LIGA PORTUGAL BETCLIC:
Moreirense 1-0 Farense
Portimonense 1-3 Benfica
Both Farense and Portimonense were beaten last weekend in matches which could easily have resulted in at least two draws instead.
Looking ahead, Farense now face the daunting task of welcoming Sporting Lisbon to their São Luís stadium on Saturday evening (8.30pm kick-off) having already played League Cup group phase opponents Tondela earlier this week on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Portimonense travel to Vizela for a ‘must win’ match – both clubs have five points after six games so far – on Sunday afternoon before another probable drubbing in Porto the following weekend.
Against champions Benfica last Sunday evening, Portimonense acquitted themselves well in front of over 4,000 fans at the Municipal Stadium.
Vinicius, in goal for the injured Nakamura, was never going to keep out a powerful sixth-minute Alexander Bah strike or Musa’s 2-0 tap-in after 17 minutes but proved competent in dealing with efforts from the likes of David Neres and Rafa subsequently.
Half-time substitutions gave Portimonense more attacking options and a 56th-minute defence-splitting Jasper pass saw Hélio Varela reduce arrears from a tight angle. One-two, and the perhaps pivotal moment of the match arrived quarter of an hour later when VAR confirmed a Morata handball penalty decision in Portimonense’s favour.
Unfortunately, new Benfica Ukrainian national keeper Trubin signing, all 1m99cm, €10 million worth of him, four times the cost of the entire Portimonense squad, guessed the direction of Rildo’s firmly struck effort correctly and denied the equaliser.
Instead of being buoyed by what should have been a 2-2 score line, the Algarveans let their heads drop and promptly conceded a Neres strike six minutes later for the final 3-1 outcome.
Earlier, Saturday evening’s encounter between Moreirense and Farense proved less eventful with the home side shading the 1-0 result by virtue of a 17th-minute Alanzinho goal.
By SKIP BANDELE
