|
30/09/03
Sporting left it until the dying seconds of added time to snatch all three points Monday from a resilient but overly defensive Gil Vicente
on the still atrocious Alvalade XXI pitch. Gil kept everything out until the 94th minute when Rodrigo Tello
hit a ball from the edge of the box that deflected wildly past the excellent Paulo Jorge in the Gil goal. Sporting go third, along with Boavista and behind FC Porto and Marítimo.
While there were around 30,000 at Alvalade XXI, Benfica's win over Nacional Sunday at the National Stadium was watched by just 9,750
paying spectators, ammunition for the opposition in the club's upcoming elections for president. "In a club like Benfica, which has always prided itself on its ability to move multitudes, there have never been such low gates," said
presidential candidate Jaime Antunes.
29/09/03
Benfica beat Nacional 1-0 at the National Stadium Sunday, although they never convinced. Tiago
got the goal on 25 minutes, his shot deflected past the Nacional 'keeper. He was later to be sent off after a second yellow, evening up the numbers after Alexandre Goulart had been sent off in the first half.
Miran after a quarter of an hour gave Estrela de Amadora their first win of the season (1-0), and Marítimo their first defeat, leaving FC Porto clear at the top of the league.
Beira-Mar visited and surprisingly beat Sporting Braga 2-0 with a goal in each half through Kingsley and Juninho Petrolinho.
Paços de Ferreira continue to struggle post- José Mota and went down 0-3 at home to Alverca. Rodolfo Lima, Ramires and Vargas got all the goals in the second half.
União de Leiria managed a 2-1 win over Moreirense, although the visitors went in front on four minutes through Lima. UDL left it until the second half to come back, equalising first
through Maciel on 56 and nabbing the points on 90 through Bilro.
Académica lost out to the odd goal (0-1) against Belenenses, Antchouet scoring the winner ten minutes from time.
28/09/03
FC Porto went clear top of the SuperLiga Saturday with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Vitória de Guimarães, whose fifth consecutive defeat from six this was, leaving them firmly in trouble at
the bottom of the table.
Vitória got off to a flying start on five minutes, Hugo Cunha crossing for former Porto striker Romeu
to score, but it took only five more minutes for Porto to be back in it, a Nuno Valente cross headed home by the Ninja, Derlei. Porto left it until twelve minutes from time to nab the points,
Costinha scoring a typical headed goal from a corner by Deco.
27/09/03
Boavista remain unbeaten so far this season, winning 2-1 Friday at Rio Ave. Senegalese striker Fary, last season's top scorer in the SuperLiga, put the Panteras in front on 37 minutes, tapping in a cross from the left by Rui Oscar.
Vandinho
cut inside from the right and beat the otherwise excellent William at the near post to put Rio Ave on level terms on 57 minutes, but Éder glanced home a free-kick from Ricardo Sousa on 65 to give Boavista all three points and put them up into 3rd, at least temporarily, with 12 points from six games. Rio Ave, despite a bright performance Friday, have yet to win a game and remain second from bottom with just two points.
23/09/03
Surprise early-season flop Vitória de Guimarães lost their fourth game in a row at Belenenses Monday to round off Day 5 of the SuperLiga. Belenenses'goals came from two headers, the first a
diving one from Carlos Fernandes after a corner by Neca on 30 minutes, the second on 70 by Neca
himself, twisting to direct the ball astutely past Miguel from a cross by Valdiran. Belenenses jump from 12th to 7th, while Vitória remain fourth from bottom.
On Sunday, the clássico between FC Porto and Benfica, the last at a packed (45,000) Antas stadium, was an even affair but the teams were separated by two incredible mistakes by Benfica defenders.
On the half hour, Maniche crossed from the right and the ball was drifting harmlessly away from the goal until Benfica right back Miguel tried to chest it down for 'keeper Moreira. Derlei
was lurking, nipped in and flicked the ball past a helpless Moreira. On 52, a Porto corner by Ricardo Fernandes on the right was glanced magnificently into his own goal by Argel. And the game was up. FC
Porto join Marítimo at the top on 13 points, while Benfica have just five from four games.
Beira-Mar got their second win of the season with a 4-1 rout of disappointing Paços de Ferreira, with only three points to their name and apparently missing the discipline instilled by coach José
Mota who left the club in the summer for Santa Clara. Sandro and Wijnhard, José Manuel replying for Paços, put Beira-Mar ahead at half-time, while Kata and Wijnhard
with his second rounded off a convincing victory for António Sousa's men.
Alverca also got their second win, beating Rio Ave 1-0 at home with an excellent solo effort by Rodolfo Lima
ten minutes from time. Newly promoted Rio Ave are second from bottom with just two points from five games.
União de Leiria broke their duck in terms of victories with a useful 2-0 win at normally tricky Nacional. João Paulo on 26 minutes and Laranjeiro on 83 did the business.
