Can high-flying Academica halt the win machine that goes by the name of FC Porto? Benfica look to take advantage of any slip-up from the leaders a week before the clash of the titans.
Liga ZON Sagres - Week 9 Preview, by Tom Kundert
There is no doubt about the match of the weekend in Round Nine. The all-conquering FC Porto travel to Coimbra to take on one of the season’s surprise packages, 3rd-placed Academica. A big Porto hero of yesteryear, Jorge Costa, now manager at Academica, will be hoping to orchestrate the downfall of his former team.
Benfica play twenty-four hours earlier than their great northern rivals and will be striving to put pressure on Porto by winning their home match against Paços de Ferreira.
Sporting and Braga are on the road and will both be aiming to extend a run of three straight victories in all competitions.
Benfica have won their last four league games without conceding a single goal, and the Eagles know it is crucial to continue that run if they are to have any chance of witling away the seven-point gap to Porto at the top of the table.
Oscar Cardozo remains out injured, but Fabio Coentrao should return to the starting XI. Benfica will also be looking to boost their confidence levels ahead of a week that could define their whole season. After Paços, Jorge Jesus’ men host Lyon in midweek in the Champions League then travel to FC Porto next weekend.
Paços have become draw specialists, sharing the points in 5 of their 8 games this season, and they would be delighted with another tie at the Estadio da Luz.
Braga seem to have got over a shaky run of form when they won just one game in six, as the Arsenalistas have now been victorious in their last three encounters. They will view the match against basement dwellers Rio Ave as an excellent opportunity to extend their winning run.
The hosts must beware of powerful Brazilian striker Lima, who is quickly establishing a burgeoning reputation – seven goals in all competitions this season. Veteran Rio Ave striker Joao Tomas will attempt to lift the gloom in Vila do Conde and get one over his former team.
Undoubtedly the match of the weekend as 3rd-placed Academica host leaders FC Porto. Both clubs have exceeded expectations so far in 2010/11, and as a consequence the top five names on the Liga ZON Sagres goalscorers chart belong to players from these two clubs.
Porto have been in devastating form, blowing away all-comers in plundering 14 wins from 15 competitive matches this season. Hulk, Falcao and Varela provide the team with enviable firepower.
But Academica, competently coached by former Porto cult hero Jorge Costa, will provide a tough examination of the Dragons’ invincibility. The Students have only dropped two points out of twelve at home and in Miguel Fidalgo and Sougou possess two players with a real goal threat.
Vitoria Setubal will go into the match in buoyant mood after their excellent win against Vitoria Guimaraes last weekend. Manuel Fernandes has put together a competitive team on meagre resources and Setubal are currently sitting in a creditable 6th place in the standings.
In contrast Nacional are underachieving and more dropped points on Sunday will put pressure on Serbian coach Predrag Jokanovic.
Before 2010/11 kicked off these two clubs would have been among most Portuguese soccer followers’ favourites for relegation and nothing that has happened since the start of the season has changed that.
The pair have mustered the grand total of nine goals between them in 16 games so a goal-fest is most definitely not on the cards.
An interesting clash between two teams whose season has been a mirror image of each other thus far. Olhanense started extremely strongly but suffered back to back defeats in recent days away at Braga (League) and Oliveirense (League Cup).
Maritimo had a disastrous start to their domestic campaign, but things have taken a turn for the better in the last couple of weeks with two successive wins against Naval (League and Portuguese Cup).
A difficult one to call but Olhanense will start favourites and a win on Sunday will push them right back into the leading pack.
Sporting have been maddeningly inconsistent this season, but the cold facts show the Lions have now lost just once in their last twelve matches. Yet their away form in the league has been anything but impressive, with just one win in four matches and only four goals scored.
A thigh strain keeping out star striker Liedson will make goals even harder to come by, and the Lisbon giants are further depleted by the unavailability due to injury of Izmailov, Matias Fernandez, Pedro Mendes and Anderson Polga. On the bright side, speedy forward Yannick Djalo is fit again and Helder Postiga is now showing the sort of form that marked him down as a big future star of the game early in his career.
Uniao de Leiria have stumbled of late, falling to three successive defeats in all competitions, but Pedro Caixinha’s team have a formidable home record in the league and will be confident of getting something from the match.
Manuel Machado’s team were surprised last week at Setubal and will want to bounce straight back in the Monday night game. Three points will put Guimaraes right back amongst the pack chasing Porto.
