LISBOA. Sporting CP beats Benfica 3-1. Sporting CP was just to good to grab a decisive 3-0 lead with P. Sarabia (8′), Paulinho (62′) and Matheus (68′). Benfica reduced the distance with a goal (90′ + 6′) by Pizzi, but there was not much to do for them. Benfica was surely superior in terms of ball possession (68%).​

The match was played at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica stadium in Lisboa on Friday and it started at 9:15 pm local time. The referee was Artur Manuel Ribeiro Soares Dias assisted by Rui Licínio Barbosa Tavares and Paulo Alexandre Santos Soares. The 4th official was Cláudio Filipe Ruivo Pereira. The weather was cloudy. The temperature was cold at 11.6 degrees Celsius or 52.93 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 79%.​

Match Statistics​

Benfica

1 - 3

Sporting CP

  • ! 66 Ball Possession 34
Shots
  • 12 Total 15
  • 3 On Target 6
  • 9 Off Target 9
  • 2 Shots blocked 1
  • 134 Attack 79
  • 74 Dangerous attack 33
  • 115 Ball safe 95
  • 0 Penalties 0
  • 3 Corners 3
  • 4 Off Sides 3
Fouls
  • 15 Total 19
  • 3 Yellow Cards 6
  • 0 Double Yellow 0
  • 0 Red Card 0
Other
  • 5 Substitutions 5

Ball possession

Benfica had a superior ball possession 68% while Sporting CP was struggling with a 32% ball possession.

Attitude and shots

Benfica was was putting more pressure with 74 dangerous attacks and 12 shots of which 3 were on target. Still, Sporting CP found a way to find the solution to win this match.​

Benfica shot 12 times, 3 on target, 9 off target. On the opposite side, Sporting CP shot 15 times, 6 on target, 9 off target.

Cards

Benfica received 3 yellow cards (J. Vertonghen, J. Weigl and A. Taarabt). Regarding the opposition, Sporting CP received 6 yellow cards (Z. Feddal, Paulinho, P. Porro, P. Sarabia, Pedro Goncalves and R. Esgaio).

Match Timeline

1'
1'
Paulinho- Yellow
8'
20'
22'
27'
33'
45'
Paulinho(var)
45'
Pedro Gonçalves - Yellow
46'
55'
Ricardo Esgaio- sub ->Z. Feddal
62'
Paulinho(goal)Matheus
68'
73'
Ricardo Esgaio- Yellow
74'
74'
81'
83'
85'
86'
89'
90'
Daniel Bragança- sub ->Pedro Goncalves
90'
Nuno Santos- sub ->M. Ugarte
90'

Standings

Standings
Team
Pts
Pl
Last 5
Porto
91
34
Sporting CP
85
34
Benfica
74
34
Sporting Braga
65
34
Gil Vicente
51
34
Vitória SC
48
34
Santa Clara
40
34
Famalicão
39
34
Estoril
39
34
Marítimo
38
34
Boavista
38
34
Portimonense
38
34
Paços de Ferreira
38
34
Vizela
33
34
Arouca
31
34
Moreirense
29
34
Tondela
28
34
Belenenses
26
34

After this match, Benfica will stay with 31 points to hold in the 3rd place. Regarding the opposition, Sporting CP will have 35 points like Porto to sit in the 2nd place.

Next matches

Benfica – Formation

Benfica
G
Odysseas Vlachodimos 99.Greece
6.2
D
Jan Vertonghen 5.Belgium
6.5
22'
D
Nicolás Otamendi 30.Argentina
6.3
D
André Almeida 34.Portugal
6.3
74'
M
Alejandro Grimaldo 3.Spain
7.1
M
João Mário 20.Portugal
7.1
M
Valentino Lazaro 22.Austria
6.9
46'
M
Julian Weigl 28.Germany
6.3
74' 27'
F
Rafa 27.Portugal
6.2
F
Everton 7.Brazil
7.0
85'
F
Darwin Núñez 9.Uruguay
7.0
86'
Substitutes
G
Helton Leite 77.Brazil
D
Morato 91.Brazil
D
Gilberto 2.Brazil
74'
M
A. Taarabt 49.Morocco
74' 89'
M
Pizzi 21.Portugal
85' 90'
M
Soualiho Meïté 11.France
F
H. Seferović 14.Switzerland
F
Roman Yaremchuk 15.Ukraine
6.4
46'
F
Gonçalo Ramos 88.Portugal
86'

Benfica started with a 3-4-2-1 line-up (3-4-2-1).

