Portuguese in Champions League round-up
It was a disappointing week for Portugal's three representatives in the opening round of Champions League matches as Benfica, Porto and Sporting failed to hold onto winning positions.
Benfica were denied three points as former midfielder Talisca scored a stoppage time equaliser from a trademark free-kick for Besiktas, while Sporting were sensationally leading Real Madrid in the 88th minute in Spain, only for Ronaldo and Morata to score to snatch all the points for the current European Champions.
FC Porto looked on their way to victory after Otávio's early goal, but Copenhagen came back to earn a surprise point at the Dragão, the Danes holding on for a point despite playing with ten men for the last 25 minutes.
Elsewhere there were positive performances from Portuguese players and coaches over the two nights.
Real Madrid 2-1 Sporting
Nobody gave the Portuguese side much chance of getting anything from their trip to the Bernabeu, but Sporting produced a superb performance for the first 75 minutes to more than match the current holders of football's greatest club prize. Young winger Gelson Martins continued his fine season with a sensational display, causing left-back Marcelo and centre-back Sérgio Ramos no end of problems with his pace and trickery, with captain Adrien also putting in a magnificent shift.
Bruno César's goal just after half time was no more than Sporting deserved and as the clock ticked down it appeared the Lions may pull off a shock win, which would have been their first ever on Spanish soil after 7 defeats and 3 draws in 10 previous European matches in Spain.
But with Adrien and Martins no longer on the pitch and Real substitutes James Rodríguez, Vazquez and Morata injecting new life into the home side, Sporting began to struggle to contain Los Merengues. With the 90 minutes almost completed a brilliantly struck Cristiano free kick, followed up by a powerful Morata header, dictated a cruel defeat for the Portuguese side.
Benfica 1-1 Besiktas
A youthful Benfica side put their injury problems behind them (Jonas, Mitroglou, Jiménez and Rafa all unavailable) to produce a bright display in the first half against the Turkish champions Besiktas. Cervi gave the home team an early lead, and with Fejsa snuffing out any Turkish threat and Salvio, Cervi, Horta and Guedes combining well in attack, Benfica looked set fair for three points.
Things changed in the second half though, as Besiktas made a series of attacking substitutions and began to commit more men forward. Nevertheless, Gonçalo Guedes could have made the game safe near the end as a horrendous mistake from Portugal winger Ricardo Quaresma handed him a glaring chance to score, but one on one with Zengin, the Besiktas goalkeeper kept out his shot.
It proved a costly miss as Anderson Talisca, ironically on loan to Besiktas from Benfica, smashed in a superb free kick in stoppage time to leave the score all square.
FC Porto 1-1 FC Copenhagen
Porto continue their Jekyll and Hyde season as they followed up the impressive victory over Vitória Guimarães on Saturday with a listless performance in their Group G opener against unfancied Danish team Copenhagen.
A fine goal in the 13th minute by Brazilian midfielder Otávio, who fired a rasping 20-yarder into the net after being neatly assisted by André Silva, failed to lift a strangely apathetic Porto. The Dragons singularly failed to create clear chances, and it was not a huge surprise when Cornelius headed in the equaliser for the Scandinavians in the 52nd minute.
Copenhagen midfielder Gregus was then unlucky to be sent off as Otávio clearly simulated a foul that fooled the referee, but even against ten men Porto could not find any penetration, finishing the match with only two attempts on target in the 90 minutes. On this evidence there is much work to do for Nuno Espírito Santo.
How many of Portugal's three representatives will make it to the knockout phase of the Champions League? If you think you know the answer try your luck at the M88 sport betting site.
Portuguese player-by-player wrap
Bernardo Silva has started the season in excellent form and a brilliant individual goal tonight helped Monaco, managed by Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim, to defeat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at Wembley. João Moutinho played the 90 minutes for the French Ligue 1 leaders.
Another Euro 2016 champion for Portugal, Raphael Guerreiro, had a Champions League debut to remember for Borussia Dortmund. He was involved in 2 of the first 3 goals then scored the 4th as the Germans ran riot in Poland, beating Legia Warsaw 6-0.
That was not the biggest thrashing of the week though, as Barcelona crushed Celtic 7-0 at the Camp Nou, André Gomes playing the 90 minutes for the Catalans. Renato Sanches got a late 20-minute run-out for Bayern Munich in the 5-0 win over Rostov, but another Portuguese substitute was unlucky as Atletico Madrid midfielder Tiago was forced off late in the game at PSV Eindhoven (1-0 win for the La Liga side) with a hamstring injury.
Portugal goalkeeper Anthony Lopes kept a clean sheet as Lyon comfortably saw off Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 in France, with Paulo Machado playing the first 68 minutes for the Croatians.
by Tom Kundert
