SL Benfica gave a enormous step to achieve the season title. Last Saturday night a full Luz Stadium saw the red athletes winning the game against the second place, SC Braga. The tickets had vanished two weeks before and the two better teams playing football in Portugal on the present season were facing each other.
The reds coach, Jorge Jesus, decided that the eleven players starting the game would be: Quim, the goalkeeper, Maxi Pereira, Luisão, David Luiz and Fábio Coentrão on the defensive, helped also by Javi García. On the midfield Ramires, Carlos Martins and Di Maria, while on the attack Cardozo and Saviola tried to reach the goal. In fact the goal was obtained on this first half, more concretely just before it ends, and by the centerback Luisão after a corner kick on the right. D. Paciência, SC Braga’s coach, tried to changes things on the second half, and his players started to appear near the reds area. And some danger occurred mainly by Mossoró, Paulo César and Alan, and many times on the free kicks of Hugo Viana or Luís Aguiar, this last one had entered the game meanwhile. J. Jesus knowing that the most important was to obtain the three points made Rúben Amorim, Pablo Aimar and Kardec substitute C. Martins, Ramitres and Saviola. Pedro Proença, the referee of the game, was very well during the game, although a penalty could had been marked, against SC Braga, when the ball touched Rodriguez’s hand. But, in our opinion Proença decided well and Rodriguez, one of the best centerbacks playing in our championship didn’t deserve that. SC Braga has this year and similar to the previous seasons great players on the team, and two examples of that are Luís Filipe and César Peixoto, the reds defenders who did not had the chance to play on this game.
Luís Filipe Ângelo Rodrigues Fernandes (1979/06/14)
Luís Filipe started playing football in 1996, on the youth teams of Associação Académica de Coimbra and later, in 1999, he went to Spain where he represented the B Team of Club Atlético de Madrid. This experience made him move to SC Braga to play for two years. His experience was good and the games made also brought good results to him and Sporting CP decided to sign him in 2oo1 a contract. This right winger played many times as defender, the results were not so good and the Sporting CP administrators decided to loan L. Filipe to União Desportiva de Leiria. Stability was not a point on his favour and he jumped to the island of Madeira to play for the Club Sport Marítimo. Thirty games later he returned to SC Braga where he participated on more than fifty games. This positive regularity opened the Luz doors and he came to Benfica in 2oo7. He stayed the first season, but on the second (2oo8-o9) he went, for loan, to Vitória SC where he played till he came back. This thirty years old player, hasn’t many chances on this actual Benfica, but Luis Filipe can for sure do much better when he gets his opportunity.
Paulo César Silva Peixoto (1980/05/12)
César Peixoto was born in the same place where Portugal was founded, the beautiful city of Guimarães. He represented a region club when he initiated his career. This northern club was Clube Caçadores das Taipas. Two seasons later in 2oo1 he came to Lisbon to play for Clube de Futebol «Os Belenenses» where he stayed for a year. His performance was so good that José Mourinho moving to FC Porto asked to his pass to be acquired. In the city of Porto and representing the local Club he stayed since 2oo2 till 2oo6. In between, he was loaned to Vitória SC and in last year to RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. Great games he had on one hand but on other some annoying injuries that frustrated his plans. César Peixoto returned to Portugal to play for SC Braga for two seasons and then was bought be SL Benfica. César Peixoto played many times on the left wing of the teams he represented but the necessities of the Clubs made him occupy the left back. His good performances made him got the place. The majority of the titles won by César where in FC Porto, like for instance Uefa Cup and Champions League, but he will for sure win some more while representing the Eagles.
Benfica is now 6 points away from SC Braga and the League is not yet won, but this victory represents a great deal. On the other hand SC Braga needs to look down because the second place and the Champions League access can be loss, this because FC Porto is only 5 points distance. Let’s now buy one of the few tickets available for receiving Liverpool FC for the Uefa Europa League next Thursday.
