Famalicao top of Portuguese top flight

Can't blame Rúben Lameiras for going

He's made 5 appearances with 2 assists

A newly promoted team with an Englishman at left-back are shaking up the established order in the Portuguese top flight and sitting top of the league.

Famalicao have made the perfect start to the season on their return to the Primeira Liga for the first time in 25 years.

The minnows beat Pacos de Ferreira 4-2 on Saturday to give them four wins and a draw from their first five games.

That puts them above the traditional Portuguese powerhouses of Benfica, Porto and Sporting Lisbon, who between them have won every league title bar two since 1934.

Famalicao, who are from the north of Portugal, play at the 5,300-seater Estadio Municipal 22 de Junho and are managed by Joao Pedro Sousa, who was assistant to Marco Silva at Everton and Hull and was voted the Primeira Liga manager of the month for August.

A key part of their defence is 20-year-old Hull-born full-back Josh Tymon, who is on loan from Stoke and has played just seven games for the Potters in two seasons.

The England Under-20 defender, who began his career at his hometown club before joining Stoke in 2017, has started four of Famalicao's five league games so far and came off the bench in Saturday's win.

But it might be too soon to be dreaming of Europe yet as Famalicao's first real test of the season will be away to Sporting on 23 September.

Ruben Lameiras put in a man-of-the-match performance when Famalicao returned to the top of the Portuguese Primera Liga with a 2-1 win away to Sporting Lisbon on Monday night.

The former Plymouth Argyle playmaker scored a 55th minute equaliser as Famalicao came from behind to clinch a famous victory in the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

It was the first goal scored by Lameiras since he signed for Famalicao on a four-year contract in the summer.

It must have been an especially sweet moment for Lisbon-born Lameiras as it came in his home city.

Famalicao were promoted from Liga Pro, the second tier of Portuguese football, last season and have had a stunning start to the current campaign.

They have now won five of their first six league games and drawn the other one.

Lameiras and his team-mates, who include former Oxford United loan signing Toni Martinez, are sitting proudly at the top of the table.

They are a point clear of the two powerhouses of Portuguese football – Benfica and Porto.

Sporting, who included former Argyle winger Yannick Bolasie in their side against Famalicao, went ahead through Luciano Vietto in the 25th minute.

The visitors were level 10 minutes after half-time as Lameiras came up with a fine finish.

Left-back Alex Centelles made a great break forward before passing the ball to Lameiras, who had picked up a position on the edge of the penalty area.

He worked the ball onto his left foot before firing a low shot past ‘keeper Renan Ribeiro.

Lameiras had not scored a league goal since March, for Argyle in their 2-2 draw with Bristol Rovers in League One at Home Park.

Famalicao then went on to beat Sporting with an 88th minute own goal from Uruguay international, and former Liverpool defender, Sebastian Coates.

Lameiras was named as the man-of-the-match on a famous night for Famalicao.

Voted the Plymouth Live Argyle Player of the Year for 2018/19, he has made a superb transition to life in the Primera Liga.

He has started all six games on the right side of an attacking trio which has also included Fabio Martins and Martinez, the former West Ham United prospect.

It is all far removed from the end of last season when Lameiras was part of the Argyle squad which was relegated to League Two after a dreadful run of results.

Famalicao are next in Primera Liga at home to 14th-placed Belenenses on Saturday.