FA Cup 3rd Round Draw

The 3rd round of the FA Cup was done on the 28th November 2010

Burnley v Port Vale


Coventry v Crystal Palace

Bristol City v Sheffield Wednesday

Fulham v Peterborough

Doncaster v Wolves

Brighton or FC United of Manchester v Portsmouth

Huddersfield v Dover Athletic

Crawley Town or Swindon v Derby

West Ham v Barnsley

Reading v West Brom

Arsenal v Leeds

Sheffield Utd v Aston Villa

Leicester v Man City

Bolton v York

Blackburn v QPR

Swansea v Colchester

Wycombe v Hereford or Lincoln

Stevenage v Newcastle

Burton Albion v Middlesbrough

Millwall v Birmingham

Southampton v Blackpool

Watford v Hartlepool or Yeovil

Chelsea v Ipswich

Sunderland v Notts County or Bournemouth

Scunthorpe v Everton

Man Utd v Liverpool

Hull v Wigan

Stoke v Cardiff

Tottenham v Charlton or Luton

Preston v Nottingham Forest

Norwich v Droylsden or Leyton Orient

Torquay v Carlisle

Benfica Travelling Support

A few videos of the Benfica fan base.

Many of the videos are amateur and recorded on phones, but giving you an idea of how well supported Benfica are, they arethe only club able to fill the stadium of the opposing team, completly out Numbering the home Supporters.

Benfica has three main support groups, the eldest being the Diabos Vermelhos (Red Devils) created in 1982, the second major and with more notoriou following is the No Name Boys created in 1992, and consider themselves as the major movement in Portuguese football. The third is a group called Grupo Manks, created in 1996, the Manks are a split away group from the Non Name Boys.

Benfica win the league at the Bessa Stadium home of Boavist in 2005, the entire ground is RED




Benfica playing at the City Of Coimbra Stadium, Against Academica, the sea of RED

Belem Stadium, the home of Belenenses the invasion of RED continues

This is another away game at the City of Leiria Stadium, the RED is clear to see and hear.

Even in Futsal the biggest following is RED in th video below, Benfica won the European Futsal

Ronaldo's perfect goal

After the game on Wednesday vs Spain, many people took to Youtube, if only to see the piece of skill Ronaldo engineered to lob Casillas.

The goal was so wrongly disallowed, that the linesman should hang his head in shame.
I know it was only meant to a friendly, but the Iberian Peninsula Derby is never about just a friendly.

The run up to the goal was in itself a good piece of entertainment, and although I as much as many Portuguese people are critical of Ronaldo, for his attitude and sometimes, self glory, we all admire what the man has achieved, and his hard work to be where he is.  The goal should have stood for the fact that Nani was ON side when Ronaldo chipped the ball over Casillas.

You will see from the video below that Ronny sent Pique sliding on his arse, leaving Nani about 2 yards on side, and even if not that Puyol was also putting Nani in line.

Have a look at this video and it clearly shows the goal should have stood in more then one way.

Fond Memories 2002/2003

Memories of my time at Acton Ealing Whistlers where I enjoyed one of my best times in youth football.

We won the lague in our first season by only losing one game which we were cheated outright.

The match on the right where we won 8-4 was our second match of the season, the match saw the attendence by Jason Roberts.  It was also a match my brother-in-law scored six goals, after playing the first game game in goal.

The 'Classico' history

Sunday night in Portugal sees the clash of the titans as Benfica travel to FC Porto.

Benfica are currently in second place and seven points behind their opponents FC Porto. Benfica can close the gap to four points, if they manage to win. FC Porto could make their season this Sunday, if they topple Benfica, the ten point gap will take a miracle, or indeed some naivety to allow their opponents to catch up.

Benfica will by inspired by the magical match winning performance over Lyon where they ran out 4-3 winners in Tuesday night in the Champions League.

FC Porto will want to improve on their draw with Beskitas on Thursday, so they are sure to be in their bullish mood.

The ‘Classico’ dates as far back as 1912 and the great rivalry, which more to do with regions then football at times, brings out the passion and hostility from both the players and the supporters.

