As Sporting and FC Porto battled it out for top spot in Lisbon, Benfica’s mind was on extinguishing the fury that’s raged on from last week’s 5-0 hammering at the hands of FC Basel in the UEFA Champions League.
The fixture list could’ve been kinder, however, handing the Eagles a tricky away trip to Madeira that would see them stutter once more, as Marítimo fought hard to share the spoils at 1-1.
Elsewhere, there were goals galore at the Quarry where Sporting de Braga decimated Estoril Praia 6-0, closing the gap between them and the top four. PortuGOAL brings you the action from Matchday 8.
The weekend programme was dominated by Sunday’s clássico in Lisbon. Click here for the Sporting 0-0 Porto match report and video highlights.
Marítimo 1-1 Benfica
Rui Vitória could have hardly asked for a better way to start the action at the Estádio dos Barreiros, as an inch-perfect curler from Jonas in the 2nd minute nestled into the top corner and promised to initiate a healthy response to Benfica’s recent troubles.
The Brazilian’s sharp shooting pushed the reigning league champions closer to a second, whereas at the other end, the hosts were keen to demonstrate that just one goal wouldn’t be enough to silence them, as they looked to force Júlio César into action on the brink of half-time.
A 46th minute miss from Franco Cervi deep inside Marítimo’s box added to the angst being felt by the Eagles, with both goalkeepers continuing to shine to maintain the one-goal difference.
As per their warnings, Bebeto unlocked Benfica’s defence with an out-swinging cross to Ricardo Valente at the far-post, catching André Almeida out as the ex-Vitória de Guimarães winger headed in the equaliser after 66 minutes.
Matters could’ve got worse for Benfica when Everton hijacked possession from Jardel to charge through on goal before failing to arc his finish around Júlio César in the 82nd minute.
Inseparable at full time, a 1-1 draw serves to agitate the mood further around the Estádio da Luz. Vitória sought to compose reactions by stating that “phases like these happen” and that “giving up simply isn’t in my vocabulary.”
Sp. Braga 6-0 Estoril
With Braga making steady progress up the Primeira Liga table, one club many had earmarked as potential company for the top-half regulars were Estoril, given their wealth of new and exciting summer additions.
Instead, the Grande Lisboa outfit found themselves languishing in the pits of the division going into this clash, and the Arsenalistas exemplified just why that was the case early on when taking the lead via a close-range Dyego Souza finish in the 16th minute.
His ex-Marítimo colleague Raúl Silva doubled the hosts’ lead in the 40th minute with a header inside the area before Fábio Martins tapped home in the second period to make it 3-0, having met Ricardo Esgaio’s cut-back with a well-timed run.
After two assists and heavy involvement in Braga’s third goal, 19-year-old Bruno Xadas seized a moment of glory for himself in the 57th minute when arrowing a left-footed shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Ricardo Horta then got in on the act, finding the same corner Xadas had managed to for Braga’s fifth of the afternoon before bagging his brace in the 83rd minute, this time with a more modest touch to divert the ball out of the goalkeeper’s reach at the near post.
“This team has 24 starters, not just 11,” said Abel Ferreira after having made 8 changes to his starting line-up in comparison to the midweek Europa League victory, thus allowing his team to bypass worries over fatigue to move to within a point of 4th-placed Marítimo and two from Benfica. The heavy defeat roots Estoril to the bottom of the table.
By Patrick Ribeiro
Matchday 8
Chaves 1-1 Tondela
Paços de Ferreira 3-2 Moreirense
Portimonense 2-2 Desp. Aves
Boavista 1-0 Feirense
Rio Ave 2-1 Vit. Setúbal
Sp. Braga 6-0 Estoril
Sporting 0-0 FC Porto
Belenenses 1-0 Vit. Guimarães
Marítimo 1-1 Benfica