Sporting 3 - Benfica 2 - The Future Starts Now.

A couple days have gone by since the game against Sporting and I'll be honest, I had very little desire to write about the game, after witnessing the second half of the game. But these are times that you can't hide, times where you have to rise up and get behind the team. Sure the team that showed up to play the second half, was unrecognizable, and we actually made Sporting look good. Not to take anything from Sporting, but we made Sporting look like we were playing a world class team in the second half, and this year's Sporting is very far from that, they might have a good group of players, but they are no Real Madrid, or an Inter Milan, or even a Bayern as we will see in the next couple of weeks.
No one could really predict what the second half would bring, judging by the first half Benfica had, but football is like that, unpredictable. Now we tuck in our pointer fingers into our newly formed fist, and get ready to fight, because after this past Saturday, is when the chase for the title begins.

No surprises from Quique as far as the 11 that started. Moreira, Maxi, Luisao, Sidnei, David Luiz, Katsouranis, Yebda, Amorim, Reyes, Aimar and Suazo, all repeated the same 11 we saw at porto.

Benfica started the game well, exhibiting the same type of defensive positioning(not to be confused with defensive posture) they have every game. Condensed spaces, with the team moving as a block in order to prevent seams from opening. But that image of solidness quickly turned into an image of vulnerability when it was apparent that Benfica's left side was the achiles tendon of a team that appeared well organized at first.
It was from the left side, that Sporting scored their first goal, off course that same left side had already shown that the way was through there. A goal out of a PES2009 highlight reel, left Benfica 1 goal behind, and chasing the result. While up until the goal the game had looked pretty balanced, what followed the goal was a period of more dominance by the home team. But Benfica didn't let themselves get intimidated by the momentum of the home team, and little by little got back into the game, and I'd say that after the 20th minute of the first half until the end of the half, it was all Benfica. Benfica would eventually get the equalizer in the 36th minute, following a penalty on Suazo, and could have very well have gone into the locker room up on the scoreboard as Yebda had two very good chances to capitalize on two good services into the box.

I don't exactly know what happened in the locker room at the half, I can't even say that what happened in the locker room at the half had anything to do with the team's performance in the second half. In my opinion, the team came out with clear intentions of winning the game, but i think that Sporting was much clever in their strategy.
Imagine if you will, as Sporting's coach, Paulo Bento knews very well that after witnessing Benfica's first half finish, that Benfica would be coming out the same way. So what does he do? He decides to move his team up, pressure high, and try to stop Benfica's build up from the back. These were Sporting's clear intentions, stop Benfica's initiative at first, and hope that they could surprise Benfica with mismatches from quick turnovers.
Off course the plan functioned perfectly, perhaps too perfect, as Sporting went ahead with some of the Benfica players having not even broken a sweat. 2 minutes into the half, and whatever plans Benfica had to win the game, just went down the pooper, as now you are forced to once again chase the result. It now becomes an urgency to get back into the game.
From a game flow perspective, there was none for Benfica, as Benfica's midfield could not find a way around Sporting's high pressure. i think that is the reason why Benfica lost the game, the early goal in the half, and the combination of the high pressure and the inability to come out of it.
Individually I think that Benfica could have used some players that were clearly uninspired that night. It just wasn't their half, and if you were watching the game, you got the feeling that the team did not have arguments to turn the game around, something that was very visible to me, 15 minutes into the second half.

So what now? 11 games left and 4 points from first place, is hardly a reason to think that it's all over. On the contrary, I think that the fight starts right here. I'm a firm believer that championships are won against the "smaller" teams, and Benfica has nothing but "smaller" teams ahead. Sporting and Porto play this weekend, and something will give. Benfica also has a tough game against Leixoes, but the result against Leixoes will dictate how the team will fare for the rest of the season.
The game against Leixoes is a definite "stand up and be counted", and perhaps one of the most important games, if not THE most important game of the season, from a result standpoint and from a mental standpoint. The team will need to show some reaction and show the fans that they are in it to the finish. Let's not forget that porto and Sporting are both involved in the champions league, and although i don't expect them to go far, these next two weeks can be 2 weeks that Benfica can take advantage of.

LET'S GO BENFICA..THE TITLE IS OURS!