LISBON: Benfica and Porto treated fans to an electrifying start with four goals in 20 minutes in a 2-2 draw on Sunday that kept the Portuguese Premier League title chase wide open.
The two fierce rivals, undefeated in the league, came into the match with little to separate them and the draw meant Benfica maintained their three-point lead at the top over champions Porto, who have a game in hand.
Porto surprised the hosts early on through France under-21 captain Eliaquim Mangala, who was left unmarked in the area and headed in the opener after eight minutes.
Two minutes later Benfica’s Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic struck back with a superb volley but Porto’s in-form Jackson Martinez made the most of a blunder by keeper Artur, who misjudged a back pass, and slotted in to put the champions ahead 2-1.
The 61,000 roaring fans packed into the Luz stadium for the Clasico were on their feet again as Benfica’s Argentine winger Nicolas Gaitan fired in the leveler after collecting a loose ball in the box.
In a much calmer second half, the Lisbon club should have grabbed the winner but keeper Helton denied Cardozo with a flying save with 10 minutes left on the clock.
Benfica draw with Porto in thrilling Classico
Benfica draw with Porto in thrilling Classico
Dubai Basketball edge Milan to secure EuroLeague victory
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball strengthened their home-court reputation with a 99-92 win over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 18 of the EuroLeague at Coca-Cola Arena on Tuesday, cheered on by more than 5,000 fans.
The hosts made a fast start and immediately imposed themselves at both ends of the floor. Canadian center Mfiondu Kabengele and Serbian big man Filip Petrusev controlled the paint early, creating close-range scoring opportunities and forcing Milan into defensive adjustments. With McKinley Wright IV and Dwayne Bacon adding pace and penetration, Dubai surged into a double-digit lead and dictated the tempo of the opening quarter.
Milan struggled to settle and spent much of the first period on the back foot, as Dubai’s advantage stretched to 15 points. Although the visitors steadied themselves as the quarter progressed, the early deficit proved costly.
Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac praised the impact of the home crowd after the game, saying: “Congratulations to the fans. We were missing them for sure in the last home game, and they helped us a lot. In the first quarter, we played one of our best quarters this season. The next game is at home in three days, so there is no time to rest too much. We need to prepare for that game first. We are not thinking three games ahead — we prepare for every game and try to win every game.”
Milan showed improved rhythm in the second quarter, but Dubai responded before the break. Bacon punished defensive lapses from beyond the arc, while Kabengele finished strongly inside to help the hosts take a seven-point lead into halftime.
The final period was defined by composure rather than flair. Milan threatened to draw level on several occasions, but missed free throws and execution errors halted their momentum. Bacon sealed the outcome from the free-throw line in the final two minutes, pushing Dubai back into a double-digit advantage and closing out the contest.
Bacon led all scorers with 25 points, while Wright recorded 19 points and nine assists. Kabengele added 17 points, and Petrusev contributed 13 points and seven rebounds. For Milan, Guduric topped the scoring with 11 points, alongside seven rebounds and seven assists.
Dubai Basketball now turn their attention to the ABA League, where they remain unbeaten. The team return to Coca-Cola Arena to face Slovenia’s KRKA in Round 12 of the competition.