Estrela da Amadora sink ever further into early trouble, their 1-5 defeat at Gil Vicente
meaning that they have conceded 16 goals in five games, and with just one point, they are rooted firmly at the bottom of the table. Estrela must have thought it was their day when Júlio César
scored after just a minute, but Gaspar had equalised before half time and the second half brought a whirlwind of goals from Gil through Josiesley Ferreira, Paulo Alves (2) and Luís Loureiro
.
21/09/03
Sporting lost out on the points in the dying minutes at Moreirense Saturday (1-0). The home side had been the more lively for most of the first half, with several chances either wasted or saved
by Ricardo in the Sporting goal. In the second half, Sporting came back well, especially after the entrance of sub Lourenço who caused great damage down the left; Silva hit the bar with a header and Lourenço hit the
post with a snap shot, Clayton failing to convert the rebound.
But in the third minute of added time, Moreirense sub Lito appeared to foul Sporting defender Anderson Polga on the left touch-line before crossing for Manoel
to beat Ricardo to the ball and knock it home. Seconds earlier, Sporting had had a penalty disallowed for a foul on Silva. In the 'flash interview' Sporting coach Fernando Santos
called the result "a lie", and the final incidents are bound to be the subject of TV and bar discussions for many days to come.
Earlier in the evening, Boavista and Académica ground out a drab 0-0 draw which was worthy of no more comment than exactly that.
20/09/03
After winning their first four games 1-0, Marítimo remain unbeaten but dropped their first points of the season at home to Sporting Braga
Friday, and they conceded their first goal of the season on 10 minutes when Wender
finished off a cross by Paulo Sérgio from the right. Marítimo had to wait until the 53rd minute for their top scorer last season, Gaúcho, to equalise from the spot. Marítimo remain top, at least until Sunday
when FC Porto can catch them if they beat Benfica in the clássico.
18/09/03
The FC Porto-Benfica Clássico scheduled for Sunday is set to be a sell-out. There are 30,000 seats reserved for club members, 10,500 tickets have been sold and 5,500 are still to go.
16/09/03
Boavista drew 1-1 at Alverca Monday, with goals respectively from Gabriel and Ricardo Sousa (see match reports). The result leaves Boavista 5th with eight points from
their four games, Alverca 12th with four.
15/09/03
Benfica threw away a supreme opportunity to get three points and keep in touch with the leaders Sunday when they drew 3-3 with Belenenses at the National Stadium. Benfica were on top throughout,
and Belenenses, while containing well and arriving often at Benfica's penalty area, posed little threat to Moreira's goal ... until the end. Two debutants scored for Benfica: diminutive winger João Pereira
on 27 minutes and giant (1m94) Brazilian centre-back Luisão on 87. Meanwhile, Fehér had made it 2-0 for Benfica on 54 and Sané had pulled one back for Belenenses on 82. Then Sané
got Belenenses' and his second a minute from time to make it 3-2, and deep into stoppage time, sub Leonardo was on hand at the back post to squirm a header past Moreira and leave Benfica devastated.
Benfica's local rivals Sporting
has an easier time of it at Alvalade XXI, but had to cope with their own inadequacies in the second half and an atrocious playing surface which is swiftly becoming infamous. After five minutes, there were divots littering just about every point on the pitch, and both teams struggled in the conditions to put on a show, although Sporting were clearly superior, especially in the first half. Sporting coach Fernando Santos was critical of the pitch after the game, and intimated that Sporting might have to play somewhere else while it's sorted out. One thing's for certain: it cannot continue in this state for EURO 2004.
Rochemback opened the scoring on 20 minutes with a well-placed drive from outside the box, and Toñito finished off a nice one-two with Silva on 34 to decide the game.
Earlier in the day, Rio Ave drew 1-1 at home to Beira-Mar, thus winning only their second point in four games. Defender Franco opened the scoring on 15 minutes, but Marcelinho
equalised for Beira-Mar from a corner five minutes before half-time.
14/09/03
Marítimo chalked up their fourth win in a row (all by one goal to nil) and sit at the top of the SuperLiga with maximum points. Alan got the only goal at Paços de Ferreira
on 63 minutes after great work by young midfielder Danny.
FC Porto continue on Marítimo's tail, after their third win, 3-1 at União de Leiria. Coach José Mourinho returned to Leiria (actually Marinha Grande, where UDL are playing until their EURO 2004
stadium is completed), and two of the players he took to Porto from his old club made the first goal on the half-hour, Nuno Valente crossing for Derlei's neat header at the back post. A União player who may
move to Porto later in the season equalised on the hour, Maciel
heading home a glorious cross from the right by Bilro. União were down to ten men by that time, Edson sent off for diving, and it began to show as the game wore on. Then in a five minute period Porto were safe:
Ricardo Fernandes swung a lovely free-kick beyond Helton's grasp on 71 minutes, and Marco Almeida got the third on the break.
