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26/05/09
The Liga and Liga de Honra (second tier) both wound up at the weekend, generating some tension but no real surprises.
On Saturday, Belenenses had a chance to claw their way to safety (if other results had gone their way), but they failed even to keep their side of the bargain, going down 1-3 at Benfica
. Silas actually put Belenenses in front, but then goals from Cardozo, a header, a screamer from Fellipe Bastos from 30 metres and a clip in at the near post from Pedro Mantorras
consigned Belenenses to the second tier next season. Belenenses' case was not helped by forward Saulo being sent off just before half-time for kicking out at Di Maria.
Joining them will be Trofense, who go straight back down after just one season in the top flight. They lost 0-1 at Taça finalists Paços de Ferreira, who had striker William
returning after a long lay-off through injury … and scoring the only goal.
Vitória de Setúbal did themselves a favour with a 2-2 draw at Naval. Marcelinho put Naval in front from the spot, Bruno Gama and Carrijo
put Vitória in the lead in the second half, and Marinho equalised for the home side in the dying minutes.
The other team in danger of the drop, Rio Ave, beat Estrela da Amadora 2-1 at home. Rio Ave were two-nil up through Edson (17 minutes) and Livramento (66), with Pedro Pereira
getting a consolation for Estrela ten minutes from time.
Leixões secured sixth spot with a 1-0 win at home to Marítimo, the Madeiran side's fifth successive defeat. Diogo Valente got the only goal on 70 minutes.
Vitória de Guimarães ended a disappointing season with a win, 3-2 at Académica. Carlos Saleiro put the visitors in front on 2 minutes, but then goals from Orlando
(an own goal) and two from Roberto put Guimarães in the driving seta, but Saleiro got his second fifteen minutes from time to put the result in doubt till the end.
A week ahead of their Taça de Portugal Final against Paços de Ferreira, a lacklustre FC Porto conceded a 1-1 draw at home to Sporting Braga. Farias
before the break gave Porto the lead, with Edimar equalising ten minutes into the second half.
The main interest in the Sporting v Nacional
game was whether Nacional could clinch the fourth spot (which they did, despite losing 1-3 on the night) and whether Liedson could catch Nacional's Nenê in the hunt for the Bola de Prata
(Silver Ball), awarded by the sports daily A Bola. He couldn't; Nenê finished on 20 goals, Liedson on 17, the same as Benfica's Cadrozo. Derlei
was the man of the match with two goals in what could be his last game for Sporting. Romagnoli added a penalty, but it was Nenê
who scored the goal of the game with a swerving free-kick from 25 metres that hit the top right-hand corner of the net.
Up to the Liga come Algarve club Olhanense, coached by ex FC Porto captain Jorge Costa, who cinched promotion last weekend but fueled the party with a 1-0 win at home to Gil Vicente
. They would be joined by either União de Leiria, after just one season away from the top division, or Santa Clara. The Azores team went down 1-0 at Feirense, while Leiria won 2-3
at Aveiro side Beira-Mar, thus securing promotion.
Relegated from the Liga de Honra are Gondomar, who could only draw 1-1 with relegation rivals Oliveirense, safe, and historic club Boavista, who went down 1-4 at home to
Sporting de Covilhã. Just eight years ago, Boavista were winning the Liga title at about this time and would go on to strike fear into many a top side in Europe. Now they are consigned to the third tier and an uncertain future, strangled as they are already with debts.
18/05/09
Benfica ensured third place in the Liga, behind FC Porto and Sporting, by beating Sporting Braga 3-1
away on Sunday. All three Benfica goals came from mistakes by Braga: on seven minutes, Katsouranis floated a through ball towards Cardozo, Eduardo was slow in coming out and the lanky Paraguayan striker
leapt to head into an empty goal; six minutes later, Eduardo miskicked a pass to João Pereira, it went straight to Di Maria and the Argentinian forward rounded Eduardo to knock the ball in at the near post;
and two minutes into the second half, Urreta robbed the ball from André Leone before beating two defenders and then stroking the ball in. Braga got a consolation goal on the stroke of time, Luís Aguiar
scoring from the spot after Miguel Vítor had brought down Alan. Eleven yellow cards were shown, two of them to Yebda who got his marching orders just 12 minutes after coming on as sub.
