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30/04/03
FC Porto coach José Mourinho
may have to celebrate his side's inevitable title celebrations from the stands. Mourinho was suspended for 15 days and fined 4,500 euros after his sending off in Monday's draw at Académica.
29/04/03
There was a great night's football Monday with the last two games of the 29th day of th SuperLiga.
FC Porto had to deal with one of the very best performances of the Portuguese season by a goalkeeper: Académica's Pedro Roma
kept them out with every part of his body and could only be beaten 20 minutes from the end by a magnificent Derlei
near-post header from a cross by Deco on the right. Académica had gone in front on 35 minutes with a header at the back post by central defender Raul Oliveira
from a corner on the left. FC Porto coach José Mourinho was shown the red card just minutes from time for words.
The goalkeepers were not so fortunate in the other big game of the night, where Boavista
returned to great exhibitions after dull but relatively effective showings in the UEFA Cup and dull and ineffective showings in the SuperLiga. Their first half against Vitória de Guimarães
Monday was vintage, and they went in 2-0 up. Yuri, on for the injured Duda after only 15 minutes, proved crucial. On the half hour he strode on to lob a Silva pass over 'keeper Palatsi from the edge of the
box, and eight minutes later he broke through the heart of the Vitória defence to shoot against Palatsi's body and head in the rebound.
The second half had Vitória waking up and Boavista recoiling, but not before they had extended their lead with a superb Silva
volley on the swivel that gave Palatsi no chance. That was on 52 minutes and Boavista were on a roll, but five minutes later an awful gaffe by their 'keeper Ricardo made the rest of the game less tranquil than it should have been: the National Team No. 1 took a free kick wide on the right, fluffed it and it fell to
Pedro Mendes, who sent it straight back over Ricardo's head from inside his own half. Vitória could have made even more of a game of it if they had managed to score from the spot seven minutes from time after
Martelinho had brought down Rubens Júnior. 'Keeper Palatsi stepped up to take it and allowed a save from his counterpart Ricardo. The 3-1 result was settled.
Sporting are up in arms at the suspension of Mário Jardel ahead of next weekend's derby against Benfica. The Brazilian striker has been banned for one game following the showing of a Reebok
T-shirt after he scored against Paços de Ferreira on February 2nd. the problem is that the decision from the disciplinary Committee of the Liga was known Thursday, but was only transmitted to the club Monday. If
Sporting had received notification before the game against Beira-Mar Friday, the player could have missed that game and would have been available for the Benfica game.
28/04/03
Sunday's games had more to do with relegation issues than top of the table matters.
Azores side Santa Clara got three vital points at home to bottom club and relegation rival Vitória de Setúbal with a 1-0 win, sub Tucho netting a quarter of an hour before the end.
After a fabulous start to the season, Varzim came another cropper and plunged themselves into yet deeper trouble at the bottom when they went down 0-2 at home to high-flying União de Leiria, who
begin to challenge Gil Vicente's fifth place. Brazilian Maciel got both goals either side of the break.
In mid-table, Paços de Ferreira slogged out an attractive 3-3 draw with Nacional of Madeira. Nacional went in front on three minutes through Rossato, and the same player, who is beginning
to interest the top teams, extended Nacional's lead on 26. On 65, Serginho pulled one back for Paços, but Paulo Assunção
restored Nacional's two-goal lead on 72. Nacional tried to protect their advantage and it would be their downfal. Renato Queiróz on 76 and Leonardo
a couple of minutes from time dragged Paços back into the picture.
Climbing into mid-table go Moreirense, 2-1 winners over Gil Vicente. Gil are riding high, and their confidence helped them to move in front after only ten minutes through Manoel. But on 26,
Flávio Meireles equalised for Moreirense, and Demétrios gave them the points a quarter of an hour from the end.
27/04/03
Benfica confirmed European football next season (at least the UEFA Cup) by beating Sporting Braga 3-1 away Saturday. They took the lead after only six minutes through Brazilian winger Geovanni,
but Sporting Braga, under newly-appointed former Benfica coach Jesualdo Ferreira, gave notice that they would not be a soft touch with an equaliser by Barroso
just four minutes later from the spot. The Slovenian midfielder Zahovic put Benfica back in the driving seat on 24, and Nuno Gomes
confirmed the points with a good individual effort on 64. Benfica are now 11 points ahead of Sporting and look sure to clinch the second Champions League spot after FC Porto.
