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Sporting 0-2 Benfica

Benfica continued their staggering run of victories with a 2-0 win at the Estadio Jose Alvalado over Sporting in the Lisbon derby. A fiesty evening saw Benfica play the second-half with only ten players after Sidnei saw red, but it only made their victory more impressive as Sporting struggled to break their visitors down.

Salvio latched on to a cross from Nicolas Gaitan to give the Eagles the lead early in the contest but Sporting valiantly came back with a good spell before half-time. Despite having their rivals down to ten for the whole second-half, the Lions couldn't force clear chances and suffered a hammer blow when Gaitan volleyed in Benfica's second to seal three points.
The game was delayed as early as the 2nd minute when a flare was thrown on to the field but it was the visitors Benfica who sparked to life first. An intricate move between Salvio and Gaitan found the later in space insdie the box, but the midfielder wrapped his foot round the ball too much and bent it harmlessly out of play.

The urgency of a derby occasion was preventing either side settling in the first ten minutes. Mistakes were creeping in, one of which almost proved costly for Benfica when Joao Pereira was bundled over in the box, however three players were offside in the move and Benfica escaped with a free-kick.

The Eagles made their bright start pay dividends in the 15th minute, a poor clearance from Rui Patricio landed at the feet Gaitan, who skipped past his marker and drifted a cross through the box Salvio for a smart low finish.

Benfica were biding their time holding out Sporting and striking them on the break, another cross from Gaitan, who was a joy to watch in the first-half, was met once more by Salvio at the far post but this time the winger could only force his header wide under pressure.

Sporting were creating their best openings themselves on the break from Benfica's corners, twice Yannick Djalo finding space to aim at goal but Roberto remained untroubled.

As the game began to swing in the home side's favour, the Lions thought they had pulled level five minutes before half-time. Helder Postiga was alert on the edge of the box to take his chance brilliantly but the referee's assistant adjudged the forward offside.

With less than a minute left to play before the break Benfica were reduced to ten men. Central defender Sidnei was the culprit in a heated affair which was inevitably going to see the referee step in. A second yellow card was shown to the Brazilian for bringing down Helder Postiga on the run and it left Benfica coach Jorge Jesus with some concern for his side for the second-half.

Sporting very nearly scrambled their way back into the game following a clash of heads between Cristiano and Jardel. Seven minutes into the second period, and while others were waiting for the referee to react to a double head injury, Matias Fernandez dribbled his way into the box only for Roberto to deny him with a super save; Djalo was then unable to follow the rebound in with the Red Devils in panic.

Benfica were making their chances count and when it mattered just after the hour mark. Gaitan's initial burst from his own-half won his side a free-kick on the edge of the area and the resulting corner was finished off by the young Argentine. A deep ball was held up by Oscar Cardozo and the cross of Maximiliano Pereira was volley home by Gaitan with the aid of a touch off Anderson Polga.

The Verde e Brancos had only scored 13 goals on home soil previously and badly struggled to find a key pass to unlock Luisao's strictly marshalled defence. Delays for injuries and substitutions allowed the hosts six minutes of additional time at the end of the game but it wasn't to be.

The victory pulls Benfica to within 8 points of Porto at the top of the table, leaving Sporting trailing top spot by 15 points.

Sporting: Rui Patricio; Pereira, Anderson Polga, Torsiglieri, Grimi (Maniche); Andre Santos; Mendes (Saleiro), Fernandez; Djalo. Cristiano (Diogo); Helder Postiga.

Benfica: Roberto; Pereira, Luisao, Sidnei, Coentrao; Javi Garcia, Salvio, Martins (Airton), Gaitan; Saviola (Jardel), Cardozo (Jara).

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Labels: Benfica, derby, Eagles, Gaitan, Goalcom, Salvio, secure, Sporting, victory

* South American duo give Benfica victory

* Ajax thrash Anderlecht, Twente beat Rubin

* Leverkusen overwhelm Metalist Kharkiv

By Brian Homewood

BERNE, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Benfica scored twice in the final 20 minutes to beat visitors VfB Stuttgart 2-1 in their Europa League last 32 tie on Thursday while Dutch sides Ajax Amsterdam and Twente Enschede enjoyed impressive away wins.

Ajax won 3-0 at Anderlecht in their first leg while Twente were among several teams who endured freezing conditions in eastern Europe, beating Rubin Kazan 2-0 in Moscow where the temperature hovered around minus 15 Celsius during the game.

Stuttgart’s impressive European form has been in marked contrast to their shaky Bundesliga performances this season and Martin Harnik gave them a first-half lead in Lisbon.

But Benfica hit back as Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo, one of eight South Americans in their starting lineup, levelled in the 70th minute and Argentine Franco Jara grabbed the winner with nine minutes left.

Ajax made light of Luis Suarez’s absence—the Uruguay forward having been sold to Liverpool in the January transfer window—as Tony Alderweireld, Christian Eriksen and Mounir El Hamdaoui shared the goals at Anderlecht.