Sporting de Braga: Eduardo, João Pereira, Frechaut, André Leone, Evaldo, Filipe Oliveira (Rodriguez 46), César Peixoto (Matheus 61), Mossoró (Luís Aguiar 46), Alan, Paulo César, Renteria.
Benfica: Moreira, Miguel Vítor, Sidnei, David Luiz (Urreta 12), Jorge Ribeiro, Katsouranis (Yebda 56), Maxi Pereira, Ruben Amorim, Reyes, Di Maria (Carlos Martins 70), Cardozo.
Sporting Braga are in fifth in the table, behind Nacional who won 1-0 at home to Paços de Ferreira, Cléber tucking in a goal at the near post on 83 minutes.
The Algarve will have a club in the top division next season: Olhanense are promoted as champions of the Liga de Honra after winning 1-0 at Gondomar, the only goal scored
by ex-Benfica striker Toy fifteen minutes from time. Who will join them in the Liga will only be known next week: it will be either Santa Clara or União de Leiria, who both won on Sunday (3-1 to
oliveirense and 2-1 to Feirense, respectively). Santa Clara visit Feirense while União make the short trip to Beira-Mar on the last day.
17/05/09
Champions FC Porto brushed aside Trofense, who needed points in their fight aginst relegation, winning 4-1 in Trofa. Farias on the half-hour and Lisandro López
just before the break gave Porto a 2-0 half-time lead, with Lisandro again, on 62 minutes, and Farias
again, on 80, finishing the demolition. The goal of the game, however, was Trofense's consolation prize, a perfect drive from former Porto player Hugo Leal
five minutes from time. The result sinks Trofense to the bottom of the table.
The teams lined up:
Trofense: Marco, Varela, Miguel Angelo, Valdomiro, Zamorano, Milton
do Ó, Mércio, Pinheiro (Charles Chad 46), Hugo Leal, Hélder Barbosa (Lipatin
62), Reguila (David Caiado 68).
FC Porto: Nuno (Ventura 69), Sapunaru, Stepanov, Bruno Alves, Bernitez,
Andrés Madrid (Guarin 77), Tomás Costa, Mariano, Lisandro, Fárias, Cristiano
Rodriguez (Hulk 60).
Sporting, with second place guaranteed, once again found themselves depending on Liedson to resolve matters on their trip to Marítimo. The Brazilian striker took his season's tally to 17 with goals
on 25 and 73 minutes, while Marítimo left it until the 88th minute to respond through Olberdam. Sporting's Abel was sent off on 55 minutes.
The teams lined up:
Marítimo: Marcelo, João Guilherme, Fernando Cardozo, Luís Olim (Taka 76), Paulo Jorge, Miguelito, Bruno (Baba 45), Olberdam, João Luís, Djalma (Manú 60), Marcinho.
Sporting:
Tiago, Abel, Tonel, Polga, Ronny, Yannick, Miguel Veloso (Carriço 90), João Moutinho, Derlei (Pereirinha 58), Hélder Postiga (Adrien 69), Liedson.
Relegation from the top flight will be down to the last jornada, with four teams in danger of 'claiming' the two relegation places: Belenenses, Trofense, Rio Ave or
Vitória de Setúbal.
Belenenses, who this week said goodbye to coach Jaime Pacheco, won under caretaker Rui Jorge: a single goal in the closing minutes from Wender was enough to beat rivals Rio Ave.
Vitória de Setúbal went down at home to Leixões, also by a single goal from Bruno China. Vitória can avoid the drop if they beat Naval in their last game.
Naval are safe, despite losing at Académica. Paulão
put the team from Figueira da Foz ahead on 26 minutes, but in a five minute spell midway through the second half, Académica turned the game around to win 3-1 with goals from Éder, Sougou and
Carlos Saleiro.
