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Liga Sagres weekend action round-up

Maritimo move into top three

Marco Pereira rounds up the rest of the weekend action in the Liga Sagres.

Trofense 0-2 Maritimo
Trofense succumbed to their sixth defeat of the season as the Liga’s new boys went down 2-0 at home to Maritimo. Two second-half goals by Djalma and Olberdam saw the Madeira club extend their undefeated streak to six games.

In a slow start to the match both clubs were firing shots from distance, but the closest anyone came in the first half occurred in the 10th minute. Baba almost scored from a comedy of errors when goalkeeper Paulo Lopes ran into his own defender and dropped the ball at the striker’s feet. Baba tried to slip the ball into the open net, but an attentive Miguel Angelo was on the spot to clear the danger.

The second half was much brighter from the two teams as both sides had a sniff at goal early on through David Calado and Van der Linden, respectively. The deadlock was broken in the 61st minute when Djalma tucked his effort inside the post past Paulo Lopes to give the visitors the lead.

Maritimo’s advantage would be doubled nine minutes later when Olberdam redirected a cross at the far post to give the visitors a comfortable victory.


Nacional 0-0 Rio Ave
Nacional held down fifth spot in the table with a nil-nil draw against Rio Ave at the Choupana. Meanwhile, Rio Ave collect another point as they try and distance themselves away from the relegation zone with seven points in eight matches.

It was a very unentertaining match as both teams did not get going until well into the second half, and even then there were no clear opportunities on goal from either side. A point each in an uneventful contest is nothing less than what was deserved for both. Rio Ave is only the second club, besides Estrela da Amadora, who have taken points from Nacional at home.



Related: Benfica 1-0 Estrela da Amadora: match report
Related: Sporting 0-1 Leixoes: match report
Related: FC Porto 2-0 Guimaraes: match report


Pacos de Ferreira 2-1 Naval
Pacos de Ferreira earned an important three points at the Mata Real as the club came back from a goal down to get past Naval 2-1. Bolivia opened the scoring for the visitors, but Pacos fought back with goals through Paulo Sousa and William before the half came to a close.

After coming off a huge league win against Porto in the last round and a victory over Belenenses in the Portuguese Cup, Naval went straight to work and got on the scoreboard in the 16th minute when Bolivia headed in a Davide corner kick to give the guests an early lead.

The match opened up after the Naval goal with both teams asking questions of the other. Pacos seemed to have difficulty in handling dead ball situations as Naval always threatened to score from free kicks and corners. But the home side drew even in the 42nd minute as Paulo Sousa let rip from around thirty metres out and the ball got past Peiser, who looked troubled by the sun.

The hosts grabbed the lead just before the interval as the Liga’s top goalscorer notched his 6th goal of the season when he danced past Paulao in the box and sent in a low drive to give Pacos a deserved one-goal lead. Both teams exchanged half chances in the second half, but would not add another goal to the lively contest.


Sporting Braga 1-0 Vitoria Setubal
Misery continues to pour down on Vitoria Setubal as the Sadinos fell to their fourth consecutive defeat in league play as they lost 1-0 away to Sporting Braga. With the loss, the Setubalense are tumbling quickly towards the relegation zone, only two points from safety. A lone Meyong marker was enough to see the Arsenalistas get back on track in the Liga.

Braga came shooting right out of the blocks looking to rattle their fragile opponents. The hosts thought they had scored in the 9th minute when Meyong headed an Alan cross into the net, but the goal was called back for offside, with replays showing the decision was correct.

The Arsenalistas’ efforts came to fruition at the half hour mark as Meyong was the benefactor of a rebound inside the box and the team’s leading goalscorer, with five goals, slammed the ball into the back of the net to give Braga the lead.

The goal completely took the wind out of Setubal’s sails as the team failed to muster a proper response to the goal. The home side came close on three occasions to doubling their tally near the end of match as Meyong sent his effort over the crossbar when he should have done better.

The other two chances belonged to Roland Linz, who made his return after being in Jorge Jesus’ doghouse, and sent his first effort millimetres wide. His second strike came in added time as Matheus did all the leg work to get free on the right side, skip past the goalkeeper and send the ball towards Linz. But the Austrian failed to react quickly and allowed the Setubal defence to clear the danger for a corner.


Belenenses 1-0 Academica
Belenenses earned their first victory of the season thanks to a Vinicius goal to get past Academica. The victory also marks Jaime Pacheco’s first as Blues’ head coach since taking over the helm from Casemiro Mior in early October. Meanwhile, Academica’s road woes continue as the Students have only managed to earn a single point in four of their outings away from home.

The hosts took an early lead as Vinicius slipped a ball past Peskovic in the 16th minute. The visitors responded in the 32nd minute when Orlando’s free kick forced Julio Cesar into an outstretched stop but there was no more action to speak of in a sluggish first half.

The second half was no better as both teams were guilty of errant passes and lack of creativity. Belenenses failed to double their advantage in the 57th minute when Roncatto went all alone on goal, but sent his arching effort over the bar.

The Blues were almost made to pay for the miss seven minutes later when ex-Belenenses striker Garces rattled the post. Little goalmouth action was mustered from either side as the match ended 1-0 in favour of the hosts.