With Benfica and Porto meeting in O Clássico on Friday night (Benfica 1-2 FC Porto match report here), Jornada 22 still had plenty more to offer the fans throughout the remainder of the weekend.
Sporting had an opportunity to return to winning ways and indeed the league’s summit with a trip to Nacional. And fourth placed Braga also travelled to Madeira as they met Marítimo in Funchal as they looked to keep pace with Porto in third.
It was also a big weekend at the wrong end of the table. There was a proverbial “six-pointer” at the Bessa in Porto as Boavista hosted Académica on Sunday evening. Os Axadrezados went into the game with a two point cushion over the Coimbra side. And basement club, Tondela, made the trip to Estoril badly in need of points. The club’s debut season in the top-flight is in danger of being a one season wonder, as they were ten points adrift of safety going into this game.
Nacional 0-4 Sporting
Sporting began the weekend in 2nd place and were looking to get back to winning ways after being held to a goalless draw by Rio Ave last weekend. Jorge Jesus made one significant change with Rúben Semedo selected to partner new loan signing, Sebastián Coates, at centre-half in place of the injured Paulo Oliveira.
A healthy crowd at the Estádio da Madeira was present and a good number of them had little time to wait to celebrate. It took just 3 minutes for the visitors to get on the scoresheet when Islam Slimani powerfully headed home a João Mário corner at the near post. It was the Algerian’s 21st goal of the campaign in all competitions and put a struggling Nacional side on the back foot early.
Sporting thought they’d doubled their lead on 17 minutes when a superb through ball from Slimani found Bryan Ruiz in acres of space. He then sent a dink over Gottardi in the Nacional goal but was ruled offside. It was a tight call and the replay shows the Costa Rican looked level with the last man. However, there were few complaints from the Leões players and the score remained 0-1.
On 25 minutes, Adrien Silva tested Gottardi from range and Nacional also had a chance of their own on 33. Salvador Agra fired just over from a free-kick on the edge of the box. Although it didn’t trouble Patrício, it was certainly the best opening the Madeirans had created thus far.
There was still time before the break for Sporting to create another good chance. Substitute, Carlos Mané, who had been a 35th minute replacement for Bruno César, advanced into the box and fired low and just wide after Islam Slimani’s cutback from the byeline found the Portuguese Under-21 international in space.
Having only gone in at half-time 0-1 up, Jorge Jesus would have given his side instructions to start taking their chances and put the strugglers to sword. If that was indeed so, then his words were not in vain as Sporting carried on where they left off.
Second-half blitz
Five minutes after the break, a Bryan Ruiz run into the box was bizarrely handled by Nacional’s Rui Correia. Referee, Bruno Paixão, spotted the infringement and pointed to the spot, also awarding Correia a yellow card. Sporting captain, Adrien Silva, then stepped up to power the penalty past Gottardi, who managed to get a hand to it. 0-2.
Sporting added a third goal on 63 minutes though João Mário. Islam Slimani again caused problems in the box and picked up on a rebounded clearance. His powerful shot thundered agains the bar but only ricocheted as far as the waiting Portuguese international who pounced quicker than the Nacional back four. He then had a simple tap in from about 12 yards which evaded the desperate dive from Brazilian, Gottardi. 0-3.
Sporting continued to create chances, Slimani being the main beneficiary. However, Nacional did also create a chance for themselves when, on 84 minutes, Nenê Bonilha fired a low shot from range which went just wide of Rui Patrício’s near post. Just two minutes later though, Sporting produced the icing on the cake when Argentina-born Italian international Ezequiel Schelotto advanced into the Nacional box only the be brought down by Sequeira. Bruno Paixão pointed to spot for the second time in the game and the penalty was dispatched coolly and calmly by Slimani who sent Gottardi the wrong way. 0-4.
Far from disappearing without a trace, Nacional actually then fashioned a couple of chances for themselves before the final whistle. On 89 minutes, Rodrigo Pinho fired a free-kick in from around 35 yards. His low drive bounced awkwardly and caused problems for Rui Patrício, but the Portugal international was able to turn the ball around the post for a Nacional corner. And in injury time, Willyan advanced unchallenged into the Sporting area before unleashing a low shot with pace which passed just wide of a diving Rui Patrício’s far post.