A headed goal in added time from Anselmo gave Estrela da Amadora all three points at home to Vitória de Guimarães; both sides were already safe.
The final games of the season are:
Benfica v Belenenses
F.C. Porto v Sporting Braga
Paços de Ferreira v Trofense
Sporting v Nacional
Leixões v Marítimo
Naval 1º Maio v
Vitória de Setúbal
Vitória de Guimarães v Académica
Rio Ave v Estrela da Amadora
12/05/09
Belenenses are in real trouble at the bottom of the table after an astonishing collapse at home to Sporting Braga
on Monday. Belenenses limited the visitors to a single-goal lead in the first half, scored by Renteria on 14 minutes. But two goal in as many minutes on 52 and 53, from Paulo César and Renteria
again, fatally shook Belenenses' resolve, and two more goals from Paulo César and Alan, on 60 and 66 minutes, left Belenenses wishing for the final whistle to be blown early so that the 0-5
scoreline could not get any mroe embarrassing.
The teams lined up:
Belenenses: Júlio César, Cândido Costa (Mano 69), Ávalos, Diakité, Tininho, Gabriel Goméz, Silas, José Pedro, Saulo, Wender (Vinicius Pacheco 59), Roncatto (Marcelo 57).
Sporting de Braga: Eduardo, João Pereira (Luís Aguiar 69), André Leone, Frechaut, Evaldo, Filipe Oliveira, Alan, Mossoro (Matheus 56), César Peixoto, Paulo César (Edimar 62), Renteria.
Belenenses coach Jaime Pacheco
came to an agreement with the club over the rescission of his contract after the game. Former Porto, Sporting and Belenenses full back Rui Jorge takes over the reigns for the vital two games that remain, with the club rock bottom of the Liga..
11/05/09
FC Porto are Champions of Portugal. They beat Nacional 1-0 in front of a full house at the Dragão on Sunday – their fourth straight title. It was Porto's 24th title
in their history, their 17th under charismatic president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa. And it was the first time a Portuguese coach – Jesualdo Ferreira
– has won three straight titles (the first of the chain of four was won under Dutchman Co Adriaanse). Six Porto players have been involved in all of those four titles: Helton, Bruno Alves, Pedro Emanuel, Raul Meireles, Lucho González and Lisandro López.
It was not a particularly impressive display by Porto, looking a little jaded after a long season, but they needed a win to be able to celebrate the title in front of their own fans, and they got it
through a goal on 48 minutes from captain Bruno Alves. Raul Meireles floated a corner to the back post from the right, Lisandro headed the ball back across the goal and Bruno Alves crashed in a header.
Nacional pushed forward well in response, but they were a little weak with their finishing and the score remained to give the 50,300 fans a reason to celebrate. And celebrate they did, in the ground (ticker tape,
champagne and special commemorative T-shirts had been confidently prepared), around the ground, in Porto's city centre and even in Lisbon, where Porto fans based in the captal congregated around the Casa do FC Porto
in the Avenida da Republica.
The teams lined up:
FC Porto: Helton, Fucile (Sapunaru 75), Bruno Alves, Rolando, Cissokho, Fernando, Raul Meireles (Andrés Madrid 82), Tomás Costa (Ernesto Farias 46), Mariano Gonzalez, Cristian Rodriguez, Lisandro
Lopez.
Nacional: Bracalli, Patacas, Maicon, Felipe Lopes, Alonso, Cléber, Luís Alberto (Fabiano 59), Leandro Salino (Miguel Fidalgo 81), Ruben Micael (João Aurélio 55), Mateus, Nené.
Paços de Ferreira, Porto's opponents in the Taça de Portugal Final at the end of May, are now mathematically safe after beating Marítimo 2-1 at home. Marcinho
had put the Madeiran side in the lead on 23 minutes, and Paços left it 55 minutes until they could equalise, through Danielson. On 83 minutes, Cristiano
gave Paços all three points and a huge sense of relief.
