AROUCA, Portugal (Interstat) — Tiago Esgaio scored in the 64th minute and Arouca made the goal stand in a 1-0 victory over Nacional on Sunday at Estádio Municipal de Arouca. Nais Djouahra assisted on the goal. Arouca, the home team, improved to 3-0-0 in this competition and 4-0-0 across all competitions. Nacional, the visiting team, moved to 1-2-0 in the competition and 1-3-0 across all competitions. Arouca scored once and held Nacional scoreless in the home match.

The decisive moment came after more than an hour of play. The scoreline remained 0-0 until the 64th minute, when Djouahra supplied the assist and Esgaio finished the move to put the home side ahead. Esgaio’s statline finished at 90 minutes and one goal, while Djouahra’s finished at 90 minutes and one assist. The goal separated the teams on a day when Nacional could not produce a response and finished with no goals. Arouca’s defense protected the one-goal edge through the remainder of the match.

Arouca protected the lead through the closing stages. The match grew more physical as the second half wore on. Nacional’s Djalo M. received a yellow card in the 74th minute. Arouca’s Lebedenko O. was booked in the 76th minute. Nacional’s Dongmo D. then received a yellow card in the 78th minute. Arouca’s Gozalbez P. was booked in the fourth minute of stoppage time. The cards added to the tension but did not change the score.

The only goal of the match came before the cards began. Arouca’s first substitution in the 59th minute preceded the breakthrough by five minutes. Nacional made two changes in the 70th minute and another in the 71st. Arouca made a change in the 71st and two in the 75th. Nacional’s final changes came in the 81st minute. The final recorded card was Gozalbez P.’s yellow in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Both teams used substitutions as the game moved into its final third. Arouca made its first change in the 59th minute involving Fukui T., before the goal arrived. Nacional then made two changes in the 70th minute involving Gavriel S. and Labidi C. Nacional made another change in the 71st minute involving Njoya A., and Arouca made a change in the 71st involving Barbero I. Arouca followed with two changes in the 75th minute involving Flores M. and Trezza A. Nacional completed its changes in the 81st minute with Baeza M. and Song Min-Kyu. The substitutions interrupted the flow late, but Arouca maintained its advantage.

Arouca entered the match with momentum from its recent results. The club had won 1-0 at Alverca, won 4-3 at Os Belenenses and beaten Estrela 1-0 at home. Nacional entered after a 1-0 home win over Braga, a 1-0 loss at Sanjoanense and a 3-2 loss at Rio Ave. The visitors could not carry that recent home success into the trip to Estádio Municipal de Arouca. Arouca’s win kept its unbeaten starts intact in the competition and across all competitions.

Arouca’s competition record now stands at 3-0-0, and its record across all competitions is 4-0-0. Nacional’s competition record is 1-2-0, and its record across all competitions is 1-3-0. Arouca has not lost in either the competition or across all competitions this season.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Arouca 1, Nacional 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Arouca with an 82.9 percent probability to win. Arouca had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 2.5.