grow even more.”
Head coach José Faria echoed this sentiment, offering his own take on the game. “The score isn’t the most important thing,” he explained. “It’s just a trophy. But we are facing four matches in one week. Our squad is nearly all new. It’s not easy, especially when players arrive one by one. We need to give them game time so they can find their rhythm and learn our system.” It was a frank assessment of a team in motion, not yet fully formed.
Meanwhile, a different feeling filled the air on the Belenenses side. Their satisfaction was obvious. Captain Nuno Tomás kicked things off, saying, “We played a good game. Winning a trophy and matching the level of a strong team like Estrela was a great feeling.” He wrapped up his thoughts by adding, “We have a lot of quality. We showed tonight that good things are coming for us in the future.”
Belenenses coach João Nuno looked at the match as a crucial step. “This was the perfect test,” he noted. “It had everything: the crowd, the competition. We’ve prepared well for our first league game.” He felt there was no real difference between the two teams, despite them being from different divisions. “We could have even scored a second goal,” João Nuno mused. “Representing Belenenses is a huge source of pride.”
