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27/10/08 Sporting Braga trampolined from their superb win over Portsmouth in the UEFA Cup last Thursday to a resounding 5-0
thrashing of candidates for the top spot Estrela da Amadora on Monday. Estrela's Hugo Gomes
began the rout, putting through his own goal on 24 minutes, but it was not until just before half time that it began to take shape through Meyong. Rodriguez and Mossoró
in quick succession on 63/64 made it four before Luís Aguiar put the cherry on the cake in added time. The teams lined up: Sporting de Braga:
Eduardo, João Pereira, Moisés, Rodriguez, Evaldo, Luís Aguiar, Vandinho (Stélvio 84), Matheus (Mossoró 60), Alan (Jorginho 68), Meyong, Renteria.
Estrela:
Nelson, Moreno, Nuno Coelho, Mustafa, Hugo Gomes, Goianira (Rui Varela 60), Vidigal, Celestino, Varela, Celsinho (Ndiaye 46), Teti (Alexandre 70) 27/10/08
Benfica beat difficult Naval 2-1 in front of 45,000 at the Luz on Sunday. They were up on 71 minutes through Luisão, heading in from a Carlos Martins
free-kick way out on the left. Then from a cross on the right, Marcelinho popped up unmarked at the back post to bundle in the equaliser with his knee on 83 minutes. Naval's delight lasted just three minutes, sub
Cardozo diving to head the winnerThe teams lined up: Benfica: Quim, Maxi Pereira, Luisão, Sidnei, Jorge Ribeiro, Yebda (Katsouranis 68), Carlos Martins, Ruben Amorim (Di Maria
55), Reyes, Nuno Gomes, Suazo (Cardozo 66).
Naval 1º de Maio: Peiser, Carlitos, Paulão, Diego (Fabrício 67), Dudu, Bruno Lazaroni, Baradji, Alex, Davide (Marinho 58), Bolívia (Michel 76), Marcelinho. Sporting are in fifth after their third straight game without a win. They drew 0-0 at Paços de Ferreira
in a match that had more huff-and-puff than beautiful football. Sporting had their chances, notably through Postiga, and Paços theirs through William, but neither side deserved to come away with three points. And Paços have only two from a possible 12.
The teams lined up: Paços De Ferreira:
Cássio; Ricardo, Kiko, Kelly, Ozéia, Rui Miguel (Pedrinha 79m), Filipe Anunciação, Paulo Sousa, Edson (Leandro Tatu 46), William, Cristiano (Chico Silva 84).
Sporting:
Rui Patrício. Abel (Derlei 71), Tonel (Daniel Carriço 71), Polga. Grimi. João Moutinho, Rochemback, Romagnoli (Pereirinha 46). Izmailov. Liedson. Hélder Postiga. A penalty separated the teams as Nacional
beat Vitória de Setúbal in Madeira to go top of the Liga; Nené put the spot kick away on 76 minutes after Auri had handled. Meanwhile, down the hill, Nacional's neighbours
Marítimo were drawing 1-1 with Rio Ave, who took the lead fifteen minutes from time, Niquinha shooting home a loose ball. Marítimo saved a point three minutes from time, although the Rio Ave
'keeper Paiva appeared to have been fouled before Baba netted. Nacional are equal top with Leixões, both on 13 points, followed by Benfica on 12, Porto on 11 and Sporting on ten. Estrela
da Amadora, also on ten, can join Nacional and Leixões at the top if they beat Sporting Braga on Monday. Trofense
are rock bottom with just one point, while Paços de Ferreira hover just above them with two. Belenenses have three. 26/10/08 FC Porto
were toppled off their Liga perch on Saturday by modest Leixões, who took over top spot in the process. In a thrilling game in front of 37,400 at the Dragão, the 'minnows' from Matosinhos were two up within half
an hour through Bruno China and Braga. But then Lucho González scored from the spot on 36 minutes (foul by Joel on Hulk) and Lisandro
López equalised on the hour. Leixões sub Zé Manuel had a perfectly good goal scandalously disallowed for a non-existent offside before Braga
got his second of the game with a perfect drive from outside the box that swung away from Nuno's right hand. There were some white handkerchiefs waved in the crowd at the end, signalling Porto fans' dissatisfaction with an uneven start to the season.
