Porto make it 11 from 11 in Guimarães as Pavlidis rescues Benfica in stoppage time
FC Porto beat Vitória SC 2-1 on Sunday, Borja Sainz and substitute Martim Fernandes (86') scoring, to reach the international break with 11 wins from 11 league games and 33 points. Benfica won 3-2 at Estrela da Amadora with a Pavlidis goal in the 94th minute and sit five points back. Third-placed Sporting, on 24, go to the Dragão on 29 November.
Eleven games, eleven wins. FC Porto beat Vitória SC 2-1 in Guimarães on Sunday night, and the club’s own match report spells out the number that matters: the champions go into the international break with a perfect record and 33 points.
According to O Jogo, only five sides had previously won at least their first 11 games of a Portuguese top-flight season. Porto are the sixth.
Who scored in Vitória SC v FC Porto?
Borja Sainz opened the scoring at the far post from a whipped Alberto Costa cross. That is six league goals for the Spaniard, and a goal in three straight rounds. Samu had already had one ruled out on 25 minutes, because the move began with Alberto Costa offside.
Vitória came out of the break with more bite. Sidibé hit the woodwork and Alanzinho equalised on 77 minutes, at which point Porto’s first dropped points of the season looked close.
They never came. Martim Fernandes, on from the bench just after the hour, finished a quick counter-attack from a tight angle on 86 minutes.
How did Benfica do?
Benfica won too, though it took them until the 94th minute. At the Reboleira the game was level twice before Vangelis Pavlidis turned in a pass from Andreas Schjelderup, who had only just come on.
Gianluca Prestianni had put Benfica ahead from distance on 26 minutes. Lovro Zvonarek equalised just after half-time, a Bernardo Schappo own goal restored the lead and Leandro Antonetti made it 2-2 on 76. RTP has the run of all five goals.
Benfica move to 28 points, second, five behind Porto.
What does the Primeira Liga table look like at the break?
Porto 33, Benfica 28, Sporting 24. Sporting had done their bit on Saturday, when Luis Suárez gave Paulo Fonseca a winning start at Alvalade, but they are nine points off the top.
The fixture list is not kind to them, either. Round 12, after the internationals, sends Sporting to the Dragão on Sunday 29 November at 8.30pm. Benfica host Famalicão the following night.
Porto were already eight clear after thrashing Estoril. With every side now on 11 games, the gap to Benfica is five. Nobody has taken a point off them yet.
By Vasco Almada
Image: FC Porto