Estrela da Amadora are also safe after drawing 0-0 at Naval, who are still at risk of relegation, albeit remotely.
Académica continued their good run of form with a 1-0 win at Leixões, Lito getting the only goal five minutes from half time.
Some of the main decisions, then, have been resolved: FC Porto are champions, while Sporting are second and go into the Champions League qualifying rounds. Benfica, Nacional
and Sporting Braga will be in the new UEFA Europa League, along with Paços de Ferreira who will qualify as (at least) Taça de Portugal losers.
In the Liga de Honra (second tier), the promotion places will go to any two of Olhanense, Santa Clara or União de Leiria. Olhanense beat Santa Clara on Sunday, while
União travelled to struggling Oliveirense and were beaten 2-1.
10/05/09
Sporting clinched second spot and a place in the Champions League next season with a 2-1 win over Vitória de Setúbal in the Liga on Saturday. Striker Liedson
was once again the hero with two goals, on 27 and 90 minutes, bringing his tally for the season to 15, the same as rival Cardozo at Benfica. In between, Bruno Gama equalised for Vitória.
The teams lined up:
Sporting: Rui Patrício, Abel (Yannick Djaló 77), Tonel, Polga, Caneira (Ronny 55), Veloso, Pereirinha, João Moutinho, Romagnoli (Postiga 69), Derlei, Liedson.
Vitória de Setúbal: Kieszek, Janício, Robson, Zoro, Anderson, Regula (Laionel 81), Ricardo Chaves, Bruno Ribeiro, Bruno Gama Leandro Branco 72), Carrijo, Leandro Lima (André Marques 73).
Árbitro Duarte Gomes 5, de Lisboa. Amarelos Anderson (20'), Ricardo Chaves (50'), Zoro (54'), Derlei (54'), Bruno Ribeiro (56').
Golos
1-0, por Liedson, aos 27'; 1-1, por Bruno Gama, aos 39'; 2-1, por Liedson, aos 90'.
Benfica's season continues frustrating for benfiquistas until the very end, drawing 2-2 at home with lowly Trofense. Benfica were stronger from the off, with Luisão heading
against the post on 14 minutes. But on the half hour it was Trofense that took the lead, Valdomiro heading in a Hugo Leal free-kick from deep on the left. The lead lasted for six minutes before Cardozo
equalised, tapping in a low cross from Aimar. Two minutes later, Cardozo got his 15th of the season, heading in a Urreta cross from the right. But then on 58 minutes, another free-kick from Leal, this time from the right, was headed goalwards by Varela and finished off by
Paulinho
from close range. Benfica's play became more and more disjointed after that, and Mantorras was sent on – a sure sign of desperation. But the score remained, and at the end, the white handkershiefs were out again – something which is becoming a familiar sight at the Luz.
The teams lined up:
Benfica: Quim, Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, Luisão, David Luiz, Urreta (Balboa 66), Ruben Amorim, Carlos Martins (Yebda 75), Aimar, Di Maria (Mantorras 80), Cardozo.
Trofense: Marco, Paulinho (Moustapha 81), Valdomiro, Miguel Ângelo, Zamorano, Milton do Ó, Pinheiro (Delfim 68), Varela, Hugo Leal, Helder Barbosa, Charles Chad (Edu Souza 66).
After Saturday's games, Sporting confirm second spot and Benfica, still in third, could see their lead over Nacional cut to one point if the Madeiran side win at FC Porto on Sunday. If
Porto win that game, they will also win the title with two games left to go. At the bottom, Trofense remain in the second relegation place but are now just two points behind Vitória de Setubal.