And so Sporting move back to the top of the Liga NOS table, three points clear of local rivals, Benfica, and six points clear of third placed Porto. Nacional, on the other hand, see their 3-game unbeaten run come to and end and they now sit just 3 points clear of the relegation zone but, also, just 2 points behind 11th placed Estoril.
Boavista 0-0 Académica
It was a game of big stakes at the other end of the Liga NOS on Sunday afternoon as Boavista (16th) played host to Académica (17th) on Sunday evening at the Estádio do Bessa. After an awful first half of the season which had seen Petit leave the club, Boavista were coming off the back of four unbeaten games in the Liga NOS. The visitors, however, had lost two of their last four games which had seen them move into the relegation places. The only question everyone will be asking is how this match ended goalless.
A vociferous crowd in Porto saw Académica make the early running and it was they who had the first half chance of the game on 11 minutes. On loan Porto midfielder Leandro Silva received the ball on the edge of the box and drove a low shot well wide of Mika's near post. Boavista replied in kind on 19 minutes when Idris received the ball in a deep position. The Senegalese midfielder drove a powerful shot that was beaten away by Trigueira in the Académica goal. The resulting rebound was ricocheted around the box before recent Argentine signing, Imanol Iriberri, was flagged offside.
A minute later and Académica had what would prove to be the best chance of the match. A long corner was floated in from the right which found another on loan Porto player, Rafa, running from deep and his sensational volley smashed against the near post before rebounding across the goal and being cleared for another corner. It would surely have been a contender for goal of the season had it found the net, but Boavista survived the scare and parity was maintained.
Gonçalo Paciência, the third of the triumvirate on loan from Porto, produced a superb effort before the break. A long clearance forward saw the 21-year-old striker bring the ball down from on high. It then sat up nicely for Paciência to strike on the half-volley. Mika was beaten but the ball sailed just wide of the far post by about a foot.
Following the half-time break, Académica continued in the ascendancy as a through ball from midfield found Burkinabe striker, Nii Plange. He subsequently got free of his marker, Philipe Sampaio, and should have forced Mika to pick the ball out of the net for 0-1. However, he put it narrowly wide of the top corner as Mika could only watch on.
Chances galore
Rúben Riberio managed to carve out a good chance for himself on 62 minutes when he cut in from the right-hand side and dribbled his way through four Académica defenders. However, his subsequent low drive had Trigueira scrambling at his near post but the side-netting came to the rescue as the game somehow remained scoreless. And just one minute later Boavista again went close. This time it was Spaniard Mario Martínez who played a nice give-and-go with Iriberri in the box before driving the ball low across goal. Reuben Gabriel did his best to connect with the ball at the far post but was a split-second too late and watched agonisingly as the ball went out for a goal kick.
Both sides then contrived to create chances in the final ten minutes of this game. First Mario Martínez again tested Académica's resolve with a rasping drive which was beaten away by Trigueira. Moments later, Académica responded in kind when Nii Plange fired in a free-kick from just outside the Boavista box. Mika was equal to it though and pushed the ball away with an acrobatic dive towards the top corner.
And so a 0-0 draw for these two struggling sides. It will certainly suit Boavista more than Académica and it brings the Porto side level on points with Nacional. With Tondela losing, it also means Académica are now 9 points clear of the basement club but still 2 points off of safety.
Marítimo 1-3 Braga
Paulo Fonseca's Braga side have had a fantastic campaign so far. Just four league defeats have seen the side ensconced in 4th position for some time now and they remain just 7 points behind 3rd placed, Porto, after tonight's comfortable defeat of a struggling Marítimo side in Funchal on Sunday evening. For the hosts, this was only Nelo Vingada's fourth game in charge since taking over from Ivo Vieira last month. They began this match just three points above the relegation zone.
