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30/01/07

Nacional beat Marítimo 3-2 on Monday in a ding-dong Madeiran derby. Nacional were two-up within a quarter of an hour through Bruno Amaro, with a monumental strike from 20 metres, and Gregory, an own goal. But they took their foot off and their local rivals slowly made their way back into the game, especially in the second half. Filipe Oliveira pulled one back on 66 minutes, Bruno Fernandes re-established the two-goal lead three minutes later, but Lipatin on 84, with a glancing header similar to Filipe Oliveira's, kept Nacional on their toes until the end.

The teams lined up:

Nacional: Diego, Patacas, Ávalos, Ricardo Fernandes, Alonso, Bruno Fernandes, Chainho (Fernando Cardozo 67), Bruno Amaro, Rodrigo (José Rui 90), Cássio, Juliano.

Marítimo: Marcos, Briguel (Filipe Oliveira 27), Gregory, Milton do Ó, Evaldo, Wénio (Olberdam 56), Arvid, Kanu (Lipatin 56), Marcinho, Diogo Valente, Mbesuma.

Nacional climb above Marítimo into 6^th . Just four points separate the team that is 5^th, União de Leiria, from Belenenses in 10^th.

29/01/07

Sporting lost ground to local rivals Benfica when they could only draw 1-1 at Boavista on Sunday. Sporting's Liedson sneaked between the central defenders to head home a Tello cross five minutes into the second half, but ten minutes later, the same Tello handled a shot by José Manuel and Ricardo Sousa sent Sporting 'keeper Ricardo the wrong way to equalise from the spot kick. Sporting were on the back foot on the hour when Alecsandro was sent off for a second yellow, but then fifteen minutes later, José Manuel got his marching orders, also for a second yellow, to even up the numbers.

Sporting are a point behind Benfica, six behind FC Porto.

The teams lined up:

Boavista: William; Lucas, Hélder Rosário, Cissé, Nuno Pinto (Fary 72), Essame, Kazmierczack, Ricardo Sousa (Livramento 82), Zé Manel, Grzelak, Linz (Hugo Monteiro 87)

Sporting: Ricardo, Caneira, Tonel, Polga, Tello, João Moutinho (Djaló 81), Custódio (Carlos Martins 46), Romagnoli (Miguel Veloso 64), Nani, Alecsandro, Liedson

Vitória de Setúbal got three precious points in their fight against relegation with a 1-0 win at Académica, a result that drags os Estudantes down into the maul.

According to the national daily Correio da Manhã, the final whistle was the best moment in a dour 0-0 draw between Estrela da Amadora and Naval. The bottom two clubs Desportivo das Aves and Beira-Mar ground out the same result.

28/01/07

Benfica moved to within five points of FC Porto Saturday with a 2-1 win at Lisbon neighbours Belenenses. Benfica got their goals in an attractive first half, Rui Costa involved in both: on 13 minutes, his through ball was touched in by Simão, with 'keeper Costinha recklessly out of his goal, and on 37, his free-kick was headed in from close range by giant centre back Luisão, Benfica's best player. The second half was a scrappy affair, with Belenenses controlling play but producing little penetration. They did pull one back on 87 minutes with the goal of the game, the excellent Rodrigo Alvim crossing, Dady stepping over the ball and Silas coolly slotting it in. But it was a bit late to do any more, and Benfica, perhaps wisely, spent what was left of the game playing for time. Belenenses' frustration manifested itself with a red card in added time for José Pedro, who had elbowed Katsouranis in a challenge for the ball.

The teams lined up:

Belenenses: Costinha, Amaral, Rolando, Nivaldo, Rodrigo Alvim, Pinheiro (Eliseu 77), Mancuso, José Pedro, Silas, Dady, Roma (Garcés 45)

Benfica: Quim, Nélson, Luisão, Anderson, Léo, Katsouranis (Beto 93), Petit, Rui Costa (Manú 85), Karagounis, Nuno Gomes (Mantorras 91), Simão

Paços de Ferreira, who have not lost at home for over a year, were 3-0 up after an hour at home to Sporting Braga, with goals from Elias (first half), João Paulo and Antunes. Braga finally woke up and pulled it back to 3-2 through Wender from the spot and Andrade, but like Belenenses, they left the recovery too late and that's how it ended. Paços' Pedrinha was sent off on the stroke of time.

