Benfica are top scorers in the Primeira Liga and a visit to the team with the leakiest defence, Belenenses, was an inviting prospect. Hugo Ventura, in the home goal, had a torrid afternoon and gifted the Eagles their only goal of the first-half when he fumbled Kostas Mitroglou’s header five minutes before the interval. Seven minutes after the break and Jonas made it 2-0 when he curled in his twenty-second goal of the season.
Mitroglou completed his hat-trick (58’ and 76’) before Jonas added his second three minutes from time to wrap up a comfortable 5-0 win and move Benfica back to top spot on goal difference from Sporting who could only draw 0-0 at home to Rio Ave.
Sporting manager Jorge Jesus saw Fredy Montero move to Chinese Super League club Tianjin Teda for €5 million whilst ex-Gremio striker Hernán Barcos came in the opposite direction as part of the deal.
The 31-year-old striker scored fifteen times in twenty-nine league appearances in China. Jesus also called on the tried and trusted Bruno César to bolster his squad, joining from Estoril on a free transfer, whereas Rio Ave’s left back Marvin Zeegelaar cost €370,000.
On their way out of Alvalade were Salim Cisse (Setúbal), Zakaria Labyad (Fulham), Hadi Sacko (Girondins Bordeaux, France), Marcelo Boeck (Chapecoense, Brazil) and Junya Tanaka (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan), all of whom are loan deals.
Former Fulham favourite Bryan Ruiz was gifted the chance to settle some of Sporting’s pre-game jitters when a clearance found its way to the Costa Rican but goalkeeper Cássio was alert to the danger and blocked the shot.
Rio Ave’s Joris Kayembe (on loan from Porto), came close to doing his parent club a favour when Yazalde played him through on goal midway through the half, but Rui Patrício was quick to thwart the Belgian’s chance.
‘Os Leões’ tested Cássio further through Adrien Silva and Teo Gutierrez meanwhile the in-form João Mário also found the Brazilian shot-stopper in top form. Rio Ave should have taken the lead soon after the break when an unmarked Kayembe headed his effort straight into the ground and over Patrício’s goal. The disbelief was reciprocated at the other end when the normally reliable Islam Slimani directed his header over the bar. After sixty minutes the hosts did have the ball in the net but the goal was quickly disallowed for a foul by debutant Sebastein Coates, on loan from Sunderland.
Third place FC Porto were in for a shock when Arouca took just ten seconds to find the back of the net at the Estádio do Dragão - the fastest goal of the Primeira Liga season.
José Ángel, Bruno Martins Indi, Maicon and keeper Iker Casillas all failed to stop the cross which was eventually tapped in by Walter González. Aboubakar headed home the equaliser on the quarter hour mark and Jesús Corona came close to giving Porto the lead with a diving header midway through the half but Bracalli was aware of the danger and parried the ball away.
FC Porto came flying out of the blocks in the second-half with Aboubakar going close before Yacine Brahimi ‘scored’, but it was ruled out for offside, incorrectly as TV replays showed. Porto’s captain Maicon, who was having a nightmare of a game, was dispossessed on the edge of the area three minutes later by Walter González. The young Paraguayan striker made no mistake to give Arouca the lead which they maintained to chalk up a famous victory.
This was the visitors sixth success of the season and moved them up to seventh place whilst FC Porto now trail league leaders Benfica by six points. Defeat tonight (Friday) against Benfica at the Stadium of Light would virtually scupper Porto’s slim chances of winning the league title.