Newly-promoted Estrela da Amadora are struggling already, losing (1-2) for the third consecutive game and now rooted firmly at the bottom of the table. Manoel put Moreirense
in front on 20 minutes, former Benfica forward, the Egyptian Sabry, equalised on 27 but Tito
got a penalty five minutes from time to leave Estrela with a big headache and coach João Alves's position in doubt. There were no more than 500 spectators at the game.
Also struggling, and still blaming the referees, are Vitória de Guimarães who also lost their third game, this time 1-2 at home to Académica, with coach Vítor Oliveira taking charge for the first
time since the resignation of Artur Jorge. They were queuing up unmarked in the Guimarães box on ten minutes, but it was captain Dário
who jumped to the head of the queue to put Académica in front with a clean shot. Vitória equalised on the stroke of half time, Manuel José squeezing a shot in at the near post with Fouhami badly beaten.
Tixier headed the winner from a corner twenty minutes from time.Vitória might have had a couple of penalties, but they cannot put all the blame for their shaky start on the referees.
13/09/03
In a lively game Friday between two northern teams Sporting Braga and Gil Vicente, the interest of which was sustained throughout with no small thanks to a positively permissive referee, Pedro
Henriques, it was Braga who finally came out on top, but they didn't have it all their own way. Gil were in front on six minutes, central defender Gaspar
rising to head home from a corner on the right. Braga's equaliser, a minute before half-time, was a carbon copy, Wender
doing the honours. The goal took the wind out of Gil's sails, and the second half was barely five minutes old when Brazilian striker Pena, the former FC Porto no. 9, persevered to bundle home a
ball which had been parried by Paulo Jorge in the Gil goal. It would turn out to be the winner. The three points puts Sporting Braga up there at the top with Marítimo, who have a game in hand.
08/09/03
Belenenses trounced local rivals Estrela da Amadora 4-0 Sunday in a game re-scheduled from Day One. Eliseu
put the Blues in front on 34 minutes, but a hat-trick in a twenty-minutes second-half spell by Gabonese forward Antchouet did the main damage.
04/09/03
Gil Vicente got their first win of the season Wednesday, 2-0 at home to Paços de Ferreira, in a game re-scheduled from last Friday because of floodlight failure. Gil's goals were bookends to the
game, Josiesley Ferreira scoring in the first minute and Cadu
putting throiugh his own goal at the curtain. In between, Paços did themselves no favours, playing with nine men for the last half hour, Paulo Vida and Luís Miguel taking early baths.
03/09/03
In the last ever FC Porto v Sporting clássico at Porto's old Antas Stadium, the Dragons showed no mercy and ripped the Lions to 4-1
shreds. They were helped by a very early goal and some generous defending by Sporting, but the merit for the victory was all theirs, dominating as they did in just about every sector.
Derlei got them off to the best possible start with a near post header from a cross by full-back Paulo Ferreira after just three minutes. They had to wait about 50 minutes for the second, though, Jankauskas
taking advantage of a mix-up in the heart of the Sporting defence to clip the ball past Ricardo. The Sporting 'keeper was similarly helpless on 64 minutes when Maniche
struck a snap shot past him from the edge of the box, although he got a fingertip to it.
Sporting's pride didn't let them throw in the towel, however, and Rochemback
fired in a perfect free-kick ten minutes from time. Shortly afterwards, debutant Liedson had a prime opportunity to narrow the gap and make the last ten minutes electric. He failed, and Porto it was who extended their lead, Benni
McCarthy, on as sub, planting a spot kick on the stroke of full-time.
The teams lined up:
FC Porto: Vítor Baía, Paulo Ferreira, Jorge Costa, Ricardo Carvalho, Nuno Valente, Costinha, Maniche, Deco (Pedro Mendes, 81m), Alenitchev (Bosingwa, 89m), Derlei, Jankauskas (McCarthy, 73m).
Sporting: Ricardo, Miguel Garcia, Beto, Hugo, Rui Jorge (Luís Filipe, 52m); Custódio, Rochemback, João Pinto, Tello, Toñito, Lourenço (Liedson, 52m).
02/09/03
Belenenses drew 1-1 at home to União de Leiria Monday. Neca put the Lisbon side in front with a free-kick on 12 minutes, but Cameroon winger Douala, in a one-on-one with Marco
Aurélio, equalised for UDL twenty minutes from time.
01/09/03
Marítimo chalked up their third successive win of the season to go top of the SuperLiga Sunday. The unlucky victims this time were Rio Ave, falling to a single goal by Brazilian striker Gaúcho
after a quarter of an hour.
Beira-Mar got their first win of the season, beating Alverca with a single headed goal from Paraguayan central defender Alcaraz.
Nacional cracked four past hapless Estrela da Amadora, who look like they will struggle after promotion to the SuperLiga. Patacas
put the Madeiran side in front in the first half with a free-kick. In the middle of the second half, Mário Carlos got two in the space of ten minutes, and the club's top scorer last season, Adriano,
selaed the win in the dying minutes.
|