The teams lined up:

Paços de Ferreira: Peçanha, Mangualde, Geraldo, Luiz Carlos, Antunes, Pedrinha, Paulo Sousa, Elias, Edson João Paulo, Cristiano (Renato Queirós 86)

Sporting Braga: Paulo Santos, Luís Filipe, Paulo Jorge, Nem, Paíto (Bruno Gama 62), Vandinho, Ricardo Chaves (Andrade 74), Wender, João Pinto (Diego 46), Cesinha, Zé Carlos

27/01/07

FC Porto lost for only the second time this season on Friday, going down 0-1 at União de Leiria. The game was influenced greatly by the sending off of Porto winger Ricardo Quaresma on the stroke of half time for allegedy hitting Tixier in the face as the two tussled for the ball (it seemed a harsh decision as any contact made looked accidental). Porto 'keeper Helton later called the refereeing "a disgrace". Porto, who had dominated the first half, crumbled in the second, letting União take control, and it was Tixier who sealed Porto's fate, heading in a free-kick from Ivanildo (on loan from Porto) on 70 minutes. Porto hit the bar through Bruno Alves in the final minutes, but it was União, coached by former Porto striker Domingos Paciência, who took the spoils.

The teams lined up:

União de Leiria: Fernando, Laranjeiro, Marcos António, Renato, Tixier, Faria, Paulo Gomes, Paulo Machado (Cadú da Silva 72), Sougou (Slusarki 33), Paulo César, Ivanildo (Alhandra 82).

FC Porto: Helton, Fucile, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Lucas Mareque, Lucho Gonzalez, Paulo Assunção (Vieirinha 73), Raul Meireles (Ibson 59), Lisandro Lopez, Hélder Postiga (Bruno Moraes 68), Ricardo Quaresma.

Sporting and Benfica now have a golden opportunity to make up ground on the leaders, but both have tough games this weekend: Benfica visit neighbours Belenenses on Saturday, while Sporting play at Boavista on Sunday. If they win their games, however, they will draw to within six and five points, respectively, of Porto.

Next weekend's games involving the Big Three have been shifted to Friday and Saturday to give players the chance to recover in time for the Portugal v Brazil friendly, to be played in London on 6 February.

16/01/07

There were just ten goals scored in the eight games of the 15^th jornada of the Liga (equalling the lowest number scored – on the 3^rd jornada)

FC Porto extended their lead at the top to seven points over Sporting with a comfortable 2-0 win at bottom club Desportivo das Aves, the goals coming early and late: Lucho González got the first on nine minutes after good teamwork, and Quaresma got the second in added time.

Sporting could do no better than a 0-0 draw at Belenenses in the Lisbon derby, causing them to lose ground to Porto and allowing Benfica to move within one point of them. Sporting midfielder Carlos Martins was sent off in the second half with yellow cards for two awful fouls.

Benfica copied FC Porto in an excellent game at Académica, both goals coming from defenders. Ricardo Rocha was offside to tap in on two minutes, but left back Léo was onside to score a superb goal two minutes from time.

Sporting Braga fell further behind Benfica with a 0-0 draw at Nacional, the same score as in the game between União de Leiria and Estrela da Amadora.

Beira-Mar stay second from bottom after a 0-1 defeat at Paços de Ferreira, Luíz Carlos getting the only goal ten minutes from time.

Naval climbed to 6^th with a convincing 3-0 win at troubled Vitória de Setúbal, where home fans hurled abuse at their players as they left the dressing room. Fajardo in the frist half and Nei and Mário Sérgio in the second got the goals.

On Friday, Boavista drew 1-1 at home to Marítimo, who went in front through Marcinho on 19minutes after an awful mistake by Boavista's central defender Cissé. but just two minutes into the second half, Boavista salvaged a point with an excellent drive from Polish midfielder Kazmierczak.