Benfica kiss title hopes goodbye

Benfica 0-0 Leixoes

Benfica released their grip on any lingering title hopes by drawing 0-0 against lowly Leixoes at the Estadio da Luz. It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance from the Eagles.

In a promising opening 45 minutes Benfica were unlucky to have a goal wrongfully disallowed and a controversial penalty call not awarded in their favour, but in the second half the Lisbon side deteriorated badly as Leixoes picked up their game and came close to handing the Eagles a loss in their own backyard.

At the final whistle Benfica fans whistled and jeered their team off the field, with the dreaded white handkerchiefs swirling as a sign of loss in confidence in the coach.

Leixoes started brightly but Benfica absorbed the early pressure and started to impose their game as Di Maria took a shot from distance in the 10th minute that took a bounce in front of Beto and just missed the left post.

Gomes goal ruled out

Controversy struck in the 16th minute as Benfica’s Nuno Gomes slotted the ball past Beto to give the home side the early lead, but match referee Paulo Costa whistled for offside although TV replays clearly showed it was a poor decision. The hosts kept pressing but lacked creativity in the final third of the pitch.

In the 39th minute Maxi Pereira fired just wide of the Leixoes goalkeeper’s right post, before more controversy ensued right before the break. Leo was brought down by Filipe Oliveira as he sped into the Leixoes box and Paulo Costa first awarded Benfica the penalty, but then changed his mind and signalled for a free kick on the edge of the box instead, which came to nothing.

Benfica looked set to keep their attacking game going in the second half when a Petit shot from outside the area brought a brilliant stop out of Beto, with his foot.

One minute later Leixoes almost snatched a goal as Roberto headed a Filipe Oliveira cross onto the crossbar. The near miss clearly injected confidence into the visitors as Leixoes started to attack with more purpose. Roberto threatened with two efforts in a three-minute span, then Diogo Valente hit the outside of the post with a diving header.

All fluency had gone out of Benfica’s game, but Camacho’s team had a chance to grab a late goal in the 80th minute after a goalmouth scramble, only for Freddy Adu to send his shot sailing over the crossbar.

Late chances

In a frantic last few minutes Nuno Diogo could have given Leixoes the win but just missed the left post before Petit hit a thunderous shot from close in that Beto again did superbly well to keep out.

More uncertainty hangs over Benfica as the club succumbed to their second consecutive draw and are now 11 points behind FC Porto. The Lisbon side are realistically left to fight for second place, the Portuguese Cup and the Uefa Cup, but displays like this will certainly not help attain any of those objectives.

Benfica:
Quim, Nelson (Nuno Assis, 60), Luisao, David Luiz, Leo, Petit, Rui Costa, Maxi Pereira, Nuno Gomes, Di Maria (Adu, 78), Cardozo (Mantorras, 73)
Yellow Cards: Luisao, Petit, Rui Costa

Leixoes:
Beto, Filipe Oliveira, Nuno Diogo, Elvis, Ezequias, Bruno China, Jorge Goncalves, Nwoko (Pedro Cervantes, 71), Diogo Valente (Vieirinha, 85), Hugo Morais, Roberto (Tales, 89)
Yellow Cards: Nwoko (35), Nuno Diogo (48), Ezequias (57)