Portimonense have conceded more than any other team away from home this season and goalkeeper Ventura is likely to be in for another busy night at the Dom Afonso Henriques Stadium.
There is no doubt about the match of the weekend in Round Nine. The all-conquering FC Porto travel to Coimbra to take on one of the season’s surprise packages, 3rd-placed Academica. A big Porto hero of yesteryear, Jorge Costa, now manager at Academica, will be hoping to orchestrate the downfall of his former team.
Benfica play twenty-four hours earlier than their great northern rivals and will be striving to put pressure on Porto by winning their home match against Paços de Ferreira.
Sporting and Braga are on the road and will both be aiming to extend a run of three straight victories in all competitions.
Benfica have won their last four league games without conceding a single goal, and the Eagles know it is crucial to continue that run if they are to have any chance of witling away the seven-point gap to Porto at the top of the table.
Oscar Cardozo remains out injured, but Fabio Coentrao should return to the starting XI. Benfica will also be looking to boost their confidence levels ahead of a week that could define their whole season. After Paços, Jorge Jesus’ men host Lyon in midweek in the Champions League then travel to FC Porto next weekend.
Paços have become draw specialists, sharing the points in 5 of their 8 games this season, and they would be delighted with another tie at the Estadio da Luz.
Braga seem to have got over a shaky run of form when they won just one game in six, as the Arsenalistas have now been victorious in their last three encounters. They will view the match against basement dwellers Rio Ave as an excellent opportunity to extend their winning run.
The hosts must beware of powerful Brazilian striker Lima, who is quickly establishing a burgeoning reputation – seven goals in all competitions this season. Veteran Rio Ave striker Joao Tomas will attempt to lift the gloom in Vila do Conde and get one over his former team.
Undoubtedly the match of the weekend as 3rd-placed Academica host leaders FC Porto. Both clubs have exceeded expectations so far in 2010/11, and as a consequence the top five names on the Liga ZON Sagres goalscorers chart belong to players from these two clubs.
Porto have been in devastating form, blowing away all-comers in plundering 14 wins from 15 competitive matches this season. Hulk, Falcao and Varela provide the team with enviable firepower.
But Academica, competently coached by former Porto cult hero Jorge Costa, will provide a tough examination of the Dragons’ invincibility. The Students have only dropped two points out of twelve at home and in Miguel Fidalgo and Sougou possess two players with a real goal threat.
Vitoria Setubal will go into the match in buoyant mood after their excellent win against Vitoria Guimaraes last weekend. Manuel Fernandes has put together a competitive team on meagre resources and Setubal are currently sitting in a creditable 6th place in the standings.
In contrast Nacional are underachieving and more dropped points on Sunday will put pressure on Serbian coach Predrag Jokanovic.
Before 2010/11 kicked off these two clubs would have been among most Portuguese soccer followers’ favourites for relegation and nothing that has happened since the start of the season has changed that.
The pair have mustered the grand total of nine goals between them in 16 games so a goal-fest is most definitely not on the cards.
An interesting clash between two teams whose season has been a mirror image of each other thus far. Olhanense started extremely strongly but suffered back to back defeats in recent days away at Braga (League) and Oliveirense (League Cup).
Maritimo had a disastrous start to their domestic campaign, but things have taken a turn for the better in the last couple of weeks with two successive wins against Naval (League and Portuguese Cup).
A difficult one to call but Olhanense will start favourites and a win on Sunday will push them right back into the leading pack.
Sporting have been maddeningly inconsistent this season, but the cold facts show the Lions have now lost just once in their last twelve matches. Yet their away form in the league has been anything but impressive, with just one win in four matches and only four goals scored.
A thigh strain keeping out star striker Liedson will make goals even harder to come by, and the Lisbon giants are further depleted by the unavailability due to injury of Izmailov, Matias Fernandez, Pedro Mendes and Anderson Polga. On the bright side, speedy forward Yannick Djalo is fit again and Helder Postiga is now showing the sort of form that marked him down as a big future star of the game early in his career.
Uniao de Leiria have stumbled of late, falling to three successive defeats in all competitions, but Pedro Caixinha’s team have a formidable home record in the league and will be confident of getting something from the match.
Manuel Machado’s team were surprised last week at Setubal and will want to bounce straight back in the Monday night game. Three points will put Guimaraes right back amongst the pack chasing Porto.
Portimonense have conceded more than any other team away from home this season and goalkeeper Ventura is likely to be in for another busy night at the Dom Afonso Henriques Stadium.
