Pressure is mounting on Benfica boss Bruno Lage after the Eagles dropped points once more, losing 4-3 at home to Santa Clara and allowing FC Porto to go three points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga table.
The title holders, who were a goal behind twice throughout the evening, led the relocated Azores outfit 3-2 going into the final ten minutes, courtesy of a Carlos Vinícius brace. Cryzan and ex-Porto man Zé Manuel were on hand to produce a 95th minute turnaround, however, giving Santa Clara a shock victory at the Estádio da Luz.
Defeat for the Lisbon team meant Porto would return to the top of the table with a result in the Invicta Derby, at home versus Boavista, achieved with a Moussa Marega brace and a couple of penalties in a 4-0 win.
Benfica 3-4 Santa Clara
A hard-fought victory away to Rio Ave last week saw Benfica reunite themselves with top-spot, alongside Porto on points, with Tuesday night’s encounter at home to Santa Clara offering Lage’s side the prospect of to gather some much-needed momentum in the race for the title.
João Henriques’ team had other ideas, however, replying to Benfica’s fair share of half-chances to punish their slack possession-play and open the scoring on the brink of half-time through Anderson Carvalho’s near-post strike.
Rafa Silva levelled things coming into the first half but the problems soon came rushing back for the Red & Whites, going 2-1 down via Zaidu’s header from a corner.
Off the bench, Vinícius began turning the tide in the tale with two headed goals in as many minutes just past the hour-mark, as Benfica led for the first time in the encounter.
A handball inside the box from Rúben Dias in the 80th minute began to undress that advantage, however, with Santa Clara back level through Cryzan’s spot-kick. In an unforgiving mood, the visitors stole all three points late on after yet more lackadaisical play from Benfica, handing possession over to Zé Manuel in the final third before the winger sunk the decisive goal in the 95th minute.
FC Porto 4-0 Boavista
The result at the Estádio da Luz would’ve been music to the ears of the Porto squad, in action immediately after Benfica’s loss, but there was still plenty of work to do in a appetising derby clash against fellow locals Boavista.
Big chances from both Pepe and Jesús Corona, dragging efforts just wide of Helton Leite’s far post, fronted a dominant, but ultimately goalless first half of football from the Dragons.
The goals were forthcoming in the second period, however, starting relatively early from Moussa Marega’s shot across goal in the 52nd minute. Porto’s Malian forward’s was involved for the second goal in the 60th minute, being brought down inside the box to hand Alex Telles the opportunity to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot, with the Brazilian full-back making no mistake.
Marega proved to be Boavista’s bane once more in the 70th minute, racing away down the right channel before his cross was deflected by a Boavista hand that would allow Sérgio Oliveira, also from the 12-yard-mark, to get on the scoresheet.
Fábio Vieira was brought onto the scene by Sérgio Conceição and wasted little time in setting Marega free and through on goal, securing Porto’s fourth of the night and passage back to the top of the table.
By Patrick Ribeiro
Matchday 28
Gil Vicente 3-0 Desp. Aves
Portimonense 3-2 Marítimo
Vit. Setúbal 1-2 Rio Ave
Benfica 3-4 Santa Clara
FC Porto 4-0 Boavista
Wednesday 24th June
Tondela vs. P. Ferreira
Moreirense vs. FC Famalicão
Thursday 25th June
Sp. Braga vs. Vit. Guimarães
Friday 26th June
Belenenses vs. Sporting
