WEDNESDAY 4-0 CD NACIONAL
Forestieri 44
Hooper 67, 72
Fletcher 87
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A warm summer evening in Albufeira saw the Owls extend their unbeaten pre-season run with a comfortable win over Portuguese outfit CD Nacional.
And Wednesday were good value for the victory too, dominating proceedings from the first whistle to emerge triumphant.
Marco Matias – playing against his former side – Kieran Lee and Lucas Joao might have opened the scoring before Fernando Forestieri did moments before half time.
The Owls’ talisman took a neat through-ball from Joao into his path before advancing to slip beyond the reach of Rui Silva.
The goal was the highlight of a first half that Wednesday dominated and on another day they would have gone into the break out of sight but for some solid defending.
The second period saw much of the same as Nacional – mid-table in the Primeira Liga last season – got little change from an Owls team that asked all the questions.
Nacional were pinned in their own half for the main, save on 50 minutes when Vitor Goncalves burst through on the angle but shot high and wide.
The Owls broke straight to the other end where Forestieri fired home after Silva kept out a Tom Lees header but the flag was up to deny the Italian a fourth pre-season goal.
Wednesday were not to be denied, though, and a quickfire brace from Gary Hooper in five minutes put the game to bed.
First the striker linked up with fellow substitute Steven Fletcher to stab home at the far post before Hooper promptly doubled his tally with a delightful chip over the committed Silva.
Still there was time for more damage as Fletcher opened his Wednesday account with a composed finish three minutes from the end, rounding Silva before shooting into an unguarded net.
Wednesday: Westwood, Hunt (Vermijl 15), Lees, Hutchinson (Semedo 15), Palmer (Helan 71), Bannan, Lee (Melo 71), Wallace, Joao (Fletcher 63), Matias (Stubbs 75) Forestieri (Hooper 63)