All eyes were firmly fixed onto the title race in Matchday 31 as Sporting and Benfica battled for the coveted top spot as they began another weekend of action within touching distance of each other.
For Jorge Jesus’ men, it was all about taking maximum points versus the only team other than Benfica to have beaten them in the league this season, União da Madeira, currently fighting to retain top flight status at the other end of the table.
‘The Eagles’ made the journey north to Vila do Conde with Europa League hopefuls Rio Ave awaiting, meanwhile FC Porto looked to seal their qualification for the UEFA Champions League with an away win against 17th placed Académica.
Académica 1-2 FC Porto
Ever-growing is the list of teams who have caused an upset against the 27-time Portuguese league champions this season and there was a familiar suspicion in the air that it would happen again when Académica’s Pedro Nuno put the hosts ahead with their first shot of the game via a free-kick in the 25th minute.
FC Porto were back level no more than ten minutes later, however, as 18-year-old Rúben Neves, lingering outside the area, expertly looped a volley into the top corner using the side of his foot.
It was all one-way traffic in the second half as another Porto academy graduate, André Silva, saw his shot turned away for a corner by Académica’s Pedro Trigueira in the 55th minute.
Lady Luck was on hand to enhance Porto’s dominance in the second half as a deflected through ball from Yacine Brahimi found its way past Trigueira, somewhat beaten by Silva’s failed attempt to divert the Algerian’s pass in the 66th minute.
Académica did manage to offer ‘Os Dragões’ a late scare in the 89th minute when an ambitious lob from Nii Plange had Helton beaten before bouncing off the top of the crossbar.
José Peseiro’s men held on to pick up all three points, and with Paços de Ferreira defeating Sporting de Braga 1-0 later on in the day, Porto confirmed their attendance in the final round of Champions League qualifiers next season.
Sporting 2-0 União da Madeira
No more or less than three points was what Sporting required to return to the top of the table, albeit momentarily, and add the necessary pressure onto table toppers Benfica.
An early goal headed in by Teó Gutiérrez in the 7th minute, his 6th in his last five appearances, set the tone for Sporting but they would need Rui Patrício to be on his toes and keep out Danilo Dias’ shot shortly after.
The Estádio José Alvalade was rocking once more ten minutes later when Marvin Zeegelaar’s cross was volleyed in by João Mário inside the box to make it 2-0 to the hosts.
União da Madeira were almost given a route back into the game in the 55th minute when Rúben Semedo’s defensive intervention almost nestled into the back post as it coasted across the face of the goal.
With Sporting drifting into auto-pilot mode, a Teó strike and volley from range by Adrien Silva, denied by Raúl Gudiño and the post respectively, proved to be the only outstanding highlights in another routine win for ‘Os Leões’.
Rio Ave 0-1 Benfica
The first of four finals as it was being treated in the red half of Lisbon saw Benfica come into the game away to Rio Ave rather tentatively, with Nicolás Gaitán volleying wide what was the visitors’ first and only real sighting of goal in the first half.
Rio Ave’s André Vilas Boas headed his free header in the 39th minute wide in the only other genuine goal scoring opportunity, as the two teams entered the half time break with the score intact.
Pedro Martins’ side opted to retreat deeper into their own half following the interval and it wasn’t too long before Benfica had the hosts pinned against the ropes, as Gaitán’s 54th minute effort inside the box was fired straight at Cássio, a sequence repeated a minute later by Jonas from a similar distance.
Kostas Mitroglou was given the opportunity soon after in the 56th minute to break the deadlock, dragging his volley wide from a corner instead before being replaced by Raúl Jiménez.
Once again the Mexican’s introduction would prove to be crucial to Rui Vitória’s outfit as a shanked clearance from Vilas Boas evaded Cássio and onto the crossbar, with the ex-Atlético Madrid striker nodding in the rebound in the 73rd minute.
Vilas Boas’ night went from bad to worse in what would be the game’s final incident, picking up a second yellow card for a high foot as Benfica registered their 17th victory in 18 games.
Week 31
Boavista 1-0 Belenenses
Académica 1-2 FC Porto
Sporting 2-0 U. Madeira
P. Ferreira 1-0 Sp. Braga
Maritimo 1-2 Arouca
Nacional 0-1 Moreirense
V. Setúbal 0-1 Tondela
V. Guimarães 1-1 Estoril
Rio Ave 0-1 Benfica
By Patrick Ribeiro
