A breathtaking weekend of action in Portugal saw 30 goals scored in eight matches. While Porto’s thrashing of Benfica stole most of the headlines, thrilling matches at Braga, Setubal and Sporting made it a round to remember.
Porto’s humiliation of Benfica makes the Dragons huge favourites to lift the Liga ZON Sagres in May. The 5-0 victory puts Porto 10 points clear at the top of the table.
Into second place pop Vitoria Guimaraes, after a sensational comeback at Sporting saw them turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win thanks to three goals in the last fifteen minutes.
Another team who grabbed a 3-2 away win was Beira-Mar, who stunned Braga at the Estadio AXA. It was Domingos Paciencia’s first home defeat in the league since taking charge of the Arsenalistas 18 month ago.
In a ding-dong battle at the Bonfim the lead changed hands three times as uncertainty about the eventual winner remained until the very last second. Jailson gave the hosts an early lead, but goals from strike duo Yazalde and Joao Tomas put Rio Ave ahead at the interval.
A Valdomiro header and an excellent Neca strike seemed to have won it for Setubal in the second half, especially when Sidnei got himself sent off for dissent. But veteran marksman Joao Tomas scored a dramatic stoppage time equaliser.
Nacional are back among the pace-setters at the top of the league after a narrow victory at Paços de Ferreira. Mateus was the hero for the Madeira club, scoring a fine acrobatic goal with just three minutes remaining.
Portimonense showed great spirit to fight back from two goals down and grab a draw against high-flying Academica. First-half goals from Miguel Fidalgo and Hugo Morais seemed to have set Jorge Costa’s side on the road to victory.
However, two goals in a minute for the hosts from Renatinho and Nilson earned the Algarve strugglers a much-needed point.
A 4th-minute strike from Brazilian forward Bolivia gave rock-bottom Naval hope of a rare victory. The Navalistas were unable to hold on for the win, as Cadu Silva grabbed an equaliser shortly after half time. Despite failing to take all three points, Naval coach Rogerio Goncalves will be happy to have arrested a five-match losing streak.
Chances were aplenty at the Barreiros Stadium, with both teams likely to be kicking themselves for not taking all three points. Leiria dominated the first half, but had to wait until the 50th minute to go ahead through Carlao. It was a short-lived lead, however, as Kleber responded for the islanders two minutes later.
Chances were created and spurned at both ends of the pitch for the remainder of the game, and the single point sees both teams remain in the lower reaches of the table.
Beira-Mar grabbed their first away win of the season and did it in style. The Aveiro club became the first team to go to Braga in the Liga and come away with a win since 2008/09.
A goal from Leandro Tatu and a brace from Ronny put the visitors firmly in control by the 70th minute against a shell-shocked Braga. Questions will again be asked of Braga goalkeeper Felipe, who will feel he should have done better in relation to the first and third goals.
Credit to Braga for refusing to throw in the towel. A Meyong penalty and a rasping Lima shot pulled it back to 3-2, and only a wonderful reaction save by Beira-Mar goalkeeper Rui Rego prevented a dramatic last-gasp equaliser from Alan.
FC Porto 5-0 Benfica - click here for detailed match report
The weekend program finished like it had started, with a wonderful topsy-turvy match. Going into the game both sides knew a victory would draw them level on points with Benfica in second place.
It was Sporting who showed their teeth first, putting in a dominant first-half display. Valdes teed up Postiga to open the scoring early on, and on 30 minutes the hosts were two up, albeit in controversial circumstances. Vukcevic’s corner was adjudged to have gone directly into goal, although TV replays showed the ball did not cross the line and should not have counted.
Valdes and Pereira missed good chances to further increase Sporting’s lead, but the match turned on its head soon after Maniche received a straight red card for kicking out at Rui Miguel. The sending off was followed by two goals in two minutes from substitute Targino to set up a grandstand finish.
An enthused Vitoria poured forward and were rewarded in the 89th minute as Bruno Teles finished off a rapid counter-attack to complete a remarkable comeback.
Into second place pop Vitoria Guimaraes, after a sensational comeback at Sporting saw them turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win thanks to three goals in the last fifteen minutes.
Another team who grabbed a 3-2 away win was Beira-Mar, who stunned Braga at the Estadio AXA. It was Domingos Paciencia’s first home defeat in the league since taking charge of the Arsenalistas 18 month ago.
In a ding-dong battle at the Bonfim the lead changed hands three times as uncertainty about the eventual winner remained until the very last second. Jailson gave the hosts an early lead, but goals from strike duo Yazalde and Joao Tomas put Rio Ave ahead at the interval.
A Valdomiro header and an excellent Neca strike seemed to have won it for Setubal in the second half, especially when Sidnei got himself sent off for dissent. But veteran marksman Joao Tomas scored a dramatic stoppage time equaliser.
Nacional are back among the pace-setters at the top of the league after a narrow victory at Paços de Ferreira. Mateus was the hero for the Madeira club, scoring a fine acrobatic goal with just three minutes remaining.
Portimonense showed great spirit to fight back from two goals down and grab a draw against high-flying Academica. First-half goals from Miguel Fidalgo and Hugo Morais seemed to have set Jorge Costa’s side on the road to victory.
However, two goals in a minute for the hosts from Renatinho and Nilson earned the Algarve strugglers a much-needed point.
A 4th-minute strike from Brazilian forward Bolivia gave rock-bottom Naval hope of a rare victory. The Navalistas were unable to hold on for the win, as Cadu Silva grabbed an equaliser shortly after half time. Despite failing to take all three points, Naval coach Rogerio Goncalves will be happy to have arrested a five-match losing streak.
Chances were aplenty at the Barreiros Stadium, with both teams likely to be kicking themselves for not taking all three points. Leiria dominated the first half, but had to wait until the 50th minute to go ahead through Carlao. It was a short-lived lead, however, as Kleber responded for the islanders two minutes later.
Chances were created and spurned at both ends of the pitch for the remainder of the game, and the single point sees both teams remain in the lower reaches of the table.
Beira-Mar grabbed their first away win of the season and did it in style. The Aveiro club became the first team to go to Braga in the Liga and come away with a win since 2008/09.
A goal from Leandro Tatu and a brace from Ronny put the visitors firmly in control by the 70th minute against a shell-shocked Braga. Questions will again be asked of Braga goalkeeper Felipe, who will feel he should have done better in relation to the first and third goals.
Credit to Braga for refusing to throw in the towel. A Meyong penalty and a rasping Lima shot pulled it back to 3-2, and only a wonderful reaction save by Beira-Mar goalkeeper Rui Rego prevented a dramatic last-gasp equaliser from Alan.
FC Porto 5-0 Benfica - click here for detailed match report
The weekend program finished like it had started, with a wonderful topsy-turvy match. Going into the game both sides knew a victory would draw them level on points with Benfica in second place.
It was Sporting who showed their teeth first, putting in a dominant first-half display. Valdes teed up Postiga to open the scoring early on, and on 30 minutes the hosts were two up, albeit in controversial circumstances. Vukcevic’s corner was adjudged to have gone directly into goal, although TV replays showed the ball did not cross the line and should not have counted.
Valdes and Pereira missed good chances to further increase Sporting’s lead, but the match turned on its head soon after Maniche received a straight red card for kicking out at Rui Miguel. The sending off was followed by two goals in two minutes from substitute Targino to set up a grandstand finish.
An enthused Vitoria poured forward and were rewarded in the 89th minute as Bruno Teles finished off a rapid counter-attack to complete a remarkable comeback.
