Stadium Mata Real: Paços de Ferreira – Sporting 1 – 1

Paços de Ferreira obtains a suffered draw, while Sporting wastes a lot in the last 40 meters.
This game could have ended in an easy victory for Sporting, if only its strikers would have taken advantage of the many errors of Paços de Ferreira. Sporting played almost the whole game in the opponent’s penalty box, but somehow the ball didn’t make it through, Sporting’s strikers were not in their best shape.
The best Sporting scorer so far (Liedson, 8 goals) only took the first shot at the goal at the 51st minute. 0 -1 for Sporting thanks to a great pass from the half-way line (Miguel Veloso), which Liedson controlled well and shot with his left foot to the far post. At the 70th minute, the midfielder Cristiano got the ball in the Sporting area and run to the penalty box. Caneira tried his best to defend, but Cristiano's powerful shot hits the net.
The draw didn’t change the dynamics of the game, Sporting kept attacking Paços de Ferreira but the posts, Peçanha (man of the match) and bad luck always returned the ball to the “sender”.
After two games rich in goals (Sporting – Nacional da Madeira 5 – 1 and Pinhalnovense – Sporting 0 - 6) Sporting has to settle for a poor draw. The result is honestly not fair to Sporting but it permits both teams to hold their records: Paços de Ferreira is unbeaten at home since January 27th, 2006 and Sporting doesn't suffer a defeat away since January 6th, 2006.

Stadium Rui Alves: Nacional da Madeira - Benfica 0 - 2

Benfica and Nacional had a good start with Benfica trying to get to the opponent penalty box and Nacional restricting the game in the midfield area. Benfica played with Fabrizio Miccoli starting from the 1st minute with Nuno Gomes.
After a good attack action for Benfica, Rui Costa (ex-AC Milan) had to quit the pitch injured and be substituted by Karagounis (ex-Inter Milan).
The first half of the game ended on a 0 – 0 draw, with both teams having good chances and defending well.
The second half has been a totally different game, with Benfica playing with more confidence. The first goal started with an excellent pass coming from Nélson on the right and Miccoli benefiting from the confusion in the box.
National tried to react, but at the 70th minute Miccoli decided it was time to close the game and regain the 2nd place of the Liga, with an individual action.
This was more or less the end of the game and hopefully the end of all the critics to Miccoli. Since he started his Portuguese adventure, he has been unlucky, suffered a lot of injures and critics, but he rarely let Benfica supporters down.
Once again Nuno Gomes finished the game without getting into the score sheet, the public seems now to be impatient with his lack of composure and accuracy in front of the goal.

After the 18th round, Porto is on top of the Liga with 43 points, Benfica following at 39 points and Sporting at 38.