In a confident display, Sporting moved to third in the Liga Portuguesa table with a 3-1 defeat of Naval 1º de Maio in Figueira da Foz.

With the match never in doubt, the Leões narrowly missed taking the lead when Yannick Djaló’s header rasped off the right post midway of the half. However, three minutes shy of the break there was no stopping the Lisbon side as Liédson slickly back heeled Abel Ferreira provision from the right by-line for the 1-0 lead.

At the hour mark, Ulick Lupede was controversially adjudged for bringing down Liédson in the area and a penalty awarded. In the ensuing effort, Matías Fernández slid the ball to left corner to give Sporting the two-goal advantage. Ten minutes later, Yannick Djaló latched onto a errant ball of the left side of the area and promptly it into the opposite corner to give Sporting the 3-0 lead. With a quarter-hour remaining, Naval’s João Pedro delivered a fine effort past ‘keeper Rui Patrício but it served as nothing more that a consolation goal as Sporting laid claim to the 3-1 victory.

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

In a highly professional display defending champions Porto defeated Naval 1º de Maio 3-0 at the Estádio do Dragão. The result Porto gives hopes of winning their fifth consecutive Liga Portuguesa crown, as they are seven points off top of the table Benfica at third-place, whilst Naval are at the twelfth spot.

Coming off Tuesday’s 5-0 destruction of Sporting in Taça de Portugal, Jesualdo Ferreira looked to be a morsel leg weary and saw their early advances thwarted by the visitors. The first chance of the match came three minutes shy of the half-hour mark when Bruno Alves free kick from twenty-five metres force Naval goalkeeper Romuald Peiser to stretch out to his left to push to safety. However, nine minutes later Tomás Costa’s free kick into the wall took a hearty deflection before finding its way to the back of the net to give Porto the 1-0 lead. Just before the break, Bruno Alves headed Fernando Belluschi’s free kick from the right a fraction outside the right post and Porto went to the break clinging the one goal margin.

After the break, Naval continued to shut down Porto’s advances and came within a hushed whisper of levelling at the fifty-fifth minute when Bolívia headed a corner from the left just over the bar. Porto desperately needed the insurance marker but consistently came up empty with each advance. With fifteen minutes left in regulation Naval narrowly missed levelling as Michel Simplício played a clever one-two with Fábio Santos before being sent free in on goal but Porto ‘keeper Helton saved the day. Four minutes later Porto went out in front 2-0, as Tomás Costa’s free kick from the left was flicked back by Bruno Alves at the back post to Falcao, who then headed the ball in. With two minutes remaining in regulation time, Silvestre Varela extended his breakout campaign as he scored his eighth goal of the season with a powerful drive from just outside the box to give Porto the 3-0 victory.

Porto returns to play next Saturday as they visit Leixões, whilst Naval 1º de Maio looks to find its winning ways as they welcome Vitória de Guimarães on Monday.

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