Portuguese Abroad goals: João Félix bags double; hat-tricks for Beto, Ruben Rodrigues; William Carvalho turns on the style; Klopp salutes Jota after another goal; Carvalho scores in Greek derby
On the first weekend since Portugal sealed their place at Qatar 2022, there were plenty of Luso goals to celebrate across Europe. João Félix continues to show signs that he is making the transition into a consistent performer at Atletico Madrid with a brace in La Liga, while goals kept coming in batches as Beto and Ruben Rodrigues netted hat-tricks in Italy’s Serie A and the English National League respectively.
Diogo Jota was also on the scoresheet again for Liverpool in the Premier League, while there was a classy goal by Real Betis midfielder William Carvalho in Spain, and former Benfica man João Carvalho found the net on derby day in Greece for Olympiacos.
João Félix has now ensured he will end the season with his best-ever tally in La Liga after his double against Alaves took him onto 8 league goals for the season. Atletico were 4-1 winners at the Wanda Metropolitano, securing a 6th straight league win and warming up nicely for their midweek Champions League clash with Manchester City.
Again Félix revisited his tendency to score early goals this season. The former Benfica man put Atletico in front against Alaves after just ten minutes, nodding in Sime Vrsaljko’s cross. His second would put Atleti 3-1 up late on, and it was largely his own work: Félix ghosted past Facundo Tenaglia before driving infield and setting up a chance for Matheus Cunha, whose effort was parried into the path of the grateful Felix to settle the game.
Félix has scored ten goals in all competitions so far, matching his figure for last season with plenty of games still to play. The 22-year-old scored 10 in 40 appearances last term; he has 10 from 31 outings so far this season. The Atletico squad arrived in Manchester on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League first-leg qualifier against English champions Manchester City.
Related article: “I feel great” – Beto follows in Ronaldo’s footsteps with Serie A hat-trick
Klopp salutes Jota after another goal
Diogo Jota picked up where he left off before the international break by scoring in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Watford on Saturday. Once again it was a headed goal for the ex-Porto man, who nodded in a brilliant delivery from Joe Gomez midway through the first half at Anfield for his 14th league goal of the season.
Jota has four goals from his last five matches for club and country, and after the match Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp spoke glowingly – as he often has this season – about their 2020 recruit from Wolverhampton Wanderers. “It was always clear that Diogo is not a pure winger; Diogo is a striker who can defend the wing and play on the wing – both wings,” said the German.
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— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 2, 2022
A sublime transition finished off by @DiogoJota18 ???? pic.twitter.com/aq4srEF7Y4
“Thank God he played for us all three positions up front and always did really well. Today, in a game like this, it is really important that the boys play the game and not the position. That means you have to end up in these kind of situations where we struggle sometimes if we are a bit too static. This was a very fluid situation where Joey was high, got the ball, a great cross, but then if there is nobody [there] it is still the same cross with no outcome. It was a great goal, absolutely.
“He is that guy and it was, for sure, always in him, but I’ve said now a couple of times, at Wolves he had a different job and he did that job that good that we thought, ‘We want him.’ Since he has come in, he has improved a lot. That is a little bit up to his age, he is growing into the top, world-class striker role step by step.
“He is delivering for Portugal pretty consistently, which is a difficult job to do there with all the offensive talent they have. So, actually, he is the player we thought he will be – and even a little bit better.”
William Carvalho: another golaço
The goalscoring form of William Carvalho has been one of the pleasantly surprising aspects of the Portuguese Abroad section this season. Carvalho has four goals in all competitions this season – matching his career-best for Sporting in his debut season in 2013-14 – and his latest in Sunday’s 4-1 win over Osasuna received widespread attention.
Carvalho put the game beyond Osasuna by making it 3-1 on 82 minutes. The former Sporting man made what has become an increasingly typical forward run into the penalty area and found himself through on goal, after which he beat Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera with a deft shift of his feet and rolled the ball into the net.
William Carvalho finishing like prime R9 today pic.twitter.com/DvjibOhx3y
— Sean Gillen (@SeanGillen16) April 3, 2022
Carvalho scores in Greek derby as Rodrigues hat-trick lights up National League
João Carvalho scored a big goal in Greece this weekend for champions Olympiacos in their derby clash with AEK Athens. Pedro Martins’ Olympiacos are closing in on a third straight Super League title with a 12-point lead at the top, and Carvalho picked a fine moment to score his first goal for the club since arriving from Nottingham Forest in January.
Carvalho put Olympiacos ahead after half an hour when he converted Giorgos Masouras’ cross. Although AEK secured a point with a 1-1 draw, Martins’ Olympiacos remain dominant in Greek football, with just one defeat this season from 29 outings in the league as they cruise to defend their crown.
There was another hat-trick this weekend, scored by Ruben Rodrigues for the world’s oldest professional football club: Notts County. The team plays in the National League, England’s fifth tier, and Rodrigues has been one of Country’s standout players this season. A 3-0 win at Southend this weekend saw the 25-year-old score all three and move onto 15 for the season.
Beto wasn’t the only Portuguese to get a hat-trick this weekend. Rúben Rodrigues scored three for the world’s oldest club Notts County in England.pic.twitter.com/ZshYKgG0PN
— Sean Gillen (@SeanGillen16) April 4, 2022
The rest: Moutinho on target in MLS
Orlando City defender João Moutinho may share his name with one of Portugal’s most recognisable players, but this weekend he scored a goal the Seleção legend would have been proud of. Moutinho finished with a crisp left-foot shot to give Orlando an equaliser (2-2) against Los Angeles FC, but his side went on to lose 4-2 at home.
Finally, Pedro Eugénio struck twice for Astana in the Kazakhstani league this weekend in their 3-0 win at Maqtaaral, while there was a last-gasp winner by Ricardinho to give Voluntari a 1-0 victory over Farul in Romania, and Rui Mendes got the opener as Emmen beat VVV 2-0 in the Dutch Eerste Divisie.
By Sean Gillen