Rocha is the Star of Matchday 5

On the night SL Benfica won on the leaders' own turf and the title race swung wide open again, Sporting CP left no room for doubt and thrashed CR Leões de Porto Salvo 7-0 at the Pavilhão João Rocha, taking over the lead of the Liga Placard. The main culprit was Rocha, who scored a hat-trick in ten minutes, true to the movements that have made him one of the reference players in national futsal. That is why the Lions' pivot is the Star of the Matchday chosen by Zona Técnica Futsal. We sat down for a chat with him.

Zona Técnica Futsal — A hat-trick in ten minutes, on the night Sporting took over the lead. How do you assess your performance and the match?

Rocha — “I believe the week was well worked by all of us. We knew we had to win, and win well, and the hat-trick was a consequence of the good work we built up during the match.”

Zona Técnica Futsal — Regarding the start of the match, the first half was much more balanced than the final 7-0 suggests. What changed after the break?

Rocha — “They are two quality teams who studied each other a lot during the week and, at every moment, our team was focused and looking to find a mistake from the opposition to get ahead, but sometimes it doesn't always turn out the way we wanted. In the second half, Nuno Dias, Casca and the whole staff told us where we could improve during the match, and I believe we all listened well and came back for the second half with a great desire to play well and win.”

Zona Técnica Futsal — Asked about the team's current form, a response like this arrived a week after the draw in Ponte de Sor. Was there any conversation within the group?

Rocha — “There will always be conversation between us, the athletes, and the staff, whatever the result. In a winning team that wants to achieve big goals, we cannot let anything slip.”

Zona Técnica Futsal — As for your role as a pivot, your goals almost always come from the same movement, from the right towards the middle. Is that something you work on specifically?

Rocha — “It is something I believe in, something that has worked and that sometimes will not work either. There is no other way to do it: you train it and try to do it in the games.”

Zona Técnica Futsal — As for what lies ahead, Sporting visit SC Braga on 24 October, in a clash between two of the top-placed sides. How do you prepare for a trip like that?

Rocha — “It will be a tough game that could be decided by any detail, so all of us must be focused so that we can come away from Braga with the three points.”

The best five of the matchday

In goal comes Jaime Arthur, of AD Fundão / Alambique, author of the best goalkeeper display of the round: he successively denied Léo Gugiel, Lúcio Rocha, Edmilson Kutchy and Carlos Monteiro and kept the Garnets' goal at zero until half-time against Benfica. At defender is Tomás Paçó, of Sporting CP, who scored a brace in the 7-0 win over Leões de Porto Salvo. On the wing, Mamadú Turé, of SC Braga, man of the match in Ponte de Sor for the goal that unlocked the Minho side's comeback. And, as they were two of the best of the matchday, the five closes with two pivots: Tintim, of SCU Torreense, who scored twice in the first three points of the season for the Torres Vedras side, and Rocha himself, of Sporting CP, author of the hat-trick that sealed the game at the João Rocha.

Matchday 5 round-up

At the Pavilhão dos Desportos de Vila do Conde, Rio Ave FC returned to winning ways by beating UP Venda Nova / JRA 4-1. The first half had no goals and the deadlock was only broken in the 24th minute, by Martín Dorda. Rúben Freire made it 2-0 in the 31st and, in the closing stages, Martim Castela, in the 39th, and Miguel Ângelo, in the 40th, wrapped up the scoring. Gerson Sanches netted the brown-and-yellows' consolation goal, also in the 40th minute, a week after the club's historic first-ever win in the competition.

At the Pavilhão Externato de Penafirme, SCU Torreense won their first points of the season by beating Portimonense SC 3-1, in a clash between the bottom two sides. Tintim scored twice, in the 11th and 27th minutes, and captain Paulo Major made it 3-0 in the 38th. Adaílton Souza pulled one back in the 40th. The result lets the blue-and-garnets overtake their direct rival, who drop to last place.

At the Pavilhão Municipal das Lameiras, SCF Zêzere beat FC Famalicão 3-1 and confirmed their good run of form. Captain Rui Fortes opened the scoring in the 16th minute and Octávio Alves extended the lead in the 18th, taking advantage of a hesitation by the hosts' defence. Wendell made it 0-3 in the 33rd and, with the Minho side already playing 5x4 and Ruizinho as the flying goalkeeper, Simão Cordeiro pulled one back in the 36th, with a shot into the top corner.

In Ponte de Sor, SC Braga staged a hugely deserving comeback and beat Eléctrico FC 5-3. The Alentejo side even led 2-0, with Telmo Sousa converting a penalty in the 10th minute and Henrique Vicente scoring in the 14th, but Ángel Claudino pulled one back in the 19th. In the second half, Mamadú Turé levelled in the 25th and Tiago Sousa turned it around in the 34th. Gonçalo Paixão made it 3-3 in the 36th, but, in that very same minute, Willian Carioca put the Arsenalistas back in front and Luís Fernandes sealed it in the 38th.

At the Pavilhão Municipal do Fundão, SL Benfica beat the then leaders AD Fundão / Alambique 2-1, in the big game of the round. Peléh, set up by Renato Almeida, made it 1-0 in the 7th minute, his eighth goal in the competition, and Jaime Arthur kept the Garnets' goal intact until half-time. In the second half, Pany Varela levelled in the 29th, with an individual run down the left flank, and Silvestre Ferreira, assisted by Cléber Souza, completed the turnaround in the 31st. Rúben Góis hit the post in the 37th and Fundão were unable to take advantage of the 5x4 set up from the 39th minute.

At the Pavilhão João Rocha, Sporting CP thrashed CR Leões de Porto Salvo 7-0. Tomás Paçó opened the scoring in the 11th minute, from a corner, and scored again in the 25th, set up by Diogo Santos. A festival followed: Rocha in the 27th, Wesley in the 28th, with a shot from halfway and Cintra out of his goal, Rocha in the 34th, Diogo Santos in the 36th and Rocha in the 37th, completing the hat-trick. Rúben Teixeira provided three assists in the second half.