Belenenses secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Varzim on Sunday evening in the final match of matchday 13 in the Liga 3 promotion phase, guaranteeing themselves at least a playoff spot for promotion to the second tier. The playoff will see them face the 16th-placed team from the II Liga.
In Gonçalo Brandão’s debut as head coach, goals from Bruninho (43rd minute) and Diogo Cabral (80th minute) ended a winless run for the Restelo side, who had drawn three and lost one of their previous four matches. Varzim pulled one back deep into second-half stoppage time through Pedro Clemente, but it was too late to change the result.
With this win, Belenenses now have 23 points, two behind second-placed Académica, who sit on 25. One of these two teams will join Amarante—who clinched promotion to the II Liga earlier on Sunday with 28 points—in moving up a division. Belenenses’ victory also mathematically eliminated Mafra and Vitória B from playoff contention. Varzim remain sixth with 13 points, ahead of only Trofense (10) and União Santarém (9).
All eyes now turn to the final matchday, which features Académica vs. Trofense, Belenenses vs. Mafra, Vitória B vs. Amarante, and União Santarém vs. Varzim.