Portuguese Football in English
The third round of the Taça de Portugal is one of the most eagerly awaited weekends of the Portuguese football calendar, especially since the rule change several years ago whereby a seeded draw forces top-flight teams to be the away team.
It increases the chance of shocks and this year was no different with four clubs from Portugal’s top division dumped out of the Portuguese Cup by lower league teams.
Sporting 2-1 Arouca
Sporting were made to fight with ten men at home to Arouca for a 2-1 victory that sees the Lions lead the Primeira Liga table going into the international break, courtesy of a Hidemasa Morita second-half winner.
The Lisbon giants were on the front foot in the first half after Viktor Gyökeres’ opener but quickly saw their mission marred by a controversial 42nd-minute Ousmane Diomande red card.
Arouca introduced Sporting’s fears to reality with a second-half equaliser from Rafa Mújica, but that was later undone by Morita’s decisive 68th minute goal, placing the Lions a point clear at the top of the table with a 2-1 victory.
FC Porto held on for a vital 1-0 win against a Portimonense side that pushed them until the final minutes of the match. Sérgio Conceição’s side were wasteful on the night but managed to escape with a crucial three points that keeps them within touching distance of title rivals Sporting and Benfica.
Evanilson recorded the only goal of the match in the ninth minute to give Porto an early advantage. The home team missed numerous chances to score a second, but did not relinquish their early lead.
Benfica secured a dramatic 1-0 win in Estoril to claim top spot in the Primeira Liga.
The Eagles edged a tight first half but were fortunate not to concede after the restart when Heriberto Tavares hit the post.
Roger Schmidt’s side turned up the heat in the closing stages at Estádio António Coimbra da Mota and scored the decisive goal in added time.
Petar Musa headed a corner to António Silva, the 19-year-old in perfect position to score before making a crucial goal line clearance with the final kick of the game.
They’re making a habit of it. After a sensational last-gasp comeback victory in the Champions League in midweek against Union Berlin, Braga again had to come from behind to win.
Rio Ave took the lead after just five minutes at the Quarry through an excellent move finished by Leonardo Ruiz. Despite chances galore, it seemed the Arsenalistas would find no way through as the match went into stoppage time.
But substitute Roger Fernandes had other ideas, providing two assists for strikers Simon Banza and Abel Ruiz to send the home fans wild with delight.
