Sporting star’s skill under scrutiny after standout display: not a specialist | OneFootball

The goal that earned Daniel Bragança the title of hero of the match against Famalicão - which the Lions won 1-0 at the José Alvalade Stadium - was, according to Pedro Moreira's analysis, a result of the “perception” and “intelligence” of the Sporting midfielder.

"Daniel realized there was a space where he could finish with a header. It wasn't a high header. It was a good technical gesture, in something he apparently isn't a specialist in," described the 50-year-old coach to the Record newspaper, who worked with the number 23 during the transition from 7-a-side to 11-a-side football.

Pedro Moreira believes the moment gains even more significance given the context in which it occurred, already in an advanced stage of the game and after several substitutions made by the Lions' team. For the coach, Bragança demonstrated the ability to “see the vital spaces to attack”, within what is worked on in set pieces.

"It's a fair reward for someone who went through a difficult period in his career. As someone who was part of his sporting life, I was very happy," confessed the former coach of Torreense and Casa Pia, currently without a club.

The coach also highlighted the human profile and formative path of the midfielder: "Daniel Bragança is an excellent person, a very strong kid, in terms of the locker room, who carries the Club's mystique, who has values and dedicated his whole life to Sporting," he stated, also emphasizing the decisive role of his family in his growth.

"In the initial phase, he wasn't one of the main players of his generation, but he gained space and status, especially due to his commitment and the way he worked," recalled Pedro Moreira, who stopped following the player when he joined the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy. "There, it wasn't with me anymore, but the move to the Academy was also an important moment in his career. Leaving the family and living almost exclusively for football made him grow. There, he became the reference for the teams," he added.

Finally, the coach analyzed the midfielder's evolution after returning from an injury that kept him out of competition for 11 months. "After the time he spent away, Daniel appears in spaces more aggressively, more advanced on the field, also taking advantage of the way Sporting has been playing in the final moments of the games. With more players in finishing zones and more goal opportunities," he observed, suggesting that this collective dynamic also contributed to the midfielder's first headed goal in official matches.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.