Benfica have acquired 2,500 tickets for their travelling fans. Last season for the same fixture, FC Porto supporters bought 3,500 Golf balls, and we can safely say there are not that many golfers in the city of Porto.

But this game will bring the whole football loving supporter in Portugal, to a sofa, stool, empty space or even from the relaxing bed, to watch one of the most hated rivalries in world football.
Below is a story on the ‘Classico’, but take into account that this same term can be adapted into a Sporting-FC Porto match, and is referred to as a ‘derby’

The first Match

The first ever match between Porto and Benfica was a friendly played on 28th of April 1912, having secured the Lisbon Championship title, Benfica arranged to travel to Porto to play a double header friendly against FC Porto: In the morning the reserves played, with Benfica winning 2-1; in the afternoon, it was to be the first ever FC Porto and Benfica, with both sending out their first teams, Benfica came away winners over the northerners, with an impressive 8-2.

The first official game between the two is registered on the 28th of June 1931, a game for the final of the Portuguese Championship 1930/31 at the Campo Amado, in Coimbra, Benfica won that game 3-0 goals from Vitor Silva (2) and Denis.
The 'Classico' in the league

Both teams faced each other in the north, in Porto, to record the first ever 'Classico' game in the history of the league, and it was for the 3rd game of the league season, the game was held at Estadio Lima, on the 3rd of February 1935, the game kicked off at 14.40pm, ten minutes later then scheduled. The match referee was Manuel Oliveira from Conimbriga.

FC Porto won that first game, 2-1, with striker Lopes Carneiro scoring on the 15th minute, with the first half finishing 1-0.

In the second half Benfica tried their best to equalize, but on the 58th minute, a penalty was awarded to FC Porto, Pinga stepped up, and missed it, the referee, despite some protest from Benfica, allowed the penalty to be re-taken, Pinga stepped up again, and missed it a second time. Allowing for Augusto Amaro to enter the hall of fame, as being the first Goalkeeper, to save a penalty in the league, but that did not stop Pinga from scoring on the rebound and Porto went 2-0 ahead.

Alfredo Valadas, the Benfica striker, scored two minutes later to reduce the damage.

Porto held on until the final whistle. The result left FC Porto on par with Belenesnes on points, and benfica with two points behind.
FC PORTO: Soares dos Reis - Avelino Martins, Jerónimo Faria - João Nova, Álvaro Pereira, Carlos Pereira - Lopes Carneiro, Waldemar Mota, Acácio Mesquita, Pinga, Carlos Nunes.

Manager: Joseph Szabo.

BENFICA: Augusto Amaro - Gatinho, Gustavo Teixeira - Francisco Albino, Álvaro Pina, Gaspar Pinto - Domingos Lopes, Luís Xavier, Torres, Rogério Sousa, Alfredo Valadas.

Manager: Vítor Gonçalves.
GOALS: 15' Lopes Carneiro (1-0), 60' Pinga (2-0), 62' Alfredo Valadas (2-1).

The 'Classico' in Lisbon

It was on the 24th of March 1935, where Benfica and Porto played each other in Lisbon, the game was held at Benfica’s first ground, Campo das Amoreiras, for precisely the 10th game of the league season.

Porto was three points ahead of Beleneses and four points ahead of Sporting and Benfica.

The Classico was a sell out, with 20,000 people packing Campo das Amoreiras, Porto had sent two trains full of supporters to Lisbon.

The reception FC Porto received when they entered the pitch, was that of intimidation. This was due to Sporting and Beleneses supporters joining the Benfica crowd. The atmosphere inside the Estadio das Amoreiras was very aggressive, supporters shouted "Out Out Out".

Benfica won 3-0, midfielder Gaspar Pinto scored the first, benefiting from a deflection off FC Porto defender Jeronimo. Striker Rogerio Sousa put Benfica further ahead on the 30th minute to guarantee Benfica finished the first half two goals ahead.

With the game going into the 33rd minute, striker Vitor Silva made it 3-0, re-launching the title race, as Sporting had beaten Academica do Porto in the Estadio do Lima, 3-2, and Belenenses beat Academica, at the Salinas, 4-0, benefiting from the slip up of FC Porto.

