League

Estadio Queirao
Spectators: 6660 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1660, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Jaime Carvalho took the kick off in the first half of the match. 4 minutes into the match, SPORTING CP's goal looked a bit too open when Rui Sanches came free, but Emílio Mendes reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. SPORTING CP's Emílio Mendes played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Rui Sanches in the 7th minute of play. After a rather tough play, Sport Lisboa e Benfica's Jorge Infante got a free kick in the 11th minute. SPORTING CP's Emílio Mendes proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 14th minute of the match, managed to save SPORTING CP from getting a goal against them. After 18 played minutes, SPORTING CP's Şevket Bayraktar shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Mariano Bernardes came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in SPORTING CP reached it. It was a well-played corner which Nuno Pinhal managed to volley towards the net. Unfortunately, he didn't get a great hit on the ball and it went out into the grandstand. Mariano Bernardes made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Emil Nae in the 25th minute of play. Mariano Bernardes showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jaime Carvalho in the 27th minute of the match. If Jaime Carvalho had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 28th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Jaime Carvalho recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 30th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Mariano Bernardes showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Emil Nae, who was totally free with the ball in the 34th minute. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Aristides Coelho during the 36th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 36th match minute, Sport Lisboa e Benfica was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Aristides Coelho to maneuver through the defense. Rui Sanches sent away a hard shot on goal in the 41st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 43rd play minutes Jaime Carvalho shot 0-1, a short shot which went by Mariano Bernardes and just under the crossbar into goal. When the match had gone on for 48 minutes, Jaime Carvalho put it in 0-2 from a short distance just to the right of Mariano Bernardes. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 0-2.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Rui Sanches to strike the kick off in the second half. After having played for 56 minutes, Rui Sanches managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Sport Lisboa e Benfica's supporters crossed their fingers, but Rui Sanches was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Emil Nae received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 58th minute. Mariano Bernardes tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. When Aristides Coelho was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 60 minutes had been played. After 61 played minutes Sport Lisboa e Benfica got a freekick which was hit by Aristides Coelho. Emil Nae's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Mariano Bernardes read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 65th minute of play. Jorge Infante hit a great freekick 66 minutes into the match. After 69 minutes, Luís Martins mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the SPORTING CP and the Sport Lisboa e Benfica players grew even worse after the yellow card. After 69 played minutes SPORTING CP got a freekick which was hit by Luís Martins. Emil Nae sent away a hard shot on goal in the 73rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Sport Lisboa e Benfica's defense didn't have a chance, in the 75th minute, when Jaime Carvalho scored to the left of an out of position Mariano Bernardes, making the score, 0-3. Mariano Bernardes showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jaime Carvalho, who was totally free with the ball in the 79th minute. Emílio Mendes showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from André Bragança, who was totally free with the ball in the 82nd minute. After having played for 84 minutes, André Bragança managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Sport Lisboa e Benfica's supporters crossed their fingers, but André Bragança was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Lucílio Cabral took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 87th minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Emílio Mendes. SPORTING CP's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. Mariano Bernardes didn't succeed in stopping the ball in the 95th minute, which inside left pole to 0-4. When the match was over SPORTING CP could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than Sport Lisboa e Benfica throughout the match.