Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 6-1 Clube Desportivo Nacional‏

Luz 2oo3

Two pleasant wins with lots of goals, one last night for the Portuguese Liga Sagres and the other one last Thursday for the Uefa Europa League competition.

Yesterday SL Benfica received and won CD Nacional. It was a night of feast and joy, to begin, the celebrations of the anniversary of the Estádio da Luz. The six years of age had been precisely on the day before, Sunday but, the Club celebrated precisely on the Liga Sagres game with all the Club owners that mean us all Benfiquistas. Of course not all Benfica lovers can dislocate them selves every week to see our SLB playing but last night at least 47011 had that chance. To help the commemorations Benfica players gave all they could to win the home game against the Madeira Island team and, were able to obtain the 3 points.

Jorge Jesus knew that things would not be simple. In fact Nacional has robbed us some points on previous seasons and wanted to make it again. So Benfica’s coach J. Jesus delineated a scheme that allowed him to make what he wanted with the CD Nacional team. But things were also difficult, principally on the first half where the quality of some Nacional players, like Rúben Micael, appeared. On the second half Benfica showed the superiority inside the field and the result become on a five goals difference. Nacional from Madeira demonstrated on this game that has a good team but also fragilities and some the lack of experience, similar to their performance, on the Uefa Europa League. CD Nacional is playing very well on the Europa League but unfortunately for them the results are not as they wanted.

The red goals were obtained by: 1-0 Cardozo (17’), 2-1 Saviola (40’), 3-1 Cardozo (49’), 4-1 Saviola (63’), 5-1 Nuno Gomes (86’), 6-1 Cardozo (92’).

Also an important consideration to make is about the northern referee’s team (Vasco Santos), with two relevant mistakes committed: an irregular goal by E. Costa (27’) for CD National validated and an inexistent penalty marked for SLB. The penalization of this minor work was for both teams and also for the public that is becoming tired of so many errors.

On a fantastic and historical European night Benfica defeated the English team Everton FC. When the first half finished with a lonely goal from Saviola (14’) few believed that the reds would became the winners with a five goals difference. But in fact it happened; the earlier goals from Cardozo (47’ and 48’) on the second part of the game helped the destruction of the English strategy. The other goals were scored by Luisão (52’) and again by Saviola (83’). Some important toffee players missed that Europa League game, one of those was precisely their Captain Phil Neville that told the Press that the game in England would be different and that he is sure that the Everton will do everything to win that game.

For the Portuguese Cup Millennium the reds knew today that we will play against Vitória SC (Guimarães).

The Portuguese Cup competition draws, to be played on 22nd Novenber, is listed below.

FC Tirsense – FC Paços Ferreira

GD Pescadores C Caparica – Sporting CP

Rio Ave FC – CD Santa Clara

CD Nacional – CD Fátima

UD Oliveirense - FC Porto

GD. Chaves - UD Serra

A Naval 1º Maio - Gil Vicente FC
SC Freamunde - UD Leiria

Aliados FC Lordelo - Leixões SC

SC Braga – Vitória FC (Setúbal)

SL Benfica – Vitória SC (Guimarães)

A. Académica Coimbra – SC Beira Mar

AD Camacha - GR Vigor Mocidade

AD Oeiras – CD Pinhalnovense
SC Valenciano – CF Os Belenenses

Vieira SC or CD Mafra – CF União

Europa League: Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs Everton Football Club

Everton FC visits Lisbon and, plays later against SL Benfica. After the draw 1-1 obtained against Wolves (Wolverhampton) the Toffees bring to Luz 5000 fans. The Liverpool team came to Portugal without some players like Joseph Yobo and Steven Pienaar. Also injured are the club captain Phil Neville and the defender Phil Jagielka but those two players flew with the rest of the team.

Benfica won’t be able to count with Keirrison, Schaffer and L. Filipe, nevertheless Jorge Jesus told the Press that SLB will do everything to win the game and considers that the team is on a top level force.

“Everton FC is a strong team, with quality players especially on attack. Everton is a typical British team that normally uses direct football, with crosses into the area.”

“Everton is practically into next phase, so the discussion will basically be between SLB and AEK”.

J. Jesus considers also that this game is not fundamental for the reds, although a victory would be important to help our team go on into the next stage.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Goalkeepers: Quim, Júlio César;

Defenders: Luisão, David Luiz, Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, César Peixoto;

Midfielders: Javi García, Carlos Martins, Fábio Coentrão, Felipe Menezes, Di María, Rúben Amorim, Ramires, Aimar;

Forwards: Saviola, Nuno Gomes, Weldon, Óscar Cardozo;

Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Everton Football Club

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Carlo Nash;

Defenders: Tony Hibbert, Sylvain Distin, Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman, Shane Duffy, Hope Akpan;

Midfielders: Dan Gosling, Leon Osman, Jack Rodwell, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Tim Cahill;

Forwards: Jô, Louis Saha, Ayegbeni Yakubu, Marouane Fellaini, James Wallace;

Coach: David Moyes

Referee

Nikolay Ivanov (RUS)

Assistant referee

Nikolai Golubev (RUS) Viacheslav Semenov (RUS)

Additional assistant referee

Vladislav Bezborodov (RUS) Vladimir Pettay (RUS)

Fourth official

Alexander Gvardis (RUS)

Millennium Cup: Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo de Monsanto 0-6 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

For the Millennium Cup, the team Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo de Monsanto received this weekend our SLB. Instead of playing the game on their pitch called Campo do Pião, they decided to dispute the game on the stadium Dr. António Alves Vieira. The decision became in fact positive because Monsanto is a little village and the Stadium chosen located in Torres Novas had better conditions to play and also to be seen by the public.