Belenenses beat Marítimo, also by 3-1. Verona was on target after 14 minutes, but it wasn't until the 72nd minute that they extended their lead, through Mauro. He got another before
the end, and Dutch defender Van der Gaag got a consolation for Marítimo.
26/04/03
Benfica can extend their lead over Sporting to 11 points in the race for a Champions League spot if they beat Sporting Braga Saturday. Sporting
continued to disappoint their fans with a limp display Friday at home to Beira-Mar, themselves fighting desperately for survival in the SuperLiga. Senegalese striker Fary
put Beira-Mar in front early in the second half, and Jardel came off the subs bench to equalise from the spot on the hour, leaving the score at 1-1.
24/04/03
Académica will charge spectators to watch their next home game against FC Porto. In recent months, the club has opened up the doors at their borrowed ground in Taveiro (while their own Euro 2004 stadium
is being built), but the temptation of a guaranteed big crowd, and big receipts, to watch the future champions was too much ...
21/04/03
Benfica played their first game in the National Stadium Monday (while thier own Luz is being demolished) and scraped a 2-1 win against plucky Varzim.that leaves them nine points ahead of
Sporting in the increasingly one-sided race for the runners-up spot in the SuperLiga. Benfica dominated the first half and went in 1-0 up with a header by Argel
from a corner by Geovanni. In the second half, however, Varzim came back strongly and drew level with a marvellous shot from the edge of the area by former Benfica player Rui Baião. But Benfica's will was
dominant, and Tiago broke through on goal and coolly stroked the ball past the otherwise excellent Miguel, who had kept his side in the game with a series of fine saves. In the final minutes, Benfica's Petit was
sent off for a second yellow, and Benfica's midfielder Miguel headed off the line from Marcão.
A 68th-minute goal by Guga gave Vitória de Guimarães a 1-0 win over Belenenses that consolidates Vitória's fourth place in the SuperLiga ahead of Gil Vicente.
20/04/03
FC Porto need just two more victories to clinch the title, and nobody is now in any doubt that it's theirs. Moreirense proved a tough bone to chew Saturday, but Porto still took all three points with a
2-1 win. Sérgio Lomba put through his own goal on 38 minutes, and César Peixoto gave Porto a bit of brething space on the hour with a penalty. Demétrios
gave Moreirense some hope a quarter of an houtr from the end.
Sporting put in a performance that belied their recent weak run to beat Marítimo 3-0
in Madeira, never an easy feat. Bölöni started with three players who do not usually get a look in: César Prates, Sá Pinto and Kutusov, and they all played well and were decisive in the win. It was Argentinian defender
Quiroga who got the ball rolling, however, from a corner on 26 minutes. Seven minutes into the second half, Sá Pinto
got a penalty after João Pinto had been fouled in the box. And ten minutes later, in the move of the game, César Prates combined well with Quaresma on the right before swinging in a vicious low cross that Kutusov
met at the near post to head home.
Vitória de Setúbal are not going down without a fight, beating survival rivals Académica 3-1. Marinescu put Académica in front on 18 minutes, but the lead was short-lived. Nélson
put Vitória back level on 20 minutes and Celino on the half hour made sure that the home side went in leading. Half an hour into the second half, Jorginho made certain of the result.
Beira-Mar are complicating their own life. They could only manage a 2-2 draw Saturday at home to Sporting Braga. Wender put the visitors ahead in the first minute. Senegalese striker
Fary equalised on 23 and got a second just two minutes later. But Wender also got his second just after the break, and it was enough to snatch a point.
Nacional of Madeira deepened the misery at Azores side Santa Clara with a 2-1 home win. Rossato got two, on 29 and 57, and Ceará
pulled one back for Santa Clara ten minutes from time.
Beira-Mar and Vitória de Setúbal remain at the bottom on 26 points, Santa Clara and Académica have 27.
19/04/03
Boavista lost another three points Friday, and Gil Vicente climbed closer to an historic fourth place when they won a scrappy game 1-0. Defender Gaspar
bundled the ball in from a corner on 37 minutes to give the home side the points, but the fortuitous nature of the goal summed up the game - it was all down to luck, given that neither team appeared to be depending on design.
Earlier, Paços de Ferreira had beaten União de Leiria 1-0, taking a certain revenge for their defeat at the hands of UDL in the semi-final of the Taça. Serginho
got the decider a minute into the second half..