After the game FC Porto's manager, Portuguese-Hungarian, Joseph Szabo, complained of the hostile atmosphere created by the supporters of the three biggest clubs in Lisbon.

However, Szabo guaranteed that the title did not escape from FC Porto, on the last day of the season, FC Porto drew with Sporting at Campo Grande, to win the league

BENFICA: Augusto Amaro - Gatinho, Gustavo Teixeira - Francisco Albino, Lucas, Gaspar Pinto - Torres, Fernando Cardoso, Vítor Silva, Rogério Sousa, Alfredo Valadas.

Manager: Vítor Gonçalves.
FC PORTO: Soares dos Reis - Carlos Pereira, Jerónimo Faria - João Nova, Álvaro Pereira, Raul Castro - Waldemar Mota, António Santos, Lopes Carneiro, Pinga, Carlos Nunes.

Manager: Joseph Szabo.

GOALS: 32' Gaspar Pinto (1-0) ; 40' Rogério Sousa (2-0) ; 78' Vítor Silva (3-0).

 Below find some head to heads and also a Summary.

 

 

Academica - FC Porto playing in the rain

Unbelievably FC Porto's match went ahead despite the pitch being CLEARLY waterlogged.

The pressure to show a live TV match was more important than good football.

The images bellow do not begin to show what else happened, hopefully in the video you will get some of it.

 

Video-

Portuguese teams Champions League Reviews

There were mixed emotions for the last round of games in the Champions League for Portuguese teams.
Braga having won their first group match 2-0 against Partizan made sure it counted in the Liga Zon Sagres the following weekend, when they beat Olhanense 3-1 at home to go second in the league.

Benfica were not to be as lucky as Braga and went down early to Lyon and had a man sent off, it followed up by another Lyon goal to lose 2-0. The following weekend they managed to beat Portimonense 1-0 in a somewhat scrappy performance.

            

           Benfica v Lyon 2/11/10   

     vs

This Tuesday will see a Benfica team take on Lyon for the return leg of the CL.

Jorge Jesus men had a fine win over Pacos Ferreira in week 9 of the Liga Zon Sagres. The return to fitness from Fabio Coentrao and the tactics of Jorge Jesus working in the 'Eagles' favour. Benfica seemed to dominate the game.

Pablo Aimar opened the scoring with a superb goal, followed by Alan in the second half for the 2-0. Benfica played well, with what it seemed a bit more maturity and confidence in their football.

This will be a big week for Benfica, with the encounter against Lyon; the team from Luz will make the trip to Porto for the 'Classico' against FC Porto with the hopes of closing the gap to just 4 points.

So what will the match offer?

Benfica will bring out a more or less full team; Nico Gaitan who got sent off in the game in Lyon will definitely miss out. Ruben Amorim and Oscar Cardozo are still a doubt as they recover from injury along with Javier Balboa who returns from surgery.

Lyon are without Lisandro Lopez who will be out for 3 weeks and Michel Bastos is a doubt following the 2-1 win over Sachaux when he was subbed at half time with a bruised knee.
The game will offer some good football, should Benfica play the sort of tactics and the style of attacking football, they played against Pacos Ferreira with a hint more strength, which is what missed from the game in Lyon, then I have no doubt that a victory will be possible, so long as Saviola if starting does not waste as many chances as he didn’t in that game.

One of the main problems in Lyon was the failure to close down the opposition with efficiency. Michel Bastos ran riot down the left with Benfica offering vast amounts of space and time for them to run into.
On Lyon it will be a game they will need to win again, and the faults above, if repeated by Benfica, they will know only too well, what to do.

1-0 victory for Benfica, in an encounter, that will bring out the best in some of the highest paid players in Portugal.

        Partizan vs. Braga 3/11/10   

vs

Braga having beaten Partizan, the team from the Minho region went on to beat Olhanense 3-1 in the domestic league. This week Braga managed to lose their game against Rio Ave after going down to ten men, after Moises was sent off in the 27th minute.

From then on Braga fell apart, despite the penalty being saved and being in control of the game prior, the 'Arsenalistas' could not over turn the 1 man deficit. Rio Ave went on to score 2 goals in the late stages of the match.

