Benfica took advantage of the draw in yesterday’s Clássico to cut the gap between themselves and leaders Sporting to four points by beating Moreirense 3-2 at the Estádio da Luz.
Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis continued his fine form with two goals in the first 15 minutes, the first a penalty, the second from a corner, but the visitors hit straight back when Benny’s shot deflected off Otamendi and into the roof of the net.
Otamendi restored Benfica’s two-goal cushion before half time. Ivo Rodrigues reduced the deficit for Moreirense with a late strike, but the Eagles held on for the three points.
The victory came at a cost for the hosts though, with both Alexander Bah and Manu Silva stretchered off the pitch in the first half with serious-looking knee injuries.
FC Porto 1-1 Sporting
Martín Anselmi, Argentinian, 39 years old. The new FC Porto coach arrived at the Invicta City surrounded with controversy from Mexican side Cruz Azul. People would be lying if they say they already knew him (except from that one clip where the goalkeeper from Cruz Azul is actively participating in construction of play).
The Segunda Liga is a strange place where you can have no expectations at all for a team and all of a sudden, they are on the verge of getting promoted. Or the other way around, where a team has years of investment in order to get promoted and still fails to perform well enough.
Let me guess. No-one was expecting this one, especially in the late months of 2024.