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31/12/08
Website Maisfutebol reports that the Portuguese Liga has the worst goal average per game in Europe: 2.09. The best is Holland with 3.10.
As 2008 comes to an end, Benfica are top of the Liga for this first time in 13 years (at this stage of the season) ... but they are bottom of the Liga Fair-Play, headed by
Vitória de Setúbal.
The standings:
1 Vitória de Setúbal
2 Marítimo
3 Académica
4 Sporting
5 Naval
6 Trofense
7 Nacional
= Sporting Braga
9 F.C. Porto
10 Estrela da Amadora
11 Leixões
12 Paços de Ferreira
13 Rio Ave
14 Vitória de Guimarães
15 Belenenses
16 Benfica
23/12/08
It was a weekend of very few goals in the Liga – just ten, with five of them coming in one game (Belenenses 3-2 Trofense).
The Big Three of Benfica, FC Porto and Sporting all drew 0-0 at home to Nacional, Marítimo and Académica, respectively.
On Monday, Benfica drew 0-0 at home to Nacional. It was the Madeiran side that exhibited the most coherent football throughout, but it was Benfica who had the ball in the net in the
dying minutes, Cardozo's 'goal' disallowed for handball by Miguel Vítor, who was on the ground at the time. Nacional's Alonso was sent off for a second yellow ten minutes from time, while Benfica's
Nuno Gomes
was sent off after the game by referee Pedro Henriques, for words allegedly directed at him in the tunnel after the game. Nuno Gomes has subsequently been suspended for two games, while Benfica have threatened to press criminal charges against the match officials.
The teams lined up:
Benfica: Moreira, Maxi Pereira, Luisão, Sidnei (Miguel Vítor 29), Jorge Ribeiro, Yebda, Katsouranis, Ruben Amorim (Urreta 83), Di Maria (Nuno Gomes 69), Cardozo, Suazo
Nacional: Bracalli, Patacas, Felipe Lopes, Halliche, Alonso, Cleber, Edson (Juninho 70), Ruben Micael (Igor Pita 76), Luís Alberto, Nené, Mateus (Nuno Pinto 80)
An impressive Marítimo held FC Porto to a 0-0
draw at the Dragão on Sunday. In fact, they might have got more if the referee had seen a handball by Bruno Alves (which would have given a penalty) following a cross.
The teams lined up:
FC Porto: Helton, Fucile, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Pedro Emanuel (Mariano 67), Fernando, Raul Meireles (Farias 85), Lucho González, Rodriguez, Hulk, Lisandro López.
Marítimo: Marcos, Briguel, João Guilherme, Fernando Cardozo, Van der Linden, Bruno, Olberdam, Marcinho (Vítor Júnior 77), Bruno Fogaça (Djalma 46), Miguelito, Baba (Manu 86).
On Saturday, Sporting conceded a 0-0 draw to visitors Académica, whose 'keeper Peskovic was the Man of the Match with a series of fine saves.
The teams lined up:
Sporting: Rui Patrício, Abel, Carriço, Polga, Caneira (Miguel Veloso, 46), Rochemback, Moutinho, Izmailov (Djaló, 77), Romagnoli (Vukcevic, 65), Liedson e Postiga.
Académica de Coimbra: Peskovic, Pedrinho, Luiz Nunes, Orlando, Pedro Costa, Pavlovic, Cris, Diogo (Tiero, 73), Miguel Pedro (Nuno Piloto, 83), Éder e Lito (Lica, 69).
Leixões could not take advantage of their rivals' falter, their 1-1 draw at home to Estrela da Amadora leaving them in second on 24 points, the same as FC Porto. Wesley
put Leixões in front on the hour, but Celestino
equalised from the spot ten minutes from time. Leixões are two points behind Benficaand one ahead of Sporting. Nacional move into the last UEFA Cup spot after their point at the Luz.
A goal be Colombian strike Renteria 15 minutes from tie gave Sporting Braga a 1-0 win over Rio Ave at home, lifting them to sixth, a point behind Nacional.
