Portuguese Superleague Round 1

Porto 2 - 1 Leiria

GOAL FCP at the 20th minute, Tarik Sektioui assists from the left (with his left foot) for Adriano's diving header for goal from the centre of the box.

GOAL FCP at the 45th minute, Anderson assists from the left (with his right foot) to a waiting Quaresma who penetrates the box through the centre while pressured by 4 Leiria players to score with his right foot.

Ball Possession at Half-Time: FC Porto 57% - 43% Leiria.

Substitutions at the 65th minute; Vieirinha replaces Quaresma and Jorginho replaces Anderson.

GOAL Leiria at the 69th minute, Paulo Gomes assists Modou Sougou for the Senegalese's goal.

Substitutions at the 79th minute; Lisandro Lopez replaces Lucho Gonzalez.

Ball Possession at Full-Time: FC Porto 56% - 44% Leiria.

Bookings: Pepe Yellow Card at the 69th, Adriano Yellow Card at the 89th.

Attendance: 40.728 spectators.

Sporting 3 - 2 Boavista

GOAL Boavista, 17th minute, Zé Manel.

Ball Possession at Half-Time: Sporting 66% - 34% Boavista.

Substitutions at the 45th minute; Nani replaces Custódio and Ronny replaces Abel. Moutinho repositions to DM and Nani positions himself at "Inside-Left". Caneira repositions to Right-Back and Ronny positions himself at Left-Back.

Substitution at the 58th minute Deivid replaces Carlos Bueno.

GOAL SCP, 63rd minute Nani scored with his left foot from just outside the box courtesy of an assist by Deivid with his right foot.

GOAL SCP 65th minute Deivid scored with an header from an assist from Ronny with his left foot.

GOAL SCP, 90th minute scored by Deivid with his left foot from a right footed assist by Liedson.

GOAL Boavista, 91st minute by Zé Manel.

Bookings: Abel Yellow Card at the 4th, Liedson Yellow Card at the 87th, Tonel Yellow Card at the 90th, Ricardo Yellow Card at the 93rd.

Attendance: 34.330 spectators.

While Porto's tactical system remains the same under Professor Jesualdo Ferreira as it was under Co Adriaanse the game itself flows slightly different. While Adriaanse demand pace, quick ball circulation, quick passes, constant pressure and going from defence-to-ofense transtion very quickly the main difference Porto showed Vs Leiria is that the ball circulation is now done at a slower pace but with more direct and safer passes which result in a rythmn of game that is slower but with increased passing accuracy. Porto might have lost pace and some of it's spectacularity but seems more patience and serene and willing to wait for the right opportunity in a model of game that now rellies more on the creativity and vision of it's attacking players rather than on on the team's ability to exert pressure over 90 minutes but as a result the Back-3 also played at a slower pace and it's important that the different sectors can play at a rythmn that suits their task the best because if Pepe starts playing at Anderson's or Quaresma's pace then Porto will be suffering more goals. Anderson's physical strenght and dynamic of movement are impressive for an 18 year old who is showing consistency as well.

Sporting during the 1st half was horrible, Abel who is usually "Mr Consistency" was awfull and was rightly replaced. Paulo Bento has found himself a problem, he has tested the diamond with 3 contention units and 3 offensive units and has had bad games and good games with both tactics so he's slightly unsure of which works best or what the right balance is or with which version to start and finish. Custódio had a bad game and PB was right and courageous to replace his Cpt at half-time but the 3 midfielders ahead of him (Romagnoli, Martins, Moutinho) weren't exactly a defencive midfield and even Moutinho was going forward more than anything tonight and Custódio was often left alone and because of this had problems reaching the midfield line. Sporting needs to lateralize it's game more and relly less on backward ball triangulations (especially those done by Martins) in order to keeep ball possession. Moutinho clearly was MOM (Man of the Match) as he played well over 90 minutes in 2 different positions BUT whether in the 1st or 2nd half Sporting showed a lack os marking ability in the terrain between it's Centre-Backs and it's "Insides", it's not a matter of Custódio or Moutinho but rather how the 2 insides help the DM in it's defencive duties. Moutinho adds dynamic at DM where Custódio rellies on positioning but all alone neither one can be effective and it's unfair to single either one out, Sporting won because with 4 dynamic players in the diamond in the 2nd half they pressured Boavista to the point where they dind't have to defend as much but once the team blew up after 80 plus minutes Boavista came back to exploit the central corridor. Unless one of the insides is a 2nd DM it's difficult to play 90 minutes in the same fashion.



André