Portugal: Weekly round-up

Champions FC Porto replayed their 2004 Champions League Final against AS Monaco at the Dragão and once again won, this time 2-1. Argentinian forward Lisandro López headed the first from a Quaresma free-kick, and Quaresma won a penalty in the second half for Hélder Postiga, on Spanish club Levante’s shopping list at four million euros, to bang home the spot-kick. Pino pulled one back for Monaco ten minutes from time. Porto’s starting line up was made up entirely of players that have carried over from last season, except for Nuno in goal, who returns to the Dragão from Moscow Dynamo. Of the newcomers who came on in the second half, Argentinian Mário Bolatti arguably looked the sharpest … but it is of course early days.

Two more factors were common to that night of glory three years ago: inspirational captain Pedro Emanuel returned after a season out through injury (the captain’s armband was passed on to Ricardo Quaresma when Pedro Emanuel was substituted in the second half) and the team returned to the strip that features thinner-than-normal blue and white stripes. It’s to be seen whether this is a positive augury or not.

Against Lille at Alvalade XXI, Sporting changed their strip from midweek, when black numbers on a dark green panel made the players as anonymous as their performance in a friendly against useful-looking, newly-promoted Vitória de Guimarães. That game, for the City of Albufeira Trophy, finished 0-0 and went to penalties, which Vitória won 5-4. On Saturday, Sporting looked much sharper against Lille on a new pitch, laid after the recent Rolling Stones concert at the stadium. It cut up very badly, but it didn’t stop Sporting winning comfortably 3-0. Sporting fans have a favourite slogan: “Liedson Resolve”. Once again, the diminutive Brazilian striker did most of the resolving with two goals, the other coming from new signing Vukcevic. Of the new faces, Brazilian central defender Gladstone was perhaps the most impressive.

Benfica travelled to Romania to be guests at Cluj’s 100th anniversary. It proved a good tough test for the pinks (Benfica were wearing their controversial but oddly very popular new pink and grey away strip) against a club that has been raiding the Portuguese Liga in the last couple of seasons, fielding nine Portuguese players plus a couple of Brazilians nicked from Portuguese clubs. Of most interest to Benfiquistas was the performance of record foreign signing, the Paraguayan striker Óscar Cardozo. He didn’t disappoint, showing some very promising touches and scoring with a cracking shot from 20 metres to add to Rui Costa’s drilled goal that was reminiscent of the one he scored against England at Euro 2004. Dani had put Cluj in front, and the Romanian birthday-boys later equalised through Semedo; it’s a mystery how this excellent former Estrela da Amadora forward didn’t make more of a name for himself in Portugal, but such is footballing fate.

Given that none of these matches was strictly speaking competitive, perhaps the most exciting game of the weekend was a World Final in which Brazil beat Portugal 5-2, Portugal running their eternal rivals very close until they wilted in the third period. It was Brazil’s tenth title from twelve (Portugal and the USA have won one each). Played at Portimão in the Algarve. On the Praia da Rocha. The 12th Mundialito of Beach Football.