Paços de Ferreira put a little light between them and the bottom places with a 2-0 win at home to Vitória de Setúbal, now hovering above the drop zone. The game was won within the
first ten minutes through Cristiano and Pedrinha, but Paços were down to ten men for an hour after Ricardo was sent off. Vitória were unable to take advantage of their numerical superiority, however.
In the bottom of the table clash, Belenenses were two down to 'red lantern' Trofense, Edu Souza and Valdomiro
doing the damage. But the Blue turned the game around (3-2) with three goals in a twenty-minute spell in the second half through Marcelo, Wender and Gabriel
. Belenenses remain second from bottom, though.
20/12/08
In front of just 1,356 spectators, Naval and Vitória de Guimarães, who came nearest to scoring with a shot hitting the bar in the second half, ground out a 0-0
draw on Friday which keeps them both in mid-table.
The teams lined up:
Naval: Peiser, Carlitos, Paulão, Diego, Daniel Cruz, Alex Hauw (Gilmar 91), Godeméche, Bolívia, Dudu (Davide 82), Marcelinho, Marinho (Simplício 65).
Vitória de Guimarães:
Nilson, Lionn, Gregory, Moreno, Momba, Flávio Meireles, João Alves, Luís Filipe (Marquinho 68), Nuno Assis (Wênio 91), Desmarets, Roberto (Fajardo 82).
18/12/08
FC Porto visited cash-strapped Estrela da Amadora (the players had called off a strike on the morning of the game) on Tuesday in a Liga game from the ninth jornada,
postponed at the time. They were not in a sympathetic mood and came away with all three points from a 4-2 win, Estrela's fourth successive defeat. Lisandro
put them in front on 11 minutes, heading home a cross by Fucile. On 27 minutes, the same Fucile was the villain at the other end, clearing against Moreno's shin, the ball ballooning back across goal, over
Hélton and in. But then Fucile made amends in added time with a corner that Cristian Rodriguez headed home.
Estrela were back on level terms on the hour, Vidigal crashing home a header from Celestino's free kick, but a minute later, Hulk
guided in a magnificent shot from outside the area to give Porto the upper hand once more. This time there was no coming back for Estrela, Cristian Rodriguez
getting his second from a free-kick on 83 minutes after Hugo Carreira had handled and was sent off. The result puts Porto third, level with Leixões and two points behind Benfica.
The teams lined up:
Estrela da Amadora: Nelson, Hugo Gomes, Mustafá (Ndiaye 21), Hugo Carreira, Moreno, Fernando Alexandre, Vidigal, Marcelo Goianira, Celestino, Silvestre Varela, Anselmo (Rui Varela 72).
FC Porto: Helton, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Pedro Emanuel (Tomás Costa 92), Fucile, Fernando, Raul Meireles (Guarin 84), Lucho Gonzalez, Cristian Rodriguez, Lisandro, Hulk (Mariano Gonzalez 87).
09/12/08
Leixões dropped off top spot on Monday after a 0-1 defeat in front of 20,000 at Vitória de Guimarães. A late goal from Fajardo
gave Vitória their first home win of the season and allowed Benfica to take top spot from Leixões.
Trofense managed to keep Braga at bay at home and secured a valuable point in a 0-0 draw.
08/12/08
Before the match between Marítimo and Benfica on Sunday, Marítimo had the best defensive record in the Liga; not any more. Sixteen minutes in, Marítimo goalkeeper Marcos flattened
David Suazo, through on goal. Marcos was sent off and Reyes scored from the spot, setting Benfica up for their biggest win of the season, and indeed their biggest away win for 34 years: 6-0. David
Suazo made it two before the break, but Marítimo kept the scoreline reasonable until the 66th minutes, Luisão
making it three. By this time, Benfica's forwards were going through the Marítimo defence like a knife through butter, and in a five-minute flurry at the end of the game, Suazo with another and Nuno Gomes
, on as sub, with two made it six. The result puts Benfica provisionally top, with Leixões visiting Vitória de Guimarães on Monday.
