Some thoughts on the Leixoes game

My apologies for not posting a game review, but professional, and personal obligations have diminished the time i have to post on the blog.
With that being said, I wanted to write a few things on last Friday's game.

In my preview I had written about the importance of this game, for a multitude of reasons. The first one being the most obvious - trailing league leaders by 4 points, we are not in the best of situations where we can afford a slip up. Secondly, being that Leixoes is, at this point, a direct competitor, and only 3 points separated us from them, it was imperative to win the game and open up the gap a little more. Not to mention that Leixoes was very close to achieving a feat that hasn't been done in the last 40 something years, which was beating all 3 big teams in their stadiums. The third one, and perhaps as important as the first one, was the fact that porto hosted Sporting, and the result would have a direct impact on our position on the table. A win and only a win mattered. And a win it was, a tough win but one that showed the character of the team.

Having to burn a substitution early, with Amorim going down with a muscular injury and then being reduced to 10 men in the last 10 minutes of the game, as a result of Carlos Martins also going down, and the substitutions all having being done, showed the spirit and unity of the team. Throughout the season Leixoes, has proved time and time again why they are in the position they are in. They play attractive, simple and effective. To feel embarrassed because we were pushed against the ropes, in our own stadium, by a team that was promoted just last season, is no embarrassment, especially when that team is Leixoes.
Not to mention that in the 2 previous meetings with Leixoes, we never came out victorious, even being eliminated from the Portuguese cup, in our last outing again the northern team.

Taking into consideration that, Leixoes has beaten both Sporting and porto in their own stadiums, and how a loss would leave us in a difficult predicament, winning through suffering, even if that win came from defending the result tooth and nail, is as important as any other win.

We were able to cut the lead to porto to 2 points, and put a 2 point cushion between us and Sporting, as a result of the tie between these two.

Both Sporting and porto will have to travel to Estadio do Mar and face Leixoes, with porto doing it this weekend. The result from this past weekend can take even bigger importance if the two teams fail to come away with 3 points.

A very important win to start our quest to the title..
Here's what's ahead.

Naval(away) currently 10th
Guimaraes(home) currently 9th
Estrela da Amadora(a) currently 8th
Academica(h) currently in 9th

In between Benfica will play Sporting in the League Cup final, in a game that can very well serve as redemption and a morale booster.

We will need to continue to plug away, we have lost Amorim to injury for the next couple of games, this should change the dynamic of the team, to a more attacking midfield, with DiMaria and Reyes on the flanks. Suazo also seems to be out of this weekends match but should be ready to go when we host Guimaraes.

# Photo Credit - Getty Images#