It’s as you were at the top of the Liga ZON Sagres as the top three FC Porto, Vitoria Guimaraes and Benfica all won at the weekend.
Benfica bounced back from their thrashing at Porto last week to add more misery on basement dwellers Naval, with a 4-0 victory at the Estadio da Luz. In the big Minho derby, an own goal near the end of the game by Miguel Garcia handed Vitoria Guimaraes all three points against fierce rivals Braga.
Despite a jaded performance, Porto were too strong for Portimonense. A goal in each half from Brazilian forwards Walter and Hulk gave the Dragons another victory to maintain their ten-point lead at the top of the table.
Sporting picked up a morale-boosting win at Academica, while Rio Ave continued their recuperation with a 3-1 win at home to Paços de Ferreira.
The Madeira derby ended in stalemate. As you would expect there was plenty of commitment, as shown by the seven yellow cards and late sending off of Nacional’s Danielson, but neither side could make the breakthrough. Nacional drop down to fifth while Maritimo are hovering just one place above the relegation zone in 14th.
In front of over 25,000 spectators this blood and thunder encounter turned in two minutes just before half time. Braga had taken a 17th-minute lead through Alan, but a fine strike on the edge of the box by Maranhao on 44 minutes leveled the scores.
Alan was then sent off after tussling with Joao Alves and Vitoria Guimaraes eventually made their extra man count as the unfortunate Miguel Garcia turned an Alex cross past his own goalkeeper Felipe to hand the hosts the win.
The three points keep Vitoria in second place in the standings, while Braga slip to a lowly 10th place – a far cry from last season when they were never out of the top two.
Sporting came out on top in a highly entertaining clash in Coimbra. The rejuvenated Jaime Valdes put the Lions in front early on from the penalty spot, and Vukcevic doubled Sporting’s lead on the half hour with a crisp shot to finish off a fine flowing move involving Postiga and Valdes.
Academica came back strongly after the break, and the impressive Miguel Fidalgo headed the hosts back into contention from a corner kick on 46 minutes. Chances came and went at both ends of the pitch, with Sporting goalkeeper Rui Patricio guaranteeing all three points from his side with a wonderful save from Fidalgo in the 64th minute.
After their excellent start to the season, Olhanense have now gone four league matches without a win. That seemed set to change as the Algarve side led for a long time through Adilson’s early goal. However, Beira-Mar never gave up and were rewarded in the very last minute as Renan fired in the equalizer.
Joao Tomas continues to make a nuisance of himself for defenses up and down Portugal despite his 35 years. The big Rio Ave striker scored a brace in the first half as his team recovered from conceding an early Rondon goal to go into the break in the lead.
A second-half goal from Braga made sure of the three points and made it two wins and a draw in three league games as Rio Ave continue to recover from their poor start to the season.
A goal from Cameroonian striker Serge N’Gal midway through the first half proved enough to give Uniao de Leiria three points and lift Pedro Caixinha’s team into mid-table safety.
The second half degenerated into a bad-tempered affair, with both team ending the match with ten men following the dismissals of Valdomiro (Setubal) and Brigido (Leiria).
No doubt about the hero of the Estadio da Luz in this one. Argentine midfielder Nico Gaitan has rather unfairly had to contend with the label of Angel Di Maria’s replacement since arriving at the Lisbon giants in the summer, but he truly came of age on Sunday, scoring two scorching goals.
A fast-paced first half saw Benfica take an early lead through Alan Kardec then ride their luck as Naval twice hit the woodwork. At the other end French goalkeeper Salin was in fine form, pulling off a series of excellent saves and it was surprising that only one goal had been scored by the time the referee blew for the interval.
The second half was a different story, as Benfica stepped up their level of performance and overpowered the bottom-placed side in the table. A 25-yard screamer and a magnificent controlled angled volley by Gaitan made in 3-0.
Pablo Aimar hit the post before Nuno Gomes put the icing on the cake with a late goal, triggering an emotional celebration from the former Portugal striker who dedicated the goal to his recently deceased father.
Porto were without the injured Falcao and Fernando and the suspended Moutinho as they welcomed Portimonense to the Estadio do Dragao.
A lukewarm match never truly got going, although that was no fault of Walter, who scored a cracking goal to give Porto the lead on 29 minutes. After exchanging a neat one-two with Ruben Micael, the Brazilian marksman produced a sublime lob which sailed over Ventura and under the bar to break the deadlock.
