Estrela vs Nacional

Antonetti broke the deadlock in the 44th minute, striking just before half-time to give Estrela the lead at the break. The Puerto Rican forward's goal came after a first half in which both sides largely cancelled each other out in what A Bola described as a game with 'cheiro a campeonato' (the scent of a league match).

Sydney van Hooijdonk, son of former Netherlands international Pierre van Hooijdonk, doubled Estrela's advantage ten minutes into the second half. The 55th-minute strike sealed the result and gave Estrela breathing room for the remainder of the friendly.

Nacional hit the woodwork in each half, according to the club's official match report, but could not find a way past the Estrela defence.

Antonetti's 44th-minute opener was the defining moment. The goal arrived just before the interval, forcing Nacional to chase the game after the restart. Van Hooijdonk's strike early in the second half effectively ended any prospect of a Nacional comeback, leaving the Madeira side to reflect on a competitive workout rather than a result.

Leandro Antonetti (Estrela) — The forward opened the scoring with a well-taken finish on the stroke of half-time, setting the tone for his side's second-half control.

Sydney van Hooijdonk (Estrela) — The Dutch striker, son of the former Celtic, Fenerbahçe and Nottingham Forest frontman, added the second goal early in the second half to seal the win.

Wesley Gasolina (Nacional) — The newly-signed right-back, confirmed as a Nacional player on 22 July, made his debut for the club, starting the match and playing his first minutes in the black and white stripes. The Brazilian is expected to compete with Ecuadorian Daniel de la Cruz for the starting role following the retirement of João Aurélio.

The provider payload records a 2-0 scoreline with a single goal in each half (44', 55'). The match was a pre-season friendly, so the intensity and physical output were below full competitive level — both managers used the opportunity to rotate and test systems. Nacional's official report noted the team created chances that hit the woodwork in both halves, suggesting the scoreline flattered Estrela slightly in terms of the balance of play.

Nacional made five substitutions in the second half: Daniel Júnior, Miguel Baeza, Martim Watts, Nourani and Pedro Silva all entered the fray. Estrela did not disclose their lineup, typical of pre-season friendly protocols.

This was Estrela's second win of pre-season preparations. They face Belenenses in their next friendly on 25 July 2026 as they build towards the start of the Liga Portugal Betclic season.

For Nacional, the match concluded a seven-day training camp in Lousada that featured four friendlies: draws against Leixões (3-3), Tondela (1-1) and Leganés (0-0), followed by this defeat. The Madeira side returns to the island on Thursday night and will face Marítimo in their next pre-season fixture on 1 August 2026.

Head-to-head, the two sides have met eight times since 2021, with Estrela winning three, Nacional winning three and two draws. A combined 14 goals have been scored across those fixtures, averaging 1.75 per match.

A controlled pre-season victory for Estrela, who exploited key moments in each half to secure a clean sheet. Nacional, having seen new signing Wesley Gasolina debut and having hit the woodwork twice, will take more from the run-out than the scoreline suggests. Both sides remain in the early stages of their preparations for the 2026/27 Liga Portugal campaign.