Despite a 6th minute half-chance for Braga in the shape of captain, Mauro, the first real opportunity of the game came in the 14th minute when the hosts broke. Some good hold up play by Dyego Sousa saw the Brazilian striker lay it off for the unmarked João Diogo breaking down the right. However, the Marítimo captain was unable to hit the target and ended up shooting low and into the side-netting.
Just a minute later, disaster struck for Marítimo when Rui Fonte was put clean through on goal. With the striker bearing down on Salin, it was left to Brazilian centre-half, Maurício, to bring the striker down. Manuel Oliveira pointed to the spot, much the chagrin of the host players and fans, and Maurício was issued a straight red card. That left Pedro Santos with the responsibility of dispatching the spot kick, which he did with aplomb, sending Salin the wrong way in the process. Braga into the lead.
Things went from bad to worse for Marítimo when Egyptian striker, Hassan, doubled Braga's lead. As Os Arsenalistas burst forward, the ball found its way out to Marcelo Goiano on the left-hand side. His first time low cross into the box eluded everyone apart from the on-rushing Hassan who slid in at the far post to make true contact which saw the ball squeeze past Salin for 0-2.
The second goal appeared to wake the Madeirans up and Mauro ended up turning the ball onto his own post under pressure from Dyego Sousa on 28 minutes. Marafona, making just his second start for Braga between the sticks will have breathed a sigh of relief as the rebound made its way back into his arms to keep Braga's two-goal advantage.
Santos at the double
Braga did increase their advantage on 34 minutes, however. Rui Fonte played his part again as he managed to tee up Pedro Santos right on the edge of the Marítimo box, who continued his fine form by firing low and with power past Salin to make it 0-3 and stun the majority of the Estádio dos Barreiros into silence. And, by this point, fears must have been setting in among the Marítimo faithful that their side could be on the end of a thrashing.
However, just prior to the interval, Marítimo managed to pull a goal back. A buccaneering run forward by João Diogo was saved by Marafona but the resulting ricochet saw the ball roll off of Willy Boly and into the path of the advancing Dyego Sousa who tapped home for his 9th goal of the season. The Estádio dos Barreiros erupted and the Madeiran supporters may have thought that there was now every possibility of a come back, despite Braga's numerical advantage.
After the break, João Diogo again tested Marafona with a half volley from distance. However it was not to trouble the stopper to any great extent. Braga then created a half chance of their own on 52 minutes when Josué spotted substitute Iranian goalkeeper, Alireza Haghighi off his line. He attempted an audacious chip from around 40 yards out which sailed just a foot or two over the bar. Patrick then missed a half-chance for the hosts before Josué crossed into the box for Rui Fonte on the hour. In what should have been a simple tap in from 3 yards out for the Portuguese striker, he contrived to mishit his shot and saw it out for a goal kick. It was a get out of jail card for Marítimo.
As the game wore on, Patrick (Marítimo) and Nikola Vukcevic (Braga) both missed good chances for their respective sides but the former then had a superb opportunity to get the Madeiran side another goal back on 77 minutes. A superb ball by Dyego Sousa found the Brazilian left-back in space out wide. He cut in close to the byeline before sending a shot over the diving Marafona but ultimately just a foot or so wide of the far post.
Hassan would go on to miss a good chance when one-on-one with Haghighi but there was little more for Braga to do than see out the remainder of the game and protect their 1-3 lead. The result keeps Braga in 4th but extends their lead over 5th placed Guimarães to 10 points. Marítimo stay just 3 points above the relegation zone with both Nacional and Boavista snapping closely at their heels. The good news for the Madeirans is that they have Tondela up next, followed by Académica - two sides in the relegation places. They will need to take points from those games to try and maintain some semblance of safety as they look to try and replace the now departed Marega's contribution.
Weekend Results:
Arouca 3-0 União Madeira
Benfica 1-2 Porto
Boavista 0-0 Académica
Estoril 2-1 Tondela
Marítimo 1-3 Braga
Moreirense 2-3 Belenenses
Nacional 0-4 Sporting
Vitória Guimarães 2-2 Vitória Setúbal
Rio Ave - Paços de Ferreira - Monday night
by Paul Gellard