Late strikes from Twente’s Luuk de Jong, standing in for injured forward Marc Janko, and captain Peter Wisgerhof gave the Dutch side their win in Russia.

Bayer Leverkusen also had to contend with bitter conditions in Ukraine as they thumped Metalist Kharkiv 4-0.

Eren Derdiyok and Gonzalo Castro scored either side of halftime before Sidney Sam got two more for the Bundesliga side.

Metalist’s compatriots Dynamo Kiev enjoyed contrasting fortune as they won 4-1 at Besiktas with former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko among the scorers.

(Editing by Ken Ferris; To comment on this story: sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Labels: Benfica, Dutch, Reuters, snatch, victory

* South Americans on target for Porto, Benfica

* Ajax thrash Anderlecht, Twente beat Rubin

* Zenit St Petersburg lose to YB, Spartak beat Basel

By Brian Homewood

BERNE, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Substitute Fredy Guarin gave former European champions Porto a late 2-1 Europa League win at Sevilla on Thursday while their old rivals Benfica beat VfB Stuttgart by the same score.

Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg, who won all their group stage games, lost to a stoppage time goal at Young Boys in another round of 32 first leg tie.

However, their compatriots Spartak Moscow were on the right end of a comeback away to Swiss opponents as they bounced back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at FC Basel.

Ajax won 3-0 at Anderlecht while fellow Dutch side Twente Enschede were among several teams who endured freezing conditions in eastern Europe, beating Rubin Kazan 2-0 in Moscow where the temperature hovered around minus 15 Celsius.

Lille were held 2-2 at home after a late rally by PSV Eindhoven in a meeting of the French and Dutch league leaders.

Porto, beaten only once in 34 outings in the Portuguese League and Cup and Europa League this season, went ahead in the 58th minute when Rolando stabbed home after a free kick.

Sevilla striker Frederic Kanoute levelled in the 65th, also from a free kick, before Colombia midfielder Guarin stole the win with five minutes left as Porto made a happy return to the scene of their 2003 UEFA Cup final win over Celtic.

Stuttgart’s impressive European form has been in marked contrast to their shaky Bundesliga performances this season and Martin Harnik gave them a first-half lead in Lisbon.

But Benfica hit back as Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo, one of eight South Americans in the team, equalised in the 70th and Argentine Franco Jara got the winner with nine minutes left.

ZAMBIAN HERO

Zambian striker Emmanuel Mayuka was the Young Boys hero, scoring in the third minute of added time on the Stade de Suisse’s artificial pitch to snatch a 2-1 win over 2008 UEFA Cup winners Zenit. The 20-year-old only came on in the 83rd.

Belgian international Nicolas Lombaerts had given Zenit a first-half lead with a header from a corner.

Senad Lulic levelled with a solo effort within a minute of the restart and the Russians had substitute Vladimir Bystrov sent off for a second bookable offence 20 minutes from time.

It was the other way round at FC Basel where Alex Frei and Marco Streller gave the Swiss champions a 2-0 halftime lead against Spartak Moscow in a clash of two sides parachuted into the competition after being knocked out of the Champions League.

But Dmitri Kombarov, Artem Dzyuba and substitute Jano Ananidze scored for the Russians in the last half hour while Basel had forward Xherdan Shaqiri sent off.

Ajax made light of Luis Suarez’s absence—the Uruguay forward having been sold to Liverpool in the January transfer window—as Tony Alderweireld, Christian Eriksen and Mounir El Hamdaoui shared the goals at Anderlecht.

Marcin Wasilewski squandered a 55th minute penalty, one of several opportunities wasted by the hosts, when they were only 1-0 behind.

NO CLASSIC

Liverpool could not field Suarez under UEFA regulations, with his former club also playing in the competition, and failed to find the target as they drew 0-0 at Sparta Prague.

“It wasn’t a classic,” Kenny Dalglish told Britain’s Channel Five television after managing Liverpool in Europe for the first time.

“The onus was on them to try to put us under a wee bit of pressure. We made a couple of opportunities as well. On the night, 0-0, fair enough. I’m happy with that.”

PSV’s Ola Toivonen set up an 83rd minute goal for Wilfred Bouma against Lille before scoring the equaliser himself one minute later as the Dutch side came from behind after Idrissa Gueye and Tulio De Melo gave the French a 2-0 halftime lead.

Peguy Luyindula scored an 89th minute equaliser to give Paris St Germain a 2-2 draw at BATE Borisov in Minsk, another match played in temperatures well below freezing.

Bayer Leverkusen also had to contend with bitter conditions in Ukraine as they thumped Metalist Kharkiv 4-0.

Eren Derdiyok and Gonzalo Castro scored either side of halftime before Sidney Sam got two more for the Bundesliga side.

Metalist’s compatriots Dynamo Kiev enjoyed contrasting fortune as they won 4-1 at Besiktas with former AC Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko among the scorers.

(Editing by Ken Ferris; To comment on this story: sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Labels: Benfica, Europa, league, Porto, Reuters, steal