PortuGOAL

PortuGOAL Figure of the Week: Bruno Moreira brace beats Belenenses

As Liga NOS 2018/19 rapidly approaches its climax, Week 30 saw the official exit from the division of Feirense, officially relegated before they kicked a ball by virtue of Aves’ excellent win away at Vitória Guimarães.

Tondela and Chaves boosted their own survival hopes with vital 1-0 wins, while the top 4 remained as they were after all recording victories to nil.

The sides below that top 4 bracket all struggled though as the aforementioned Vitória were joined by Moreirense and Belenenses in suffering defeat, the latter at the hands of a recently improved Rio Ave side, who largely had striker Bruno Moreira to thank in recording an impressive 3-1 win at Jamor on Saturday.

Six-goal Benfica star among narrow wins for Porto, Sporting and Braga

Benfica have kept their place at the top of the Primeira Liga table after hammering Marítimo 6-0 at home, this Monday.

FC Porto initially made the move up to top spot with a narrow, hard-fought victory at home to Santa Clara on Saturday night, relying on a first-half Moussa Marega goal to claim all three points.

A Man of the Match performance from João Félix helped Benfica reverse the picture at the top of the table, however, as the likes of Franco Cervi, Pizzi and Eduardo Salvio also starred against Petit’s Marítimo in a 6-0 thrashing.

Elsewhere, Sporting made it seven league wins on the spin with a 1-0 win against Nacional, in Madeira, keeping Sporting de Braga away from third place after their 2-0 triumph over Feirense. PortuGOAL brings you more from the leading Primeira Liga sides.

Week 30 roundup and video highlights

jon/usa — That was an excellent team performance from start to finish. Joao Felix fully deserves all of the praise he gets week in week out -- The kid is pure class. Florentino and Ferro have also made a remarkably smooth transition to the A team. Florentino's ability to be at the right place at the right ......

Portuguese Abroad: Record-breaker Ronaldo conquers Italy; Guedes at the double; 16-year-old Brazão makes Nice bow; Vieirinha’s PAOK seal Greek title; Silva’s Everton hammer United; Alves screamer denies Milan

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to be crowned champion in England, Spain and Italy after Juventus were confirmed as Italian title-winners for an 8^th consecutive season. As Ronaldo and João Cancelo celebrated their success, fellow Portuguese duo Vieirinha and Sérgio Oliveira took to the field on Sunday to wrap up PAOK’s Greek Super League title with a 5-0 hammering of Levadiakos.

There were also plenty of Portuguese goals across the globe, with man of the moment Gonçalo Guedes continuing his blistering run of form with a brace for Valencia in Spain. Bruno Alves scored a vintage free-kick to earn Parma a draw with Milan, while there was a debut for 16-year-old Pedro Brazão in France and Marco Silva’s Everton put four past Manchester United.

Benfica crash out of Europa League in Germany

Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 Benfica (agg. 4-4, Eintracht win on away goals)

Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Benfica 2-0 at the Waldstadion to advance to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.

An offside Filip Kostic goal and Sebastian Rode strike clinched a famous victory, the result overturning the first leg 4-2 defeat in Lisbon as the German club go through on away goals. Ante Rebic was outstanding for Frankfurt, but it was a total team effort roared on by an passionate and raucous home support. The Portuguese club will lament the offside goal but were largely second best throughout the contest.

Nunogomes21 — Big error leading to a very different looking game from then on. Unfortunately, the ridiculous amount of rotations Lage has been making finally came back to haunt them. I get putting priority on the league. However, if you make a quarter finals....is that not when you should start taking it serious......

—-Z—- — Well played game by Frankfurt. Out classed benfica. Benfica is very overrated , when they don’t play with 14 like they do in Portugal They always fail....

Andre/UK — Well that really was disappointing to go out like that, by the bare mimimum, after having had a good lead from the first leg and in a great position to make the semi finals. From what I saw in both legs, I think we are stronger than Frankfurt overall, certainly in terms of maximum potential. We had ......

Liverpool punish Porto again

Porto 1-4 Liverpool (agg. 1-6)

If Moussa Marega had taken his chances in both legs maybe it would have been different. If the referee had chosen to award a penalty and send off Mo Salah at Anfield maybe it would have been different. If Jesús Corona’s spectacular dribble and shot in the opening minute at the Dragão last night had sent the ball just under rather than just over the bar maybe it would have been different. But it probably wouldn’t.

For the second year running, Liverpool proved far too strong for Porto and beat the Portuguese team by a 5-goal margin on aggregate.

—-Z—- — Yes Danny, I break personal records. Never said I was a meathead. Glad to hear you seem to be proud of that. I’m good looking, educated, earn more money, have a good career, and yes I have a hot wife . Not one of those Portuguese chicks who are 5 feet tall and have hulk hogan arms by the time they......

