Lopez brace brushes aside Benfica

FC Porto 2-0 Benfica

It was the Lisandro Lopez show once again as the Liga’s top goalscorer, now with 24 goals this season, notched a brace to defeat Benfica 2-0 at the Estadio do Dragao.

Benfica’s woes continue as the Lisbon club have low lost three straight fixtures and failed to capitalize on Vitoria Guimaraes and Sporting’s slip-ups.

There were seas of blue at the Estadio do Dragao with over 50,000 supporters cheering on the three time champions as they defeated one of their fiercest rivals.

The match started with an early goal as Lisandro Lopez ran across the Benfica box, brushed aside a Luisao tackle, made some room for himself and released a low shot which sped its way past Quim into the corner of the net to give the hosts the lead, with the Portuguese goalkeeper poorly positioned.

Benfica had a wonderful opportunity to draw level in the 19th minute, but Rui Costa and Nuno Gomes got their signals crossed with Helton at their mercy, and the ball ended up in the Porto goalkeeper’s hands. Both teams then exchanged chances as Sektioui had an opportunity inside the Benfica box, only to lose his balance at the last second and at the other end Nelson hit a screamer that just missed the near post.

Early in the second each team again had chances, with Quaresma hitting a first-time shot narrowly past the post and Cristian Rodriguez letting fly with a rocket that did not miss by much.

Raul Meireles almost left Quim with egg on his face in the 55th minute as the Porto midfielder let go a screamer from 35 metres out and it nearly fooled the Benfica net minder due to ball’s serve. Luisao then almost equalised in the 62nd with the defender sending a header skimming just over the crossbar.

With ten minutes remaining, Lisandro Lopez delivered the knockout punch, in similar fashion to the first goal, this time hitting a low shot into the opposite corner from the edge of the box with his right foot. Benfica’s plight was summed up in the 90th minute as Binya was shown his second yellow card, and was subsequently sent off, for a tackle on Lisandro Lopez.

Benfica did not take advantage of dropped points by their adversaries in the race for Champions League football, and might not get another kick at the can at moving up in the table with only three matches remaining in the season.

FC Porto:
Helton, Bosingwa, Pedro Emanuel, Bruno Alves, Fucile, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Meireles (Bolatti, 81), Lucho Gonzalez, Sektioui (Mariano Gonzalez, 63), Lisandro Lopez, Quaresma (Farias, 87)
Yellow Cards: Lisandro Lopez, Fucile

Benfica:
Quim, Nelson, Luisao, Katsouranis, Leo, Binya, Maxi Pereira (Cardozo, 56), Rui Costa, Cristian Rodriguez, Di Maria (Nuno Assis, 86), Nuno Gomes (Makukula, 78)
Yellow Cards: Maxi Pereira (12), Binya (17 & 90), Katsouranis (27), Cardozo (71)
Red Cards: Binya (90)

Goals:
[1-0] Lisandro Lopez, 7
[2-0] Lisadnro Lopez, 80