This Sunday’s goal by Maiara Niehues gave Sporting the victory over Benfica (1-0), in a game from round 17 of the women’s national championship, thus putting an end to the invincibility of the Reds this season.
With this result, Sporting, which shares second place with Sporting de Braga, with 39 points, approaches Benfica, which leads the competition, with 48.
In front of 27,221 spectators, a new attendance record in women’s football, Sporting opted for a form of contention, managing to nullify the offensive actions of Benfica, which only reached Hannah Seabert’s goal with deep shots, which took advantage of the speed of Jéssica Silva or Chloe Lacasse, but, in the first part, without success.
By the way, it was Chandra Davidson, in the 20th minute, who put the Benfica defense on the door, when, with a low shot, she forced the goalkeeper Rute Costa to clear for a corner.
For this reason, the nullity of the break rewarded Sporting for its defensive capacity on the one hand and, on the other hand, exposed Benfica’s difficulties in linking the game to offensive actions, the absence of Pauleta, injured, who assumed that role, feeling strong.
In the second half, the two-time national champions were determined to resolve the game quickly and, after 47 minutes, Andreia Norton tried her luck ‘from the middle of the street’, but the ball ended up in the hands of Hannah Seabert, a goalkeeper who, in On the 54th, he defended a deflection by Chloe Lacasse after a direct free kick.
This duo would be in evidence again in the 62nd minute, when Jéssica Silva, from the right, crossed to the head of the Canadian, with the American goalkeeper making the save just before the goal line.
However, with the team fully balanced forward, Benfica ended up surprised in the 63rd minute, when the Brazilian Maiara Niehues, in a counterattack play, appeared on the right and, with a cross shot, from Ana Capeta’s pass, surpassed to Rute Costa, scoring his debut in Portugal.
The advance of the clock worried the ‘incarnated’ in such a way that, in the 85th minute, Chloe Lacasse, with only Seabert, in front, could not match, and the same thing happened again, in the 88th minute.
Source: TSF
