Matchday 9 of the Liga NOS was another intriguing one for fans of all clubs.
All eyes were on Benfica's response to the derby loss last Sunday, as they travelled to Aveiro to face a struggling Tondela side, while Sporting returned to the Alvalade to take on Estoril.
And Rio Ave and Braga were hoping to continue their good form and keep the pressure on Sporting and Porto.
Tondela 0-4 Benfica
Benfiquistas waited with baited breath to see what reaction their side would offer up after last Sunday’s defeat against Sporting. Coach Rui Vitória rang the changes for the visit to Aveiro. Surely this was with one eye on Galatasaray to come in midweek, but also may have been to fire a warning shot at some of the players accused by club president Luís Filipe Vieira of not performing after last weekend.
21-year-old Mozambican full-back Clésio took his place at right-back as Sílvio moved across to left-back. Talisca was also included in the starting line-up as the Brazilian took the place of André Almeida. Raúl Jiménez continued up front with Jonas but, surprisingly, there was no place on the bench for Greek striker, Kostas Mitroglou.
And it didn’t take long for Benfica to get going. Just 4 minutes in and Nico Gaitán’s cross from the left found the head of Jonas who powered past Matt Jones in the Tondela goal. It was the perfect start for Benfica to answer their critics.
On 11 minutes, Benfica made the game comfortable when a cross from the excellent Jonas was swiped at by Tondela’s centre-half, Markus Berger. Unfortunately for the big Austrian, the ball careered off his boot and was sent flying past a hapless Jones in the Tondela goal to make it 0-2.
It got worse for Jones on 28 minutes when a routine goal kick forced the English stopper to the turf, clutching his leg. On came Tondela stalwart, Cláudio Ramos, who was then given a reprieve before having to pick the ball out of the net on 42 minutes. A superb throughball by Jonas again found Gonçalo Guedes who rounded Ramos before firing into the roof of the net to make the game safe before half-time.
The second half was a slower affair in which Benfica took their foot off the gas somewhat and Tondela began to sense opportunities of their own. On 48 minutes, Hélder Tavares was put through between Jardel and Luisão but could only send his attempted lob well over Júlio César’s bar. Then, on 51 minutes, Nuno Santos again went close for the “hosts” with a header at the far post which rippled the side-netting.
On 64 minutes, Clésio’s debut came to an end when he was stretchered off with injury and replaced by André Almeida. On 75 minutes, there was another debut when Portugal Youth international, Renato Sanches, replaced the excellent Jonas. Sanches has been a regular with Benfica’s B side since last season and his appearance against Tondela was in keeping with Vieira and Vitória’s promise to blood more of the club’s youth prospects.
But it was another substitute that rounded it all off for Benfica when Moroccan, Mehdi Carcela, cut inside from the right and fired home past Ramos from the edge of the box on 78 minutes. Ramos will be disappointed to be beaten at his near post but, ultimately, the left-footed strike was superb.
The result was routine for Benfica and, in reality, they faced little opposition from a Tondela side which will do well to avoid relegation based on their opening 9 games. Just one victory so far and a change of coach so early in the season would suggest a long, hard slog for the newcomers. But for Rui Vitória and Benfica, attentions now turn away from the league and towards Europe with Galatasaray’s visit to the Luz this coming Tuesday.
Sporting 1-0 Estoril
A big crowd of over 40,000 was present at the Alvalade to see if Sporting could continue their good run of form in the Liga NOS. Following a comprehensive victory over Benfica across town last Sunday, Estoril were the visitors on Saturday night.
Both sides traded blows from the off and there was an early scare for the home side when Estoril's Dieguinho went close in the opening minutes. A Slimani header on 5 minutes was followed by Leandro Chaparro forcing a good save out of Rui Patrício with a powerful header. Shortly afterwards, Bruno César also tested the Sporting ‘keeper by cutting in from the right and firing low. Patrício was able to palm the ball away from danger.
Estoril were not at the Alvalade to make up the numbers and went close again on 25 when Gerso again cut in from the right and fired a low and powerful drive towards goal. A diving Rui Patrício was happy to see the ball go agonisingly wide of his near post. And it was Gerso who was again troubling Rui Patrício two minutes later with a tame low shot that was easily gathered by the Portuguese international.
Just after the half hour mark, Sporting eventually threatened Kieszek’s goal again when Gelson Martins made room for himself on the edge of the box. His curling shot ended up just wide of the far post though to maintain the status quo.
The second half began with Sporting on the attack. A cross was handled by Mano in the Estoril backline but penalty protests by the Leões players were waved away. And then on 51 minutes, Joao Pereira’s cross from the right found Bryan Ruiz in acres of space at the back post. A simple tap would have given the hosts the lead but the Costa Rican didn’t catch it cleanly and ended up firing high into the stands.
Sporting seized the advantage on 54 minutes when Teófilo Gutiérrez was upended in the box by Estoril’s, Taira. The Colombian himself stepped up to fire the resulting penalty to Kieszek's left and the Alvalade erupted.
Gelson Martins and Jefferson both had good chances to subsequently extend Sporting’s lead and the latter also tested Kieszek with a stinging free-kick on 84 minutes, from just outside box. And Estoril also had one final hurrah when Bruno César fired narrowly over from the corner of the box, with Rui Patrício unable to get near it.
And so Jorge Jesus and Sporting continue their march and stay top of the table, 5 points clear of Porto in second, but with a game extra played.
União Madeira P-P FC Porto
For the second time this season, a União home fixture was beaten by the weather. The time, it was not the playing conditions that were affected but the landing conditions. Porto's flight into Funchal was not able to land on Friday evening due to strong crosswinds. The Portistas were subsequently diverted to the neighbouring island of Porto Santo and returned home to the mainland the following day, meaning another rearrangement in prospect for the the Madeiran club.
Other Results:
Braga 4-0 Belenenses
Rio Ave 1-0 Nacional
Académica 1-1 Moreirense
Vitória Setúbal 0-0 Arouca
Boavista 0-1 Marítimo
Paços de Ferreira v Vitória Guimarães (Monday - 20:00)
By Paul Gellard
