On Saturday afternoon, Benfica was crowned the Junior National Champion for the 2021/22 season, thanks to a 3-0 victory at home over Sporting de Braga, in a crazy final of the tournament, from Seksal to Vila Nova de Gaia, where Porto club, at home. At the same time, Estoril crushed 6-0.
The Reds, relying only on themselves at the start of the day, despite having the same 30 points as FC Porto, outperformed the Dragons – even if only in the third tiebreak, the total goal difference in the stage (18 positive) to 14 From FC Porto) – They were practically the entire second half, almost, in second place, but they didn’t leave credits out of the hands of others and ended up having the party at home.
After 0-0 in the first half at the Benfica stadium. Braga and also at FC Porto-Estoril, the Dragons opened the scoring early in the second half and won 4-0 while there was still zero in Seixal, but everything changed – and it became quite frenetic – from the 86th minute.
At that time, Iori Moreira opened the scoring for Benfica, and in the north, FC Porto responded 5-0 in the next minute, as he was one goal away from relying on himself. But Benfica scored again in the 88th minute with a double from Iori Moreira. The Dragons were still up 6-0 in the third of five minutes of overtime and were again just one goal away from the title, but Francolino Digo, at 90+5, at Sexal, judged FC’s calculations and chances. Porto is still dreaming of signing 3-0 in Sixal.
In total, there were six goals in the last ten minutes between the two pitches. FC Porto opened the scoring with Rui Monteiro (46m), Thiago Antunes scored 2-0 (62m) shortly after Rodrigo Ribeiro was sent off in Estoril and Giorgi Aboashvili made it 3-0 (72m), encouraging more winning chances. with the title. For blues and whites. Then Jorge Meirelles made it 4-0 (82m) and Rui Monteiro (88m, 90+3m) completed the win. hat trick That title almost went to Jose Tavares’ men, but the junior title, awarded for the first time since 2019 – due to Covid-19 – was even to Luis Araujo’s men.
Since there is equality in the first two tiebreaks (points and goals in the confrontation with each other), since Benfica beat Porto at home 1-0 and Porto beat Benfica 3-2 at home, it was necessary to look at the third tiebreak, goals in the stage The entirety, if both teams finish with the same points. And that’s exactly what happened.
Benfica is the champion with 33 points, like FC Porto, but it benefited from a larger goal difference, 21 positive points (35-14), compared to 20 positive for Porto (29-9). With Benfica winning 3-0, for example, FC Porto will only be champions if they win, at least, 8-0, to overcome Benfica’s goal difference.
And in the other two matches of the last round, on Saturday, Sporting beat Alverca 4-0 and finished the tournament in third place. There was also a two-goal tie at V. Guimarães-Rio Ave.
Final rating:
First place: Benfica 33 points
Second: Porto, 33
Third: Sporting, 25
Fourth: Sp. Braga, 21
V: Estoril, 19
Sixth: F. Guimarães, 10
Seventh: Virca, 8
Eighth: Rio Ave 5
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