The visitors almost scored a shock equalizer in the second half as Ivanildo struck the crossbar from a free kick, but Porto held on without further alarm. In the dying seconds Hulk converted a penalty to complete a routine 2-0 win and consolidate his place at the top of the Portuguese goalscoring charts.
Despite a jaded performance, Porto were too strong for Portimonense. A goal in each half from Brazilian forwards Walter and Hulk gave the Dragons another victory to maintain their ten-point lead at the top of the table.
Sporting picked up a morale-boosting win at Academica, while Rio Ave continued their recuperation with a 3-1 win at home to Paços de Ferreira.
The Madeira derby ended in stalemate. As you would expect there was plenty of commitment, as shown by the seven yellow cards and late sending off of Nacional’s Danielson, but neither side could make the breakthrough. Nacional drop down to fifth while Maritimo are hovering just one place above the relegation zone in 14th.
In front of over 25,000 spectators this blood and thunder encounter turned in two minutes just before half time. Braga had taken a 17th-minute lead through Alan, but a fine strike on the edge of the box by Maranhao on 44 minutes leveled the scores.
Alan was then sent off after tussling with Joao Alves and Vitoria Guimaraes eventually made their extra man count as the unfortunate Miguel Garcia turned an Alex cross past his own goalkeeper Felipe to hand the hosts the win.
The three points keep Vitoria in second place in the standings, while Braga slip to a lowly 10th place – a far cry from last season when they were never out of the top two.
Sporting came out on top in a highly entertaining clash in Coimbra. The rejuvenated Jaime Valdes put the Lions in front early on from the penalty spot, and Vukcevic doubled Sporting’s lead on the half hour with a crisp shot to finish off a fine flowing move involving Postiga and Valdes.
Academica came back strongly after the break, and the impressive Miguel Fidalgo headed the hosts back into contention from a corner kick on 46 minutes. Chances came and went at both ends of the pitch, with Sporting goalkeeper Rui Patricio guaranteeing all three points from his side with a wonderful save from Fidalgo in the 64th minute.
After their excellent start to the season, Olhanense have now gone four league matches without a win. That seemed set to change as the Algarve side led for a long time through Adilson’s early goal. However, Beira-Mar never gave up and were rewarded in the very last minute as Renan fired in the equalizer.
Joao Tomas continues to make a nuisance of himself for defenses up and down Portugal despite his 35 years. The big Rio Ave striker scored a brace in the first half as his team recovered from conceding an early Rondon goal to go into the break in the lead.
A second-half goal from Braga made sure of the three points and made it two wins and a draw in three league games as Rio Ave continue to recover from their poor start to the season.
A goal from Cameroonian striker Serge N’Gal midway through the first half proved enough to give Uniao de Leiria three points and lift Pedro Caixinha’s team into mid-table safety.
The second half degenerated into a bad-tempered affair, with both team ending the match with ten men following the dismissals of Valdomiro (Setubal) and Brigido (Leiria).
No doubt about the hero of the Estadio da Luz in this one. Argentine midfielder Nico Gaitan has rather unfairly had to contend with the label of Angel Di Maria’s replacement since arriving at the Lisbon giants in the summer, but he truly came of age on Sunday, scoring two scorching goals.
A fast-paced first half saw Benfica take an early lead through Alan Kardec then ride their luck as Naval twice hit the woodwork. At the other end French goalkeeper Salin was in fine form, pulling off a series of excellent saves and it was surprising that only one goal had been scored by the time the referee blew for the interval.
The second half was a different story, as Benfica stepped up their level of performance and overpowered the bottom-placed side in the table. A 25-yard screamer and a magnificent controlled angled volley by Gaitan made in 3-0.
Pablo Aimar hit the post before Nuno Gomes put the icing on the cake with a late goal, triggering an emotional celebration from the former Portugal striker who dedicated the goal to his recently deceased father.
Porto were without the injured Falcao and Fernando and the suspended Moutinho as they welcomed Portimonense to the Estadio do Dragao.
A lukewarm match never truly got going, although that was no fault of Walter, who scored a cracking goal to give Porto the lead on 29 minutes. After exchanging a neat one-two with Ruben Micael, the Brazilian marksman produced a sublime lob which sailed over Ventura and under the bar to break the deadlock.
The visitors almost scored a shock equalizer in the second half as Ivanildo struck the crossbar from a free kick, but Porto held on without further alarm. In the dying seconds Hulk converted a penalty to complete a routine 2-0 win and consolidate his place at the top of the Portuguese goalscoring charts.