Danny DaSilva — --Z--, the best part of your rant was about you breaking personal records at the gym, for I see cringe-worthy guys like you all the time. See I actually break real records, as in the time at junior worlds when I squated 640 pound raw in the 220 class. I also still hold the squat/bench/dealift/total ......

—-Z—- — I never mentioned Sporting. I am talking about Porto and their perpetual failure against epl clubs in Europe . Always getting stomped and pissed all over. Yes I am a Sporting fan but I am not a glory hunter. It’s just a past time for me. In my experience , most benfica and Porto fans are glory hu......

Champions League: Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo score in vain

Two of Portugal’s biggest stars came to the fore in the Champions League this week, scoring huge goals for their teams as the semi-final line-up was concluded. However, for both Cristiano Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva their goals were in vain as Juventus and Manchester City both crashed out against their unfavoured opposition.

Ronaldo repeated his goalscoring form from the first leg to give Juventus the lead against Ajax in Turin, but the Dutch giants stormed back to claim a 2-1 win to progress 3-2 on aggregate on Tuesday. The following night saw a remarkable game in which hosts City and Tottenham Hotspur exchanged four goals in the first eleven minutes leading to a 4-3 win for Bernardo’s side, but they exit the competition on away goals.

Pedro Carvalho — At leash I get to see a FRESH Portugal team for United Nations - hoping to watch Portugal/England finals...I believe Ronaldo should play now...and a fresh Bernardo, Joao Felix, Joao Cancelo also helps......

Portuguese Abroad: José Fonte on target again as Lille demolish PSG; Guedes continues to flourish; Paciência warms up for Benfica with goal; Sousa’s first French defeat; Huge win for Gomes in Championship

Without doubt one the most eye-catching results in Europe this week was Lille’s 5-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in France.José Fonte scored for the second match running as Lille recorded a memorable win while also taking a firm grip on second place in Ligue 1.

Elsewhere, Gonçalo Guedes continues to excite with Valencia in Spain with a goal and an assist as they beat Levante 3-1. In Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt were beaten 3-1 by Augsburg ahead of their clash with Benfica, but Gonçalo Paciência was on target. On the coaching front, Paulo Sousa tasted defeat for the first time with Bordeaux, while there was a big win for Jose Gomes and Reading in England.

Sean Gillen — Val - surely he will look to Portugal. There has been talk of Monaco taking Silva from Sevilla. Could be good move for all parties?...

Val — Sean/Tom, I was watching the Monaco game over the weekend. The news gets worse! Steven Jovetic out for season with knee injury. Time to steal a hot young up and coming striker. Maybe a Jose Gomes? ......

PortuGOAL Figure of the Week: Rafa rampant to keep Benfica top of the pile

Only five games left of Liga NOS 2018/19 and there remains plenty to be decided in what promises to be a tense finale to the campaign.

The weekend’s action saw Boavista and Marítimo take big steps away from the relegation zone, while Rio Ave and Braga both recorded important victories.

At the top it remains neck and neck as title challengers Porto and Benfica recorded comfortable wins. The latter were firing on all cylinders in attack, and this time it was the turn of Portuguese winger Rafa Silva to stand out as PortuGOAL’s Figure of the Week.

jon/usa — I completely agree, Andre. Rafa had a rough start to life at Benfica, but as Jamie mentioned, it was largely due to a a lack of confidence rather than a lack of quality. Anyone who watched his first season and a half at Benfica could tell that he was struggling to make the transition from Braga (whe......

Andre/UK — I have always liked Rafa Silva, really positive player who always tries to make things happen. Despite his slowish start at SLB, I always knew it was just a matter of time until he settled in. He really has been having a fantastic season and is yet another player who has looked so much better since ......

Benfica bat away pressure at the top following routine wins for Porto, Sporting and Braga

Benfica held onto first place in the Primeira Liga for another week after defeating Vitória de Setúbal 4-2 at the Estádio da Luz, this Sunday, holding off second-placed FC Porto following their success away to Portimonense, a day prior.

The Dragons moved up to first place temporarily with a 3-0 win, this Saturday, before the likes of Rafa Silva, João Félix and Haris Seferovic powered Benfica back up to first place, in response.

Also in the hunt for a place on the Liga NOS podium, ten-man Sporting firmed up their bid with a 3-1 victory away to Desportivo das Aves, as Sporting de Braga also found three goals themselves to fund a 3-0 win over Tondela and remain within touching distance of the Lions. PortuGOAL has more from the top of the Primeira Liga table.

Week 29 roundup and video highlights

Liga NOS: 2018/2019 in numbers with FootyStats

As we get into the business end of the season, it’s a two-horse race for the title in Portugal. After 28 games, both Benfic a and Port o have 69 points. However, it’s the Águias who have the advantage due to their superior goal difference.