09/05/09
Rio Ave seem practically safe from relegation after a vital 1-0 win at Vitória de Guimarães on Friday. In a fiercely disputed match, Vitória showed first but Rio Ave, playing as if
their lives depended on it, dragged themselves into the game, and on 40 minutes, the impressive Yazalde was stopped by two Vitória defenders on his way to goal; Fábio Coentrão
stepped up to coolly stroke home the penalty. In the second half, Vitória applied increasingly desperate pressure, peaking ten minutes from time when a terrific shot from top scorer Nuno Assis was palmed onto the bar by Paiva. It was Vitória's last clear chance, and the closing minutes were taken up with time-wasting from Rio Ave, who saw
Chidi sent off in added time with a second yellow for kicking the ball away after a foul. Rio Ave are five points clear of the drop zone with two games left, while those around them have three left.
The teams lined up:
Vitória de Guimarães: Nilson, Andrezinho, Moreno, Sereno, Milhazes, Flávio Meireles, Desmarets, Fajardo (Carlitos 62), Nuno Assis, Marquinho (Cícero 62), Roberto.
Rio Ave:
Paiva, Miguel Lopes, Gaspar, Edson, Sílvio, André Vilas Boas, Vítor Gomes (Tarantini 93), Wires, Chidi, Fábio Coentrão (Livramento 87), Yazalde (Pedro Moutinho 90).
Normally announced officially on the Friday, ten days beforehand, the days and times of the fixtures corresponding to the 29th and penultimate jornada
(w/e of 17 May) will only be announced after the 28th has finished, i.e. on Tuesday, 12 May, when it will be possible to have a clearer view of standings in the table. This is to safeguard against any clashes of interest as the competition goes to the wire.
05/05/09
Bottom club Trofense swapped places with second from bottom Belenenses in an exciting tussle in Trofa on Monday. Trofense were two up within 22 minutes, the first through Varela
, who prodded home a loose ball following a Hugo Leal corner, the latter then scoring from the spot. Belenenses were back in it on 25, Wender
sweeping the ball in after a good run by Roncatto. Trofense 'keeper Marco kept out a number of shots, Belenenses had a couple of valid penalty calls turned down, and Zamorano cleared a certain goal off the line right at the death to leave Trofense's dream of survival intact. For Belenenses, time is running out.
04/05/09
FC Porto need just one win to be crowned Tetracampeões (four straight titles) after beating Marítimo 3-0
in Madeira and benefiting from Sporting's draw and Benfica's defeat on Saturday.
Porto were in the lead as early as the second minute, Raul Meireles netting from inside the area on the left, but with Marcos somewhat to blame. Rolando
glanced a Rodriguez free-kick past Marcos on 64 minutes to give Porto some breathing space. And it was all done and dusted on 83 minutes when Tomás Costa finished off a flowing move from Porto.
The teams lined up:
Marítimo: Marcos, Paulo Jorge, João Guilherme, Antoine van der Linden, Luís Olim (Taka 74), Olberdam, João Luiz, Bruno, Marcinho, Djalma (Manú 59), Victor Aquino (Baba 46).
FC Porto: Helton, Fucile, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Cissokho, Fernando, Tomás Costa, Raul Meireles (Guarin 22), Mariano, Rodriguez (Farias 84), Lisandro (Rabiola 87).
Leixões are in sixth, now seven points behind Sporting Braga, after going down 1-2 at Estrela da Amadora. Silvestre Varela
knocked one in at the back post just before the break to put Estrela in front, and Leixões left it until ten minutes from time to equalise through Hugo Morais
from the spot. But then two minutes from the end, Nuno André Coelho crashed a free-kick into the top right hand corner to give Estrela all three points and leave them virtually safe.
The teams lined up:
Estrela da Amadora: Nelson, Hugo Gomes, Vidigal, Nuno André Coelho, Ney, Marcelo Goianira, Fernando Alexandre, Jardel (Marco Paulo 69), Moreno (Celestino 83), Silvestre Varela, Anselmo (Mustafa 90).
Leixões: Beto, Vasco Fernandes (Chumbinho 90), Elvis, Angulo, Bruno China, Hugo Morais, Sandro, Roberto Sousa (Jean Sony 72), Zé Manuel (Ruben 58), Diogo Valente, Braga.