What ill the game offer?
Braga should count on a full squad but with the absence of Hugo Viana on Saturday is still a talking point; Viana is not injured and was left out at Domingos Paciencia's choice not to include him.

But it will be a different game in Belgrade as the atmosphere will be much different from the city of Braga.

Partizan has enjoyed a good game this Sunday, having won their 'Derby' match against Jagodina 3-0 with Portuguese, Moreira (aka Doctor Ma) on target.

I will predict a 1-1 draw with Braga just holding on.

Nani's Goal

VIDEO at the bottom

Although I don’t condone cheating and I truly support fair play.
Nani's goal yesterday was a freak incident that in true fairness points to the pressures of financial involvement in the world of football today, the position at the end of the season counts on goals if equal on points, the pize kitty is bigger the higher you finish, the Champions League spot is worth £50 million.

In a local park today you will probably see a player stop as the ball went out or he thought he was offside, when the referee has not blown the whistle, you will also hear his coach scream 'why did you stop, did the ref blow?

So why would a player stop play in the premiership when the ball is STILL in play?
Fair play would be considered if a player is down injured and you put the ball out, or you pass the ball back from the same throw in.
Obviously cheating should and is discouraged from the game. Diving is a major part of the problem, but when you are presented with a chance to score a goal because the opposing goalkeeper chose to believe it should have been a foul, and then I am afraid Spurs should point the finger at their keeper Gomes.
Clatenburg has been involved in many incidents; he should be disciplined for not blowing the whistle, regardless of whether he thought Spurs had the advantage or not.
Would I have done the same in a Sunday league match? Yes, it gives my team 3 points.

Benfica's Eagle

THE EAGLE

E PLURIBUS UNUM

Aguia Vitoria as she is known, is SL Benfica's mascot who also have the nickname if 'Red Eagles'
This Imperial Iberian Eagle will fly before every home game at Estadio da Luz.
You wont find the Sporting Lion roaring around the stadium or a Dragon of FC Porto breathing fire around the Dragao.
This eagle makes most visiting teams hairs stand, and to this day even the regulars still get goose bumps.

Where is the real Justice in football

Portuguese football and the Apito Dourado (Golden Whistle) Case.

The Apito Dourado judicial case over alegations of Corruption, Bribery and Influence, in Portugal brought down the long running scandal, involving Club Presidents, League Presidents, Official, referees and players agents.

Although people have been charged and some acquitted, these people are still in charge of football clubs and yet a few a few stories still arise of other games and new clubs and presidents bribing referees.
It all began in 2003 and that’s as early as it has been recorded.

Interestingly the first of a few recorded conversations goes back to 2003, when FC Porto’s president Joao Pinto da Costa (JPD) asks Journalist Tavares Teles to print a false story regarding Deco's possible Suspension for throwing a boot at a referee.
He can be heard asking the Journo to make out, Deco would consider pulling out of Euro 2004 due to being miss-treated by the league and his name dragged through the mud. In the hope the league would not punish him.

Conversations with JPD and the Journalist can be heard about how it will run, and then JPD with Deco to confirm he will go with it.

The first heard of match fixing was JPD, with the bribery of referees for the game vs Estrela da Amadora and the game vs Beira Mar in 2004.
The Offers of 'Fruits' to sleep with (prostitutes) in tapped telephone conversations can be heard mostly arranged by Antonio Araujo, a players agent working with JPD. Araujo can be heard arranging with JPD the request of the referee's who would then go to his office to finalize the match demands.

For the Beira Mar game, Araujo is heard calling the match referee, Augusto Duarte, to arrange the final detaisl over lunch the next day.

Also involved in some of this was Boavista president 'Major' Valentim Loureiro (whom was also the League President), and also the Boavista chairman and Valentim's son Joao Loureiro.
in one conversation Joao Loureiro is heard calling the a person (non recognizable but with influence over the match referee) to make sure that the ref would give it all Boavista's way, in exchange they could do whatever they wanted.

-In other conversations between VL and JPD can be heard discussing the punishment of Liedson for elbowing Jorge Costa in a match between Sporting and Porto.



