FAFE, Portugal (Interstat) — Host Fafe delivered a spirited upset on Sunday, defeating top-flight side Arouca 2-1 to advance in the Taça de Portugal.

Playing at the Parque Municipal dos Desportos, the lower-division club from northern Portugal continued its flawless run in the domestic cup competition, capitalizing on a disciplined defensive performance after an early goal.

The match’s opening strike came from an unlikely source, as Arouca’s Naïs Djouahra found the net in the 27th minute, giving the visiting Primeira Liga team the initial advantage. The goal seemed to confirm the pre-match projections from Interstat, whose ELO system had given Arouca a 67.90 percent probability of victory.

Fafe, however, demonstrated the resilience that has characterized its season. The home side regrouped and mounted a determined comeback, netting two unanswered goals to secure the victory. The final score of 2-1 surpassed the Interstat game simulator’s projection of a narrow 1-0 win for Fafe.

The match was a physical contest, reflected in three yellow cards issued by the officiating crew. Arouca’s Dylan Nandín was booked in the 52nd minute, followed by a caution for Fafe’s Omar Fayed in the 61st minute. Arouca’s Boris Popović received a yellow card in the 83rd minute as his team pressed unsuccessfully for an equalizer.

The result solidifies Fafe’s impressive form in the Taça de Portugal, improving its record in the tournament to four wins and zero losses. Across all competitions, Fafe now stands at seven wins, three losses and two draws. The victory extends a strong run of form that has seen the team suffer only one defeat in its last nine outings across all fronts.

For Arouca, the loss is another disappointing result in a difficult season. The club’s record in the cup competition falls to one win and one loss. Its form across all competitions is more troubling, now standing at just two wins, six losses and two draws. The team has lost its last three matches, including a 4-3 league defeat to Estoril and a 2-0 loss to Moreirense earlier this month.

Fafe will look to carry the momentum from this cup triumph into its next match, a league fixture at home against Paredes on Saturday, Nov. 29.

Arouca, meanwhile, must regroup quickly for a challenging schedule in Portugal’s top division, Primeira Liga. Its next match is at home against Sporting Braga on Monday, Dec. 1, followed by a trip to face Estrela Amadora on Sunday, Dec. 7.