If you happened to have your eye off the ball as the Liga NOS reached the halfway stage, Boavista ensured they’d set off all the relative alarms by storming to a 3-0 lead (yes, three!) in the first half of their clash versus Benfica at the Estádio da Luz.
The Eagles eventually levelled the score line, but a 3-3 draw did open an avenue for their rivals to cut the distance between themselves and the table toppers.
That would be a route 10-man Sporting would end up evading, as a wonder strike from Chaves winger Fábio Martins threw another draw into the works, this time concluding itself at 2-2.
The aforementioned slip-ups formed the idyllic scenario for FC Porto, who were able to dispatch Moreirense with a 3-0 win at home and cut Benfica’s lead at the top of the table back to four points.
Here’s this weekend’s tale.
Benfica 3-3 Boavista
The evening started pointing in the direction of a familiar outcome, a Benfica win, as Gonçalo Guedes was slipped in through by Rafa Silva to curl his shot just wide in the early exchanges of the game.
The Luz was given an immediate rethink, however, as Pizzi’s trip on Renato Santos called on Iuri Medeiros’ services in the 14th minute, with the man on loan from Sporting beating Ederson from the set-piece to give the visitors the lead.
Medeiros’ wand of a left foot would be required once more, this time from a crossing position, and the winger’s delivery didn’t disappoint when finding Lucas Tagliapietra’s head, making it 2-0.
The relentless ‘Panthers’ would then go on to stun the Lisbon outfit like no other side is yet to do this season, with a cross from the right by Renato Santos meeting Medeiros, before the latter squared it for an easy André Schembri tap-in and Boavista’s third of the afternoon.
Rui Vitória had seen enough, launching Kostas Mitroglou into the game in place of Rafa before the interval, and the Greek striker was on hand to repay the Portuguese manager and ignite a potential comeback with a simple finish in the 41st minute.
Within six minutes of the second period, Benfica were given yet more fuel to feed their turnaround, as Franco Cervi was tripped inside the area for a penalty. Jonas claimed and conquered the spot-kick to make it 3-2.
Disaster struck for Boavista in the 67th minute, as Andrija Zivkovic looked to create something for his forwards with a hopeful cross, which was instead headed by Fábio Espinho into his own net to cancel out the visitors’ initial three-goal-lead.
That wasn’t to be the death of Miguel Leal’s team, however, who caught Benfica pushing for the fourth goal to try their own luck via a counter-attack. Renato Santos almost concluded a fine move, evading Nelson Semedo’s intervention before being denied by Ederson with 10 minutes of normal time left.
Eduardo Salvio came close to tipping the scales in hosts’ favour late on, but Boavista were able to survive the scare and hold onto a point.
Chaves 2-2 Sporting
Benfica’s result at home to Boavista will have made for pleasant reading in the green half of Lisbon, but Sporting knew it counted for nothing without a win away at Chaves on Saturday night.
The hosts proceeded to mine Sporting’s path instantly, taking the lead as early as the 4th minute with a close range header from Rafa Lopes.
With the Lions stuck for answers, Chaves came close to doubling the blow around the half-hour mark through Fábio Martins, who raced away into the box before poking an effort just wide of Rui Patrício’s far post.
On the stroke of half-time, Bas Dost finally received the service he so desired, heading home Gelson Martins’ cross to send the two sides into the dressing rooms locked at 1-1.
Unhappy with the uninspired state Sporting found themselves in, Jorge Jesus turned to Bryan Ruiz and André Felipe in the second half, with the latter immediately combining with Adrien Silva before the Portugal international struck wide in the 53rd minute.
The Lisbon giants’ task of winning would be complicated further in the 71st minute, however, as Rúben Semedo picked up a second yellow card and left Sporting down to 10-men.
Almost like clockwork, a happy ending immediately emerged in sight for the visitors, with Dost adding the finishing touches to André’s pull-back and giving Sporting a 2-1 lead.
But all joy was snatched from the Lions’ grasp in the 87th minute, as Fábio Martins latched onto a Sebastian Coates interception to deliver an inch-perfect curler into the top corner from range, levelling the game at 2-2.
Eight points remains as the difference between third and first place.
FC Porto 3-0 Moreirense
Moreirense brought haunting memories for Porto in view of the recent Taça da Liga meeting between the two sides, but the Dragons might well have been too preoccupied with working towards three points to even give it a second thought, given the points dropped around them in the Liga NOS table.
At home, the first chance of the game belonged to the hosts, as Jesús Corona failed to direct Héctor Herrera’s cross into the net inside the first two minutes.
Moreirense responded through Francisco Geraldes, but Iker Casillas remained privy to the Sporting prospect’s shot when parrying it away from goal.
The 30th minute saw centre-back mainstay Ivan Marcano turn provider, as his low cross was sunk in by his compatriot, Óliver Torres, to give Porto the lead.
With the game heading into the break, André Silva took advantage of Corona’s left-footed shot to nod in on the rebound the second of the night for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side, making it 11 goals in the league.
Things went from bad to worse for Augusto Inácio’s side on the brink of half time as Francisco Geraldes was shown a red card for a second bookable offence.
André Silva had two bites of the cherry on a couple of occasions to bag a brace, missing the chances afforded to him, as Marcano showed the young prospect how it’s done with a powerful header to score Porto’s third in the 62nd minute.
And it’s with a 3-0 victory that the 2nd placed ‘Dragons’ reduced their deficit to Benfica to four points, the same distance keeping Sporting at bay in 3rd.
By Patrick Ribeiro
Liga NOS Matchday 17
Arouca 2-1 Estoril
Vit. Setúbal 1-0 Nacional
Benfica 3-3 Boavista
Chaves 2-2 Sporting
Feirense 0-0 Vit. Guimarães
Marítimo 3-1 P. Ferreira
FC Porto 3-0 Moreirense
Belenenses 1-0 Rio Ave
Monday
Sp. Braga - Tondela