12/04/03
Dates of games for the 28th day of the SuperLiga
were announced Friday. Because of Easter, there are no games on the Sunday.
09/04/03
Belenenses and Gil Vicente drew 1-1 Tuesday in the final game of Day 27. Manoel scored his ninth of the season on 12 minutes to give the visitors the lead, and Anchouet
got the equaliser on the stroke of half-time. Gil remain fifth, Belenenses seventh, five points behind.
Belenenses opened up the doors to spectators to try to encourage a return to a stadium that rarely get attendances of more than a couple of thousand.
07/04/03
FC Porto brushed aside bottom club Vitória de Setúbal 3-0
Saturday with a line-up including many second-string players in an effort to spare the 'first-team' ahead of Thursday's UEFA Cup clash with Lázio. Marco Ferreira put the Dragons in the lead on 35 minutes, and while Vitória put up a brave fight, including a penalty save by Marco Tábuas from Maniche on 40 minutes, it was an uphill struggle, not helped by
Hugo Alcântara's expulsion two minutes later. And neither was their cause helped on 70 when Ricardo Pessoa sliced a wild 'clearance' over Tábuas and into his own goal. Alenitchev
settled the score with a volley a quarter of an hour from time.
Sporting found themselves waving forlornly at a Benfica side edging its way beyond reach in second when the Lions could only draw 1-1 at home to Vitória de Guimarães. The only consolation
for them is that they maintain the gap in the race for a UEFA cup spot ahead of Vitória, who are in fourth. Sporting were chasing a lead set by Fangueiro
after 14 minutes and caught up on the hour through central defender Hugo. But a mixture of poor finishing by them and inspiration by Vitória 'keeper Palatsi kept the score even until the end.
It's from the bottom of the table that the most suspense will now come. Beira-Mar remain two points ahead of bottom club Vitória de Setúbal, despite their 1-0 defeat at Varzim
, who manage to climb out of immediate danger. A penalty from Paulo Vida after 26 minutes gave them the points and their first win under coach Luís Campos.
Two points ahead of Beira-Mar are Santa Clara and Académica, fighting not to be the third relegated team.
Santa Clara lost 1-3 at home to União de Leiria. It took the visitors an hour to take the lead through Maciel, but Santa Clara re-established equality through João Pedro
. Five minutes from time, however, Hugo Almeida restored UDL's lead on the counter attack and in the closing minutes Maciel got his second and his team's third.
Académica managed a 2-2 draw at home to Nacional of Madeira. Captain Dário put Os Estudantes in front from close-range five minutes before the break, but Carlos Alvarez
sent them in level with an equaliser on the stroke of half-time. Marinescu put Académica back in front in the second half, and it looked like they might sneak it until two minutes from time when Cleomir
gave Nacional a point. Nacional had two sent off (Ricardo Esteves and Hugo Carreira), Académica one (Tonel). Académica's 'keeper Hilário was injured and had to be replaced, causing the referee to add 13 minutes onto the end of the game.
The other Madeiran side Marítimo continue to improve under new coach Byshovets, winning 1-0 at uneven Sporting Braga. Pepe got the all-important goal ten minutes into the second half.
06/04/03
Benfica kept up their trek towards a Champions League place Saturday with a 3-1 win at Paçõs de Ferreira
(they had won 7-0 in the first half of the season). It was a bad-tempered game, especially in the second half, with three players sent off: Cadu of Paços (for slapping Nuno Gomes), and team-mate Beto and Benfica's Hélder for second yellows. The game itself was virtually over within 25 minutes,
Nuno Gomes scoring two (the second after a superb counter-attack involving Geovanni and Miguel) and Simão scoring from the spot (his 17th of the season). Renato Queiroz
pulled one back for Paços before the break to give the home side some hope of a turnaround, but the second half was a ragged affair and neither side managed to change the scoreboard.
Earlier in the evening, Boavista drew 1-1 at Moreirense
but could complain about their luck and possibly the referee. They hit the woodwork three times, had an authentic penalty appeal turned down (trip on Yuri) and the Moreirense goal came after Afonso Martins had handled before crossing for
Jorge Duarte to put the home side in front in the first half. Sub Luiz Claudio
headed Boavista level in the second half from a cross by another sub Jocivalter, but Boavista were left fuming by the end; and coach Jaime Pacheco was ordered from the bench by the referee, apparently for less than complimentary comments.
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