Benfica - Sporting
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Henrique Silva & Jacinto Marques
| 2008-05-01
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Sporting's Brazilian player Rochemback celebrating.
Last 4th of January, we could finally watch one of the most expected Portuguese football matches: Benfica-Sporting. Only one point separated these teams and Benfica was expected to make everything to win and reach number 2, keeping the 6 points that separated it from F.C. Porto, the favourite. Past games pointed to Benfica’s victory since it had won its last 6 games contrarily to Sporting that had had quite irregular results. But Lisbon’s first derby resulted in 1-3.
Benfica had a bad start when the referee, making a mistake, considered a penalty in favour of Sporting. This situation, right at the beginning of the match, reduced Benfica’s chances and caused great controversy.
Benfica’s midfield didn’t work and Sporting, attacking constantly, scored again: 0-2, a big failure by Benfica’s defence. Benfica only scored in the 2nd part of the game: 1-2.
Later on, Benfica was once again robbed by the referee who rejected a big penalty. Sporting scored again, 1-3, during the period of discounts, in the following of a big penalty. This match remains in history by a referee’s bad performance, lack of fair play, and also by Sporting’s motivation in wining.