Vitória de Setúbal threw themselves a life-line with a 2-1 win at home to Paços de Ferreira. Ricardo put Paços ahead on five minutes, Carrijo
put Vitória level two minutes later, and Auri gave Vitória the lead from the spot just befoe the break, a lead they would hold on to until the end.
Naval are not sunk but are sinking down the table; a Nuno Assis goal on 50 minutes gave Vitória de Guimarães a 1-0 win over the side from Figueira da Foz.
03/05/09
After several weeks of the top clubs in the Liga all winning and keeping in touch with each other, Saturday saw the trend broken, perhaps definitively for this season.
Second placed Sporting went to Coimbra to meet a well organised Académica and came away with just the one point from a 0-0
draw. It was the goalkeepers that kept their respective teams in it, Peskovic saving from Derlei on 72 minutes and Rui Patricio
stopping Sougou in added time. Daniel Carriço saw a second yellow in added time and took an early shower.
The result leaves Sporting potentially six points behind FC Porto, with only three jornadas remaining; Porto play Marítimo in Madeira on Sunday.
The teams lined up:
Académica: Peskovic, Pedrinho, Amoreirinha, Luiz Nunes, Pedro Costa, Nuno Piloto, Cris, Tiero, Miguel Pedro (Éder 90), Sougou (Saleiro 92), Lito (Diogo 93).
Sporting:
Rui Patrício, Abel, Tonel, Daniel Carriço, Marco Caneira (Ronny 75), Miguel Veloso, Bruno Pereirinha (Yanick Djaló 65), João Moutinho, Adrien (Izmailov 45), Liedson, Derlei.
Later on Saturday evening, Benfica had the chance to cut the gap between themselves in third and Sporting in second, but they failed to take it; the 1-3 defeat at Nacional
in Madeira virtually removed any chance they had of the title, and they are now five points behind Sporting and only three points ahead of Nacional.
All of the goals occurred in the second half. An unmarked Nené got his 19th of the season on 56 minutes, heading in an Alonso cross from the left. Eight minutes later, Ruben Micael
was given time and space to wind up for a dipping shot from 25 metres that beat Quim'a left hand. On 68 minutes, Reyes
found himself clear on the right to beat the otherwise flawless Braccali. And in added time, Miguel Fidalgo, on as sub minutes before, was at the back post to tuck home a low cross from the right.
The teams lined up:
Nacional da Madeira: Rafael Braccali, Patacas, Felipe Lopes, Maicon, Alonso, Cléber, Leandro Salino, Luís Alberto, Ruben Micael (João Aurélio 77), Mateus (Fabiano 88), Nené (Miguel Fidalgo 90).
Benfica: Quim, Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, Miguel Vitor, David Luiz, Katsouranis (Di Maria 55), Carlos Martins (Yebda 80), Ruben Amorim, Reyes, Nuno Gomes (Urreta 83), Óscar Cardozo.
02/05/09
Rio Ave and Sporting Braga could not get beyond the 0-0 they started with in an even game in Vila do Conde on Friday. The nearest Rio Ave came to scoring was a first-half shot from
Miguel Lopes that pinged off the bar, while in the final moments of the game, Braga's Alan headed against the post and Mossoró hit the loose ball goalwards, only to see it blocked by Paiva.
The result leaves Braga in fourth but gives Nacional a good chance to put some space between themselves and Braga if they can beat Benfica on Sunday. Rio Ave
have put three points between themselves and the drop zone.
The teams lined up:
Rio Ave: Paiva, Miguel Lopes (Niquinha 75), Gaspar, Edson, Sílvio, Wires, André Vilas Boas, Vítor Gomes (Livramento 89), Fábio Coentrão, Pedro Moutinho (Chidi 67), Yazalde.
Sporting Braga: Eduardo, João Pereira, Paulo Jorge, André Leone, Evaldo, Vandinho (Stélvio 82), Alan, César Peixoto, Luís Aguiar (Paulo César 66), Matheus (Mossoró 86), Renteria.
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