RIO MAIOR, Portugal (Interstat) — In a frenetic and chaotic Primeira Liga match that defied pregame projections, Casa Pia opened its league campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Arouca on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Estádio Municipal de Rio Maior.

The match, which featured four goals in a blistering 26-minute first-half span, was ultimately decided by a second-half penalty kick from Casa Pia’s star forward Cassiano, who finished with two goals and an assist in a commanding individual performance.

The contest began at a furious pace. Arouca substitute Javi Sánchez received a yellow card in just the 6th minute, setting a combative tone. Casa Pia defender David Sousa was also booked shortly after. Against the early run of play, it was Arouca’s own substitute, Barbero, who opened the scoring in the 11th minute, capitalizing on an assist from fellow sub Ignacio De Arruabarrena to stun the home crowd.

Casa Pia’s response was swift and emphatic. Just ten minutes later, defender Rafael Brito leveled the score at 1-1, finding the net with an assist from João Marques. The home side then seized complete momentum four minutes later. Cassiano, who would torment Arouca’s defense all afternoon, scored his first of the day in the 25th minute, assisted by defender Kali, to give Casa Pia a 2-1 lead.

Arouca showed resilience, equalizing before halftime through defender Abdu Conté in the 37th minute. Conté’s goal, assisted by forward Larra—who was booked during the celebration—knotted the score at 2-2 and capped a breathless first half.

The second half saw the match grow increasingly tense, with five more yellow cards issued. The decisive moment arrived in the 66th minute. After a foul in the area, Cassiano calmly converted from the penalty spot to complete his brace and restore Casa Pia’s lead at 3-2. Arouca pushed for another equalizer but could not break through a determined Casa Pia defense for a second time.

The result provided a stark contrast to the pregame analytics. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw, and its ELO rating system gave Casa Pia a 64.40 percent probability to win. The actual match delivered a higher-scoring and more decisive outcome.

With the victory, Casa Pia begins its Primeira Liga season with one win and no losses, while Arouca starts with no wins and one loss. The records are identical across all competitions for both clubs. The match was a showcase for Cassiano, whose three goal contributions powered the home side to three points in their league opener.