Oriental, Moreirense, FC Arouca, Lusitano GC and now, SC Braga: the route of AD Fafe in the Portuguese Cup has been a real fairy tale. Os Punishers stamped, this Wednesday, the passage to socks of the test and, to do so, they had to eliminate three teams from the I League along the way.
Now, the route led by the emblem that currently competes in the Portuguese League 3 already represents a unprecedented feat in the history of the test. According to our PlaymakerStatsthe Fafe set became the first team from the Portuguese third tier (or lower) to eliminate three opponents from the Primeira Liga in the same edition of the Portuguese Cup!
There are other examples of clubs from the third division (or lower) with the ability to defeat teams from the first division, but who only recorded two victories against teams from the I League.
Now, the most recent case concerns the participation of the Lusitano de Évora, in overthrowing AFS e Estoril Beach in the last edition of the competition – he was eliminated by SC Braga in the eighths. In 2021/22, it was Leça’s turn fall over FC Arouca e Gil Vicentehaving lost to Sporting in the rooms.
To find something similar to these cases, it is necessary to go back to 2011/12, when Torreense advanced in the competition by beating Gil Vicente e River Ave. At the beginning of the century, Leixões eliminated the rival Varzim e SC Bragabut fell at the feet of Sporting in the final.
FC Famalicão (2000/01), Torreense (1998/99), D. Sandinenses (1996/97) and Lusitânia de Lourosa (1993/94) were the remaining cases of emblems from the third division – or lower – that recorded two triumphs against opponents from the Portuguese I League in the same edition of the Portuguese Cup. AD Fafe thus emerges as the first team to register three.
History may not stop here
It is therefore important to go back in time and remember the journey of the Fafenses in the tournament. Interestingly, all the triumphs of the team in question were recorded by the smallest margin.
Fafe
Generali Tranquilidade Portuguese Cup 2025/26
The journey of Punishers began with a victory in casa from the East, for 0-1with the early goal of Vasco Braga to guarantee passage to the next stage. The course from then on was anything but accessible for Fafe’s team, who had to face three opponents who compete in the Portuguese top flight.
In the 3rd round, John the Baptist wore the hero’s cape to take down Moreirense, before João Oliveira stamp one Fafe-style turnaround in the duel against FC Arouca (2-1). As fate would have it, the team currently led by Mário Ferreira would face SC Braga in the rooms of the test, after dropping the Lusitano GC nos eighths – also 0-1.
In the fight against MinhoAD Fafe demonstrated coldness and superiority, stamping its presence in the socks of the competition with a 2-1 victory. João Santos and Carlos Daniel scored the goals in Fafen’s unprecedented victory, which will be remembered as one of the highlights of the club’s history in the near future.
Following are the socks and, perhaps, the final of the Portuguese Cup! Therefore, if Fafe’s team meets FC Porto or the winner of the clash between Sporting and AFS in the game that precedes the final round, the historical journey of the Fafe fans could be expanded.
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