Moreirense 0-0 Benfica
Benfica have dropped points for a third time this season after failing to alter a 0-0 score-line away to high-flying Moreirense, this Sunday.
The Eagles were bested in Moreira de Cónegos by the hosts who always looked the likeliest to break the deadlock in an open first half of football.
As things got cagey throughout the second period, the game tilted Benfica’s way, but it did so without the craft and imagination required to earn the Lisbon outfit a much-needed victory, as the two sides shared the points at full time.
After the first-half showing in midweek that saw Benfica storm to a 3-0 lead against Inter in the Champions League, Roger Schmidt stuck by the João Mário and Casper Tengstedt concoction in hope of more returns in Moreira de Cónegos.
Instead, it was the hosts, however, who looked odds-on favourites to score in the opening ten minutes after going close from a daisy-cutting Madson cutback in the 7th minute, missed by the Moreirense front-line queuing up to finish.
The newly promoted side have been a revelation this season, and betting on a positive result for Moreirense is often as profitable as a fun trip to the W88 casino nowadays.
With quarter of an hour gone, Moreirense came knocking again with Madson at the centre of it all once more, firing against the crossbar to leave the Eagles counting their lucky stars.
A set-piece was as good as it got for Benfica in an uninspired half, with Florentino Luis left with his head in his hands following a fairly inexplicable header wide from close range.
The two sides traded disallowed goals either side of the interval, via André Luís and João Mário, as the nerves and frustration began to hit critical levels on a wet night up north.
Stuck searching for answers, Benfica failed to go beyond a 0-0 draw come full time, falling within touching distance of third-placed FC Porto and opening the door for Sporting to go two points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga.
By Patrick Ribeiro
Moreirense XI: Kewin Silva - Pedro Amador (Camacho, 84’), Marcelo, Maracás, Fabiano Souza - Rúben Ismael (Ponck, 68’), Gonçalo Franco - Madson (Godfried Frimpong, 84’), Alanzinho (Pedro Aparício, 84), Kobamelo Kodisang (Jeremy Antonisse, 66’) - André Luís
Benfica XI: Anatoliy Trubin - Morato (João Victor, 88’), António Silva, Nicolás Otamendi, Frank Aursnes - Florentino Luís (Chiquinho, 45’), João Neves (Orkun Kökçü, 45’) - Rafa Silva, João Mário (Gonçalo Guedes, 88’), Angel Di Maria - Casper Tengstedt (Arthur Cabral, 72’)
