Familiar faces regain control
Saturday, February 5, 2005
Article summary
FC Porto and SL Benfica climbed to the Portuguese SuperLiga summit after defeats for SC Braga and Sporting CP.
Article body
By Onofre Costa
FC Porto and SL Benfica capitalised on defeats incurred by SC Braga and Sporting CP to climb to the SuperLiga summit.
Debut delight
José Couceiro got his coaching career at Porto off to a winning start as the title holders raced to an early lead against GD Estoril Praia. José Bosingwa and Ricardo Quaresma both scored in the first quarter of the match and although Fellahi reduced the deficit from the penalty spot eight minutes before half-time, the league strugglers could not deny Couceiro.
Simão double
The 2-1 win took the European champions to the top of the league on 37 points, where they were joined by Benfica, who defeated A. Académica de Coimbra 3-0 at the Estádio da Luz. Geovanni broke the deadlock with a header on 32 minutes and Simão Sabrosa took his season's tally to 13 with goals at the start and end of the second period to keep Académica rooted to the foot of the table.
Sporting spurned
Braga entered the weekend at the other end of the league with a 1-0 defeat against Vitória SC in the Minho derby. Brazilian midfield player Cléber scored the only goal of the game with a free-kick just after the hour mark. The side that lay behind them, Sporting, failed to capitalise as Pena scored twice and was sent off as CS Marítimo won 3-1. The Brazilian striker cancelled out Alan's 27th-minute penalty and then put the home side ahead just after the interval before his match ended early with a 66th-minute dismissal. Despite the numerical deficit, however, Krum Bibishkov added a third goal nine minutes later.
Nacional victory
CF Os Belenenses also ended their game against UD Leiria with ten men after Antchouet's first-half dismissal but they could not hold on as centre-back Renato earned Leiria all three points in the 87th minute. Tininho was another man to see red as SC Beira-Mar lost 2-0 against Gil Vicente FC while CD Nacional eased to a 4-1 win against FC Moreirense. André Pinto scored twice in the first 12 minutes before Wendel added a third. Lito gave the visitors hope on the cusp of half-time but Alonso completed the scoring in added time. Boavista FC remain fifth after drawing 0-0 at Vitória SC on Monday night.