The manager Jorge Fernando Pinheiro de Jesus decided to play with the following team: Odysseas Vlachodimos (6.2), André Almeida (6.3), Nicolás Otamendi (6.3), Jan Vertonghen (6.5), Valentino Lazaro (6.9), João Mário (7.1), Julian Weigl (6.3), Alejandro Grimaldo (7.1), Rafa Silva (6.2), Everton (7.0) and Darwin Núñez (7.0).

The home team had on the bench: H. Seferović, Adel Taarabt, Morato, Pizzi, Roman Yaremchuk (6.4), Helton Leite, S. Meïté, Gilberto and Gonçalo Ramos.

Substitutions

Benfica made 5 changes: V. Lazaro for R. Yaremchuk (46′), A. Almeida for A. Taarabt (74′), J. Weigl for Gilberto (74′), Everton for Pizzi (85′) and D. Nunez for G. Ramos (86′).

Best player: Alejandro Grimaldo​

The most impressive player for Benfica was Alejandro Grimaldo.

His rating is (7.1) with 38 passes (84% accurate) and 0 key passes. He was won 8 duels out of 12. He performed 3 crosses.

Sporting CP – Formation

Sporting CP
G
Antonio Adán 1.Spain
7.0
D
Luís Neto 13.Portugal
7.1
D
Zouhair Feddal 3.Morocco
6.5
55' 1'
D
Gonçalo Inácio 25.Portugal
6.9
M
Matheus Reis 2.Brazil
6.2
M
Pedro Porro 24.Spain
6.6
20'
M
Manuel Ugarte 15.Uruguay
7.2
90'
M
Matheus Nunes 8.Portugal
8.4
68'
F
Pablo Sarabia 17.Spain
8.0
83' 33' 8'
F
Pedro Gonçalves 28.Portugal
7.3
90' 45'
F
Paulinho 21.Portugal
6.9
1' 62'
Substitutes
G
João Virgínia 31.Portugal
D
Gonçalo Esteves 87.Portugal
D
Ricardo Esgaio 47.Portugal
7.1
55' 73'
M
Tabata 7.Brazil
M
Dário Essugo 84.Portugal
M
Daniel Bragança 68.Portugal
90'
F
Nuno Santos 11.Portugal
90'
F
Tiago Tomás 19.Portugal
83'
F
Nazinho 71.Portugal

Sporting CP started with an extremely aggressive line-up (3-4-3).

Ruben Filipe Marques Amorim played with: Antonio Adán (7.0), Luís Neto (7.1), Gonçalo Inácio (6.9), Zouhair Feddal (6.5), Pedro Porro (6.6), Matheus Nunes (8.4), Manuel Ugarte (7.2), Matheus Reis (6.2), Pedro Gonçalves (7.3), Paulinho (6.9) and Pablo Sarabia (8.0).

These were the players on the bench: Nuno Santos, Tiago Tomás, João Virginia, Flávio Nazinho, Gonçalo Esteves, Bruno Tabata, Ricardo Esgaio (7.1), Dario Essugo and Daniel Bragança.

Sporting CP could not rely on the presence of R. Esgaio (injured).

Substitutions

Sporting CP made 4 changes: Z. Feddal for R. Esgaio (55′), P. Sarabia for T. Tomas (83′), Pedro Goncalves for D. Braganca (90′) and M. Ugarte for N. Santos (90′).

Best player: Matheus Nunes​

The most impressive player for Sporting CP was Matheus Nunes.

His rating is (8.4) with 1 goal, 23 passes (73% accurate) and 1 key pass. He was won 7 duels out of 13. He performed 1 cross.

Results of the day

These are the results of the day in the Primeira Liga.​