Yesterday we had the game of the Portuguese Super Cup with a classic between SL Benfica vs FC Porto.
This type of game always has great expectations as it puts the two most winning teams in Portugal and which has the greatest rivalry between South and North.
During the pre-season, none of the teams showed a great moment, nor did they have great performances or great results.
Benfica signed Orkun Kökcü, Arthur Cabral, David Jurásek, Anatoliy Trubin and Ángel Di María but two days before the game they lost the main striker Gonçalo Ramos. On the other hand, Porto signed Nico González and Fran Navarro, but at the end of last year lost one of the midfield references, Mateus Uribe.
LineUp
In Porto, there was a difference compared to last season, which stopped playing in 4-3-3 and presented itself with a 4-4-2.
Benfica surprised when they put Rafa Silva in the forward position and left players native to that position on the bench. In addition, David Neres was not even called up for the game.
Match Analysis
Porto got into the game better, having created the first danger situation with a shot by Galeno in the penalty area at 10 seconds of the game.
At 1:17 of the first half, Porto once again created a dangerous situation in the penalty area after a pass by Pepê, unmarking Danny Namaso.
At 8:32 Galeno shoots outside the area that goes very close to Benfica's goal post and Vlachodimos had no way of defending that ball if it went in the right direction.
At 12:18, a new danger opportunity was created by Porto through a pass by Taremi, but the shot went wide.
In these first 15 minutes, Porto was far superior to Benfica, having achieved more than 4 clear goal opportunities, and through high pressure, it created many difficulties in Benfica's ball output.
Benfica made the first shot in the 17th minute from outside the area and without any framing.
At this point, Benfica managed to adjust and began to get more ball and reach the Porto area, but changing the way to start the exchange of balls for wide passes to the wingers.
Benfica gained more momentum and started to stay on top of the game and started to create more opportunities.
In the second half, Benfica gained confidence and began to be superior, eventually managing to score twice and becoming the new winner of the Super Cup with merit.
Arbitrage
I don't like to talk about the refereeing, much less think that it was the refereeing that had full influence, but the referee had to short a criterion for a game of this importance, ending up harming the game, and he didn't take the same criterion until the end of the match.
In the first half alone, 8 yellow cards were shown!
In the second half, the criterion was a little wider, but even so, I got 6 yellows and 2 reds, with one of the reds being given to the Porto coach.
The red given to Pepe, in my opinion, is well given, as it was a completely unnecessary attack with a knee on a Benfica player. I still don't understand why the players try to do these things when there is currently the VAR that reviews and will show red.
Sérgio Conceição expulsion
The Porto coach was expelled for protests with insults to the referee in a bid that he did not agree with.
After showing the red card, Sérgio Conceição refused to leave the Porto bench, even though the 4th referee went to talk to him and indicated that he had to leave.
I'm from Porto and I hate this attitude.
He may have every right to be against the foul and sending-off being called, but he simply has to leave the bench as the referee has shown a red card.
Fans
We have again regrettable episodes from berylites being sent onto the field and objects being thrown at players when they were going to take the corner.
I would like to know when those responsible for sport in Portugal are going to take severe measures with these people, expelling them from stadiums forever and start closing stadium doors so that people feel in their skin that they don't win with those attitudes.
Summary
Porto started better in the first 15 minutes of the game, having created several chances, but failed to score in any of them.
Benfica managed to adapt and in the second half they were clearly better than Porto, so they are fair winners of the competition.