The teams lined up: FC Porto: Nuno, Sapunaru (Mariano 64), Rolando, Bruno Alves, Lino (Candeias 32), Raul Meireles, Tomás Costa, Lucho, Hulk, Lisandro, Rodriguez (Farías 75) Leixões:
Beto, Vasco Fernandes, Joel, Elvis, Laranjeiro, Bruno China, Hugo Morais, Roberto Sousa, Braga (Sandro 88), Diogo Valente (Zé Manel 62), Marques (Roberto 72) In the other game on Saturday, Belenenses drew
1-1 with Vitória de Guimarães in coach Jaime Pacheco's first league game in charge of the Lisbon club. Belenenses midfielder José Pedro
scored twice: he headed through his own goal on the half hour from a Vitória free kick on the right, and scored from the spot on 77 minutes after Gregory had brought down Roncatto. On Friday, Trofense
got their first point of the season in an uninspiring 0-0 draw at home to Académica. 08/10/08 Defender Auri let in Marcinho for the first goal and
Manú got the second near the end as Marítimo won at Vitória de Setúbal. After the 2-5 thrashing in the week against Hereenven in the UEFA Cup, Vitória coach Daúto Faquirá
saw white handkerchiefs from disgruntled fans at the end of this game. 07/10/08 Benfica dropped two points at Leixões on Monday, drawing 1-1.
Benfica Coach Quique Flores admitted that his team had not played well against the impressive northeners, but were a goal up on 33 minutes, Katsouranis feeding Cardozo
who lashed a shot home with his right foot. But two minutes from time, that man again Wesley headed home from a corner to give Leixões the very least they deserved. The teams lined up: Leixões: Beto, Vasco Fernandes, Nuno Silva, Élvis, Laranjeiro, Bruno China, Roberto Sousa, Hugo Morais, Wesley, Braga, Marques. Also: Paulo Tavares, Diogo Valente, Zé Manuel.
Benfica:
Quim, Miguel Vítor, Luisão, Sidnei, Jorge Ribeiro, Carlos Martins, Yebda, Katsouranis e Reyes; Nuno Gomes, Cardozo. Also: Ruben Amorim, Binya, Di María
Vitória de Guimarães and Sporting Braga
battled out a typically hard-fought 0-0 draw in the Minho derby, Vitória 'keeper Nílson starring.. 06/10/08 FC Porto went clear top of the Liga
on Sunday after beating Sporting 2-1
at Alvalade. Sporting were a little disorganised in the first half, with coach Paulo Bent playing Yannick in place of Romagnoli as the playmaker. It didn't work, and on 18 minutes Porto were in front: Tomás Costa won the ball from Grimi on the right, his cross was hit goalwards by Raul Meireles but was blocked, and
Lisandro López was on hand to hit the ball coolly home. Ten minutes later Sporting were level; João Moutinho
was fouled in the area by Tomás Costa and got up to stroke the ball past Nuno from the spot. But just three minutes after that, Porto were back in front, centre back Bruno Alves
placing a free kick to the left of Rui Patrício, who might have got to it if he'd really tried. The teams lined up: Sporting:
Rui Patrício, Abel (Romagnoli 66), Tonel, Polga, Grimi (Pereirinha 46), Miguel Veloso, Rochemback, João Moutinho, Djaló, Derlei, Hélder Postiga (Liedson 66) F.C. Porto:
Nuno, Sapunaru, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Fucile, Fernando, Lucho González (Guarin 83), Raul Meireles, Tomás Costa (Mariano Gonzalez 58), Lisandro Lopez, Cristian Rodriguez (Hulk 73) Nacional
remain second, despite dropping two points at Académica. Nenê gave the Madeiran side the advantage on 23 minutes, but Nuno Piloto ensured Os Estudantes a point seven minutes from time. A goal from N'Diaye on 62 minutes gave Estrela da Amadora all three points against Trofense, who have yet to secure a single one. The result puts Estrela provisionally third. Trofense
are, naturally, rock bottom. Rio Ave beat Paços de Ferreira 3-2 in a thrilling game in Vila do Conde. Central defender Gaspar
put them in front with a header on 33 minutes, but Paços were ahead within the hour with goals from Cristiano, a cracker from a free kick, and William
from the spot, his fifth goal of the season. But in four minutes midway through the second half, Rio Ave grabbed the points, Mateus, on as sub, and Chidi on target. 05/10/08
Naval missed the chance to go top of the Liga on Saturday, drawing 1-1 at home to struggling Belenenses. Baradji had given the hosts the lead on 71 minutes, but they let
Richard Porta snap up a rebound from a José Pedro shot in added time to say goodbye to two points. The result leaves Belenenses third from bottom, and their coach Casemiro Mior lives to fight another day ... just.
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