Santa Clara vs Leça

The rapid-fire double blow inside the first 12 minutes effectively settled the contest. Once Sorriso had both scored and assisted inside that early spell, Leça — a side celebrating promotion to Liga 3 after winning the Campeonato de Portugal in 2025/26 — were always chasing the game against a Santa Clara side operating two divisions higher.

Sorriso — The Brazilian wide man was the standout performer on his unofficial debut. A pinpoint assist for Fernando's opener followed by a poacher's goal from a rebound inside 12 minutes. He showed exactly why Santa Clara moved to secure his signature until 2028.

Fernando — Took his early chance well with a striker's finish and led the line effectively throughout his minutes on the pitch.

Vitinho — Another new arrival who made an impact off the bench. The ex-Cruzeiro midfielder's driving run and intelligent pass started the move for the fourth goal, showcasing the vision Petit wants in the final third.

Gonçalo Paciência — The experienced forward got his name on the scoresheet with a well-taken finish in the 81st minute, adding a layer of experience to a developing attacking unit.

Player of the match: Sorriso.

While detailed match statistics from a behind-closed-doors friendly are limited, the scoreline tells a clear story: Santa Clara's three-goal first-half burst reflected a sharp contrast in sharpness between a Primeira Liga side in the early stages of pre-season and a Liga 3 side. The 4-0 final scoreline was the most emphatic of the pre-season results across Portuguese clubs on the day, with Santa Clara creating four clear-cut chances and converting them all. The clean sheet, achieved without their full first-choice XI, will also please manager Petit, who has stressed the importance of building a defensive foundation during pre-season.

Santa Clara open their pre-season schedule with a convincing win as they prepare for the 2026/27 Liga Portugal Betclic campaign. The performance offered early encouragement that the club's recruitment — Sorriso, Vitinho and Emanuel Moreira (who started at centre-back) among the arrivals — is integrating well into Petit's system.

Leça, who earned promotion to Liga 3 by winning the Campeonato de Portugal last season, face a step up in quality and will have learned from the test against a top-flight opponent.

Next up: Santa Clara face Paredes (also of Liga 3) on Saturday 18 July in their second pre-season friendly. Leça continue their own preparations with further friendlies to be announced.

A near-perfect start to pre-season for Santa Clara: four goals, a clean sheet, and impactful contributions from new signings inside the first 12 minutes. The scoreline flattered no one — Petit's side were clinical when it mattered. For Leça, the gap in class was instructive rather than concerning at this stage of their own build-up.