-On another two JPD can be heard with the referee’s selector, picking referee’s for a cup match and also dismissing 3 referees for a semi final match to get his favoured man’

-In an different unrelated premier match VL calls a retired referee to accuse him of influencing a decision on a third division match involving the constituency he governs.

In the Apito Final (Final Whistle), there have been four high profile people actually charged.
Pinto da Costa was punished by the league with a 2 years suspended Sentence
Joao Loureiro was Punished with 4 years suspended sentence
Valentim Loureiro punishment was a 3 year suspended jail term for abuse of power
The five referees involved and the league officials also involved were all suspended.

FC Porto had 6 points deducted but still went on to win the league, Boavista were relegated to Liga de Honra.

Recently Benfica’s president has been accused of also picking referees for a cup game in 03/04 cup semi final, but never charged.

So that was the last we hear of Apito Dourado... or was it?

This season Luis Felipe Vieira has accused referees of being bias against Benfica in the early part of the season, Could this be another form of bribery? Pay refs to throw games of your closest rival?

The Benfica president has also been accused by many as the man to ruin Alverca, after irregularities in the Mantorras deal to Benfica, when he was Alverca president.

In a society where all league official phones seemed to be bugged by the police as early as 2003, and with charges being brought in 2008, it seems a long time to charge someone with all the evidence pointing at them. Even when the people involved are still working in football, despite being charged, does not seem like justice or a fresh start to a corrupted league.

Liga Zon Sagres and its Nationalities

Liga Zon Sagres consists of 16 teams and 430 registered professional players

Like the English Premier there are a considerable number of foreign players.
With only 187 registered Portuguese players amazingly 147 are Brazilian.

Sporting Braga has the least amount of home grown talent along Maritimo with 16 and 15 respectively.

Out of the big three teams, it is no surprise Sporting have the most home grown talent and actually use it.

There are three Asian players, one Irish and one Australian.

Bellow find a table with all nationalities.
 

Equipas	Portugal	Brasil	O.Americas	E.Europe	W.Europe	Africa	Asia
Académica	15	5	0	0	3	5	0
Beira-Mar	17	9	0	1	0	1	1
Benfica	9	8	7	0	2	2	0
FC Porto	9	7	7	2	0	0	0
Marítimo	9	15	0	0	4	5	0
Nacional	9	11	0	7	0	2	0
Naval	12	9	0	0	6	0	0
Olhanense	11	12	0	0	1	3	0
P. Ferreira	17	6	1	0	1	0	0
Portimonense	11	7	2	0	0	6	1
Rio Ave	18	6	0	0	0	0	0
Sp. Braga	6	16	3	0	0	3	0
Sporting	15	3	4	2	2	0	0
U. Leiria	7	8	0	2	0	4	1
Vit. Guimarães	13	12	0	0	0	2	0
Vit. Setúbal	9	12	0	0	1	3	0
	187	146	24	14	20	36	3

Football in the mix

Are English football clubs offering enough?

Barcelona play Hockey??

Along with many other countries football clubs in Portugal are a lot more than just a football club.

In some countries in Europe sport is taken as part of an organisation, in Portugal from the major clubs to the lower clubs, social activities and a community feel is given from most clubs.

Lacal club offers handball.

People will notice that Sporting not only grows majority of Portugal's best players but they also turn out a lot of good runners and Portuguese Cycling is made up of mostly Sporting cyclists.

Sporting's Obikwelo 100 meters runner

SL Benfica and FC Porto have great European roller skating hockey teams from both youth and adults.

There is also Andebol (handball) which is one of the most viewed and covered sport after football, and obviously Futebol de Salao is highly followed.

Benfica Hockey

Stadiums from the smaller clubs to the biggest always have a sports complex next to them, or they offer it in the stadium as was the case at Estadio da Luz prior but now it’s at a pavilion next to the ground.

The smaller clubs are able to offer football plus another sport.  It just means that their presence in the community is strong and they are able to accommodate everyone’s preference of sport.


Almost all clubs have a pavilion

Around Europe and the World great teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Roma, CSKA Moscow offer a different sport and are openly involved in more projects then just football.



Flamengo Swimmer

Around England, the stadia’s and areas of football grounds are deserted or used as tour for clubs to make money, the grounds seem to be a fortress with flat greying walls, shut doors and only a tour guide door and a couple of offices open for the director of football if he does not happen to be at the training ground.

