Leixoes 1 - Benfica 1

Benfica wasted their opportunity to ascend to first place with a 1-1 tie against Leixoes. In a game that was critical to the team's momentum, Benfica allowed the loss of two points, much to the credit of the home team, who justly deserved this result.

It's no coincidence I had alerted for the importance of this game in my preview. It's also no coincidence that the game was a tough game as i also expected. In addition to that, i forgot to add that only with Benfica's tolerance would this game take on such importance and difficulty.

Quique started the following 11:

Quim in goal; Miguel Vitor, Luisao, Sidnei and Jorge Ribeiro in the back.
Yebda and Katsouranis were back in the middle while on the flanks it was Martins and Reyes. Up front Nuno Gomes supported Cardozo.
Amorim, who had started the previous 2 matches, was relegated to the bench.

Benfica entered the game a bit nervous, Leixoes started the game wanting to take the game to Benfica, and that showed in the high pressure they were making and aggressiveness going into balls. Quique ended up going to the bench 6 minutes into the game, after a Leixoes man had a studs up challenge on Reyes, a challenge that caused the Spaniard to come out. DiMaria substituted Reyes, and Benfica burned a substitution.
Leixoes knew that the only way to prevent Benfica from dominating the game was to not allow Benfica to have possession, and Benfica had difficulties putting any type of game flow down in the first 10 minutes of the game.
Benfica would eventually establish themselves around the 18 minute mark, and raised their game, to where their dominance was obvious. Benfica's dominance would eventually pay off in the 33rd minute, when Cardozo opened up the score sheet. The Paraguayan got a pass from Katsouranis which set up a right foot blast, that's right, a right foot blast.
Prior to the ball ending up in Katsouranis' foot, a Leixoes man had used his arm to defend a corner inside the box, but the referee, despite his privileged position, saw nothing. Leixoes tried to come out of the box playing, but their man opted to throw himself on the ground when he was upended by Carlos Martins, the loose ball ended up on Katsourani's foot, the rest is history. It was the corollary of Benfica's rise in play. Benfica would finish off the half, with the same playing flow, but without too many clear chances at the Leixoes goal.

I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall in the locker room, to know exactly what was said during half time. All i know, was that the Benfica that stepped up into the field in the second half, was practically unrecognizable and non-existent. Leixoes dominated the second half completely, and i'm very surprised that Quique did not make adjustments early in the half, as the way things were going, it was the all too familiar "watching a train wreck in slow motion". Perhaps with only two substitutions left, Quique opted to milk the clock. The defense defended very low, the transition and connection between sectors was non-existent and reminiscent of a punt and run game, the old "Pontape' pra frente e fe' em Deus" tactic that's often used by teams with no imagination or no solutions to turn things around.
Quique substituted in Amorim for Martins at the 66th minute, and Amorim, looked like he had clear and specific instructions, but when the wagon is stuck, a new horse isn't going to make the difference.
It was an authentic display of dominance by the home team, and Quique remained vocally interventive with the team, but lacked actions. He would launch Binya into the game in the 81st minute of the game, for Nuno Gomes, in an attempt to solidify the midfield. A move that, in my opinion, came 15 minutes too late. Benfica never had control of the midfield in the second half, and Binya could have provided more fight in the midfield, while at the same time helping close up the lanes the Leixoes men were using to move into Benfica's the final third.
Bynia's introduction would not prevent the inevitable however, as the Leixoes men got their much deserved equalizer in the 88th minute.
It was the all too obvious story tale, like a bad horror movie, where you know exactly what the end holds.

Individually:

Quim - 8
M. Vitor - 6
Luisao - 7
Sidnei - 7
Jorge Ribeiro - 6
Yebda - 8
Katsouranis - 7
Martins - 6
DiMaria - 6
Nuno Gomes - 6
Cardozo - 7

Amorim - 7
Binya - not enough time.


With a double international fixture coming up, Benfica will return to action almost two weeks from today when they host Penafiel for the Portuguese Cup. Although nothing is lost, there should be some serious lessons to be learned from this game. Quique will have two weeks, to recuperate players and to keep molding this team. Although the work done until now remains strong and shows great potential, there was no progression done by the team tonight, but there was also no regression. It was a wasted opportunity, an opportunity to look straight ahead, and not towards the top. There's still a lot of league to be played, but playing at the same level as tonight's second half, will keep Benfica looking towards the top for a long time.

Highlights

Photo - Miguel Riopa AFP