Week 18 unkind to Benfica and Sporting

Week 18 starts off very unkind to Lisbon clubs Benfica and Sporting as both clubs dropped points today. Sporting opened Week 18 at home with recent pick up Pedro Mendes in the lineup but it was Academica that struck first when Orlando's free kick from about 40m out took a funny bounce and went past Rui Patricio at the three minute mark, Sporting brought the game back to even when Joao Moutinho converted a Joao Pereira feed at the 22nd mark but Academica kept pressing and Joao Ribeiro gave his team a lead at the 58th minute mark that they would not relinquish as Academica hand Sporting a shock 2-1 defeat.

Benfica visited Setubal a team they handed a 8-1 thumping to in Week 3 action but Setubal would have none of this, this time around. Benfica opened the scoring when former central defender Zoro kneed the ball into his own net off a corner kick but David Luiz was quick to repay the favour as he miss kicked the ball past Quim to bring the game back even. The second half saw both clubs going back and forth with no one able to put the ball into the net but the biggest chance of the half came in the 90th + minute mark when Zoro took down Kardec in the box and Benfica was awarded a penalty kick but Cardozo sent the ball off the crossbar and Benfica were denied the full points with the game ending 1-1.