I have long believed that not a lot more then football is offered but organisations that make millions of pounds and also pay out millions.

We have cricket in season by some counties who struggle to make ends meet, ladies hockey is popular but again the struggle to get a spot at a local astro-turf, or for funding and recognition is amazingly high. The Basketball league is considerably famous in England but couldn't the competition be between a Spurs vs Arsenal sometimes?

I am not saying that there should be total dominance by major clubs, but what about lower clubs being given the grants to maybe start one of these projects?

"Redbridge FC opens door to local basketball team"

Barcelona vs Real Madrid

One team I know in London are offering this, Kingsbury London Tigers offer Basketball, Badminton, Athletics etc.. Tigers have organisations stretching from Redbridge to Westminster and seem to do well in their first team in the Spartan Premier Division.  From when I first heard of Tigers they were a local youth side who offered a few sports to local youngsters, I understand they have partnered old Kingsbury Town FC.

There might be a few organisations out there offering the same but how many are offered by clubs at a level seen in Europe and around the world whilst the king sport is football.

How could we go about trying to change this? Can bigger clubs follow suit and start other projects then football?

Benfica Futebol de Salao

Although Project such as reading, Kick It Out, Community in the school’s football is great, do all kids actually want to play football? What if John is a basketball fan, what if he was more suited to hockey?

Although I understand that these sports are offered individually but independent organisations who often struggle, What costs to pay for one players, one week wage costs to run some of the of these sports for a year, and with a bit more investment I am sure a lot more kids would benefit from being associated with clubs be it Major or Non League.

FC Porto

FC Alverca

F.C. Alverca

Futebol Clube de Alverca, founded in 1939, and based in Alverca do Ribatejo, Vila Franca de Xira,.

After many decades in the lower levels of Portuguese football, the club was promoted to top level in 1999, and had five presences in the Portuguese  Primeira Divisão  afterwards.

Alverca was relegated to the Liga de Honra in 2004, and folded, for financial reasons in 2005.

They returned in the 2006/07 season at amateur level. They played in Lisbon District Championship (FA Lisboa) - 2nd division, which is 6th level of Portuguese League, and in the same season they finished 5th. In the 07/08 season they finished as champions and got promoted to FA Lisboa- 1st division

Alverca now play in the District League in Lisbon, with their long history, they enjoyed a good spell in the top divisions and were a club that turned out good local players.  The club also used young loan players from Benfica when they acted as a feeder club.  When they reached the top division and had to terminate that agreement to be able to compete in the then Primeira Divisão.

In 2005 FC Alverca SAD were forced to file for bankruptcy with debts of 5 million EUROS, according to many reports.

The Final reason has never been given and till this day, fingers are pointed at the then president Luis Felipe Vieira (LVF), who incidentally became Benfica president in 2003, for his bad management.

Many blame the case of Pedro Mantorras ownership and the money owed by Benfica to Alverca.

Different reports say Benfica owned 50% of the players when they bought him, and Alverca believed they owned the other 40%, and the agent Joreg Manuel Mendes owning the other 10%.  
According to some documents it was LVF whom had purchased that 40% out of his own money from Mantorass former club Progresso in Angola.

The FC Alverca SAD (Anonymous Sport Society) with debts to the Tax Office and Social Security Office, had no choice but to cease from playing senior football.

The return to the lower leagues of Portuguese was resumed in 2006 under FC Alverca and without a SAD.

The new president Helder Vieira elected last year has plans to try and get the club back into the National Competition and counting on new manager Paulo Gomes to deliver with local players.

and with their local support, everything is possible.

FC Alverca also have plans for a new sport complex and with their bright start in the lower leagues, It might not take too long before we see them in the Liga Orangina or Liga Zon Sagres (surely the names will change long before then).

Alverca's great players of the past include;
Deco (Loan)

Ricardo Carvalho (loan)

Maniche

Nuno Assis (Loan)

Bruno Bastos
Pedro Mantorras
Sergei Ovchinnikov

Among a few others that are big in Portuguese football and abroad past and present.

 Despite finance Alverca kept their ground.