Portuguese Football in English
Crvena Zvezda 2-1 Braga
Braga began their Europa League campaign in disappointing fashion with defeat in Serbia against Crvena Zvezda.
The hosts took the lead in the 75th minute, but Braga hit straight back through Galeno, only to throw it all away with loose defending, conceding a penalty which was converted for the winner in the 84th minute.
Primeira Liga champions Sporting have been rocked by defeat in their UEFA Champions League opener against Ajax, losing 5-1 at home to the Amsterdam outift, this Wednesday.
Four goals from ex-West Ham United forward Sebastian Haller and an additional first-half finish from Steven Berghuis condemned Sporting to an embarrassing start to their European campaign, leaving them bottom behind the defeated Besiktas in Group C.
In the Spanish capital of Madrid, ten-man FC Porto were unable to go beyond a point in their first Champions League outing, against Atlético de Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano, after Mehdi Taremi was unlucky to see a goal of his chalked off for handball.
Also destined for a goalless night was Benfica, who on Tuesday held onto a goalless draw to share the spoils with Dynamo Kyiv in Ukraine. All Champions League games and matches in other competitions can be followed via the Sports168 website.
Liga Bwin football returned this weekend after the conclusion of the season’s first international break. League leaders Benfica maintained their 100% start by thrashing Santa Clara, taking advantage of Sporting and Porto sharing the spoils in the campaign’s inaugural “Clássico”.
Spoil sharing was a common theme of the round, draws taking place in every match but two in an intensely-fought selection of games.
One of those that didn’t end in stalemate though was Estoril’s triumph at Tondela which maintained their fantastic, unbeaten return to the top flight. The star of the show, and PortuGOAL Figure of the Week, was young Portuguese forward Chiquinho, whose goal and assist helped take all three points and his team to second place in the division.
Sporting 1-1 FC Porto
Sporting and Porto were forced to settle for a point apiece after playing out a 1-1 draw tonight at the Alvalade, seeing Benfica solidify their spot at the top of the table.
The Lions, hosting the first Clássico of the season, found themselves ahead as early as the 15th minute via Nuno Santos, deputising for the injured Pedro Gonçalves.
Porto, who’d end the game reduced to ten men after Toni Martinez’s red card, pulled the game back level with Luis Diaz’s strike late in the second half, seeing both sides slip four points behind of league leaders Benfica, who were victorious against Santa Clara.
Benfica have renewed their fine form coming into the new season with a 5-0 victory away to Santa Clara, cementing their spot at the top of the Primeira Liga table.
The Eagles started slowly with a goal on the brink of half-time from Rodrigo Pinho before further joy followed in the second period, led by a Darwin Nuñez brace. Finishes from Rafa Silva and new boy Roman Yaremchuk completed Benfica’s assignment in the Azorean island of São Miguel, making it five wins from five in the league.
Sporting de Braga, on the other hand, were unable to apply pressure on both Sporting and Porto prior to the Classico, drawing 0-0 away to Paços de Ferreira and keeping them two points adrift of their competitive rivals.