The teams lined up:
Marítimo: Marcos, Paulo Jorge, Fernando Cardozo, Antoine van der Linden, João Guilherme, Miguelito, Olberdam, Bruno (João Luíz 66), Marcinho, Djalma (Baba 58), Manú (Bruno Grassi 19).
Benfica: Moreira, Maxi Pereira, Luisão, Sidnei, David Luiz, Binya (Yebda 58), Katsouranis, Ruben Amorim (Balboa 68), Reyes, Aimar (Nuno Gomes 80), Suazo.
Other big away wins for Benfica (source Maisfutebol):
1973/74: Olhanense-Benfica, 1-7
1966/67: Beira Mar-Benfica, 0-9
1965/66: Barreirense-Benfica, 1-7
1964/65: Belenenses-Benfica, 0-6
1950/51: Estoril-Benfica, 0-7
1936/37: Leixões-Benfica, 0-6
A goal in each half from Semedo and Livramento gave Rio Ave a rare win, 2-0 at home to Naval, taking them out of the relegation zone.
07/12/08
FC Porto kept pace with their Big Three rivals Sporting and Benfica on Saturday with a 3-0 win at Vitória de Setúbal. Vitória held out until the 65th minutes, but were then destroyed in a fifteen-minute spell by lethal finishing from Porto.
Bruno Alves headed in a corner on 65, Guarín was fed by Hulk on 68 to slot the ball in after two bites of the cherry, and Mariano cut the ball back for Lucho González
to volley home on 79. The result puts Porto in fourth, two points behind Sporting and Benfica and three behind Leixões.
The teams lined up:
Vitória de Setúbal: Pedro Alves, Janício, Anderson, Robson, Cissokho, Hugo (Carrijo 69), Ricardo Chaves, Leandro Lima, Mateus, Bruno Gama (Leandro 57), Laionel (Elias 69).
FC Porto: Helton, Fucile, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Lino, Fernando, Tomás Costa (Guarín 57), Lucho, Rodríguez (Mariano 78), Hulk (Tarik 82), Lisandro.
Nacional won an eventful game at home to Belenenses. They were 2-0 up within 40 minutes through top scorer Nenê, but then after the break, Belenenses got their act together and drew
level through Silas and Marcelo, on 59 and 82 minutes, respectively. But Nacional regained the lead through Mateus on 83 minutes, and Cléber
finished off the scoring two minutes from time to give Nacional a 4-2 win. On 75 minutes, Nacional's Fabiano Oliveira saw a direct red, then on 85, Belenenses' Alex von Schewedler saw a second yellow; the total for the night was nine yellows and two reds.
Académica beat an improving Paços de Ferreira 2-1 with goals from Lito and Orlando. The Liga top scorer William had equalised for Paços on the hour.
06/12/08
Sporting moved provisionally into third place in the Liga on Friday, a point behind leaders Leixões, with a 3-1 win away at Estrela da Amadora. Estrela moved in front in an even
first half through Anselmo
on six minutes (he could have made it two later but hit the post when it was easier to score) after Rui Patrício could only parry a cross by ex-Sportinguista Varela. It took Sporting just three minutes to draw level,
Izmailov given time to slot home a pass by João Moutinho. Sporting had the upper hand throughout most of the second half and took the lead on 51 minutes through Liedson, who looked suspiciously offside
before heading home a Rochemback cross from the right. Vukcevic
came on as sub a quarter of an hour from the end, seemingly putting an end to the internal feud between him and coach Paulo Bento, and scored with his third touch of the ball. It was Estrela's first home defeat of the season; they are currently 10th on 11 points.
The teams lined up:
Estrela da Amadora: Nelson, Hugo Gomes, Hugo Carreira, Nuno André Coelho, Moreno, Luís Vidigal, Alexandre (Celsinho 63), Celestino, N'Diaye (Jardel 75), Silvestre Varela, Anselmo.
Sporting:
Rui Patrício, Bruno Pereirinha, Daniel Carriço, Anderson Polga, Grimi (Marco Caneira 24), Miguel Veloso, Rochemback, João Moutinho, Izmailov (Pedro Silva 80), Liedson e Hélder Postiga (Vukevic 75).
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