One of the main advantages of this competition is allowing that players from Clubs like Monsanto playing on secondary leagues have the opportunity of probably making the game of their life. Many of those men have other jobs, so when this occurs normally a celebration is prepared and that’s precisely what happened with those persons located on the centre of Portugal. The festivities took place in Monsanto and in Torres Novas and the fans of both Clubs ate and drunk in great co fraternization.

Obviously the most important to the reds was the magnificent result, six goals obtained without response. But things were not as easy as they seem and the lonely goal of the 1st half scored by Felipe Menezes on the 29’ confirms precisely that. The Benfica team who returned from the dressing rooms was completely different in attitude and five more goals were obtained. Two of those goals belonged to Carlos Martins. Saviola and César Peixoto scored each other one goal. The last goal was from Fábio Coentrão just before the end of the game. Jorge Jesus gave the opportunity to Moreira keep the nets and also to Mantorras play some minutes, fact that gave much enthusiasm to the red fans present. In evidence, besides C. Martins with his goals and Nuno Gomes who was the Captain, was Fábio Coentrão who scored his first official season goal.

Game Info:

Stadium: Dr. Alves Vieira in Torres Novas

Referee: Paulo Costa (O’Porto).

GDR MONSANTO: René; Ruas, Filipe, Bá and Ito; Bruno Matos, João Martins, Gutty (Bruno, 62m) and Dani; Jamerson (Júlio, 81m) and Carlitos (Alex, 62m).

Bench: Nuno Martins, Marçal, Figa and Alexgol.

Coach: Vítor Alves.

SL BENFICA: Moreira; César Peixoto, David Luiz, Sidnei and Ruben Amorim; Javi Garcia, Fábio Coentrão, Felipe Menezes (Saviola, 62m) and Carlos Martins; Nuno Gomes (Mantorras, 68m) and Weldon (Miguel Vítor, 75m).

Bench: Quim, Maxi Pereira, Di María and Urreta.
Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Goals: 0-1, Felipe Menezes (29m); 0-2, Carlos Martins (46m); 0-3, Carlos Martins (59m); 0-4, Saviola (84m); 0-5, César Peixoto (88m); 0-6, Fábio Coentrão (90+1m).

Fábio Alexandre da Silva Coentrão (1988/03/11)

Fábio is natural of Vila do Conde where he was born on March 1988. The Youth Teams of Rio Ave FC made Coentrão the player he is today. Gave him the possibility of achieve the first Rio Ave team in 2oo5. Fábio’s first game on the first league was against Braga when he was only 17th years old. He represented the hometown Club Rio Ave FC from 2004 until 2007 and played so well that called the attention of many Sport Press and International Clubs. During this period his Club participated on the first Portuguese league and on the secondary league also.

The Fifa Under20 World Cup in Canada (2007/06/30 - 2007/07/22) gave him the opportunity to represent Portugal colours. The winger signed contract with the reds on the summer of 2007, but few chances had to show is real value and the result was a loan on January to the Madeira Island team Clube Desportivo Nacional, where he stayed until the end of the season. After his passage for Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. and again for Rio Ave FC he has now an important chance to demonstrate his real value.

Fábio returned to SLB more experience and mature. The result of the work he developed along this time, away from Luz, made him grew up as a man and as a footballer. Perhaps he might become a better player and if well protected, who knows, maybe a world star.

Coentrão likes to see Cristiano Ronaldo play football and enjoyed a lot the way he was received in Santiago Bernabeu. Another great Portuguese player makes part of his life somehow, this because Coentrão was several times called as “Figo of Caxinas”. Caxinas is the local in Vila do Conde where he grew up and Figo because of the player Luís Figo.

F. Coentrão is a great winger who prefers the left side. The velocity and his technical abilities represent two main characteristics. A severe danger to the opponent defences. He surely fascinates the spectators.

The red left winger has the dream of having a boat. He and his brothers always loved the sea, in fact, his father, now retired, was for many years a fisherman. When Fábio goes to the market he easily identifies the fishes. Probably he inherits the courage of the fisherman, passed from his father to him. He feels that in a way or in another the nets take part of his life.

One thing is certain the young Fábio Coentrão loving the ball as he loves the sea has a majestic future in front of him.

Liga Sagres: Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira 1-3 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Two different games got two different results.

The Greece visit to play against AEK Athens FC confirmed that the European away games can be a problem to our team. It is true that these kinds of games don’t seem to bother, but it is also true that a defeat is always a defeat. This Greek team showed that it was accessible and we could have brought some points from Athens.

On the other hand Benfica returned to the Portuguese League and returned to victories. In fact, it was a great victory, on a hard game, against FC Paços de Ferreira. A team always tuff principally when they play at home. The earlier goal scored by David Luiz proved that when work is done things become easier. With two more goals, one from Carlos Martins that reappeared well after being injured and the other one from the Paraguayan player Cardozo, SLB reached the end of the first half comfortably. Only a well organized Benfica with lots of concentration to gain balls and spaces on the opponent defensive. The pressure our team did was more than sufficient to enervate Paços de Ferreira team and for consequence making their players committing errors. The Brazilian defense Maycon scored for Paços on the 67’ but it was late to change things.

Without some international players Jorge Jesus got an important away victory and also a good performance of other team players and that’s what really counts.