Via a three goal outing for Ángel Di María, Benfica overwhelmed relegation threatened Leixões 4-0 at the Estádio do Mar. With the result Benfica climb back to the top of the Liga Portuguesa table, whilst Leixões are at fifteenth.

After a number of efforts came up short, Benfica took the 1-0 lead two minutes shy of the half-hour as Eder Luis drilled the long range effort ball, into the net. Just before the hour, Ángel Di María was played the ball to the left side of the area before he fired it into the top near corner to give Benfica the two goal advantage. With fourteen minutes remaining, Ángel Di María notched his second of the night as he got on the end of Carlos Martins chipped pass before lofting the ball above the keeper. The scoring was not for Ángel Di María at at the eighty-seventh minute he drilled the ball from just outside the area to the back of the net.

Leixões return to play next Friday as they visit União de Leiria, whilst
Benfica welcome Paços de Ferreira to Estádio da Luz on Sunday.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved

Leixões crushed Porto’s hopes for getting back into the race for the crown as they held them to a scoreless draw at Estádio do Mar. With the result, the defending champions Porto hold third-place in the Liga Portuguesa table but are a full nine points behind Benfica, whilst Leixões pull level in points with Vitória de Setúbal at the fourteenth spot.

With new manager Fernando Castro Santos in his first match for Leixões, his side was comfortable at absorbing Porto’s pressure but the defending champions were lacking in quality. That aside, both Fernando Belluschi and Silvestre Varela had high probability chances provided to them pry to the break but each was lacking in the final touch.

Just past the quarter-hour, Jesualdo Ferreira summoned in Tomás Costa but while his effort was irrefutable, his set pieces, particularly in the final ten minutes of the evening were dreadfully sub-standard. Porto gifted with number of fine quality chances are without a doubt missing out of favour striker Hulk. After seven plus minutes of added-time, Porto’s efforts to find the winner came up empty and the match concluded as a scoreless draw.

Porto returns to play on Wednesday as they welcome Arsenal to Estádio do Dragão in Champions League play before facing Braga on Sunday.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
All rights reserved