Portugal announce squad for Euro 2012 Qualifiers

Portugal coach Paulo Bento has announced his squad for the crucial final two games of qualifying for the Euro 2012 tournament. Portugal sit atop the Group tied in points with Denmark and Norway at 13. The Quinas will host Iceland at home on October 7 in Porto and then will travel to Denmark four days later to take on the Danes in what just might be the title clincher.

Portugal will be without the services of Fabio Coentrao, Pepe and Hugo Almeida who all are nursing injuries.

Portugal squad:

Goalies- Rui Patricio (Sporting), Beto (Cluj), Eduardo (Benfica)

Defense- Bruno Alves (Zenit), Rolando (FC Porto), Silvio (A. Madrid), Joao Pereira (Sporting), Sereno (Cologne), Ricardo Costa (Valencia)

Midfielders- Ruben Micael (Zaragoza), Raul Meireles (Chelsea), Carlos Martins (Granada), Ruben Amorim (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (FC Porto), Danny (Zenit), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), Paulo Machado (Toulouse)

Forwards- Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Nani (Man U), Nuno Gomes (Braga), Helder Postiga (Zaragoza), Eliseu (Malaga), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas)

Maritimo's Baba injured in trianing

Maritimo's Baba left training early with what looked to be a right leg injury. The 23 year old Senegal striker was off to a great start to the season currently tied atop the Portuguese League with 5 goals so far this season.

Looking Back at Week 6 in the Portuguese League

Week 6 was kicked off with the Classico as Benfica travelled to Porto to take on FC Porto as last seasons number one and two met for the first time this season, in what was an entertaining contest Benfica came back from two times down to leave the Northern city with a 2-2 draw.

Saturday, Braga pulled out a hard fought 2-0 victory over Nacional to move into a three way tie atop the Portuguese League with 14 points joining Benfica and FC Porto. Sporting then took it to Setubal 3-0.

Sunday saw Maritimo defeat Guimaraes 2-1 and sit in fourth place one point behind the league leaders in Portugal. Gil Vicente earned the win over Pacos Ferreira 2-1. Olhanense also earned a 2-1 victory the third such score on Sunday, while Rio Ave and Beira Mar played to a scoreless draw.

On Monday Academica thumped Feirense 4-0 and sit 5th in Portugal.

Road Team of the Week: Benfica

Home Team of the Week: Academica

Player of the Week: Danielo Dias (Maritimo)

Benfica announce roster for Champions League game

The Champions League group games are upon us once again and Benfica have announced their roster for this weeks upcoming encounter in Romania against Otelul Galati.

Roster:

Goalies: Artur, Eduardo, Mika

Defense:Emerson, Garay, Luisao, Maxi Pereira, Jardel, Miguel Vitor, Luis Martins

Midfield: Javi Garcia, Ruben Amorim, Nolito, Pablo Aimar, Witsel, Matic, Gaitan, Bruno Cesar

Forwards: Oscar Cardozo, Javier Saviola, Rodrigo 

Looking back at Week 5 in the Portuguese League

Week 5 took off on Friday with Gil Vicente scoring a late marker to draw against Olhanense, Nacional then earned their first victory of the season with a 1-0 win over Pacos Ferreira moving them out of the basement in Portugal.

Sunday had Maritimo jump into fourth spot in the Portuguese League with their 3-1 win over Leiria. Setubal won 1-0 over Beira Mar. FC Porto then dropped their first points of the season drawing Feirense 0-0. This coupled with Benfica's 4-1 win over Academica, see The Dragons and Eagles tied atop Portugal as the clubs get set for their "Classico" on Friday at the Dragao.

On Monday Braga's goal with 5 minutes left helped them drawing 1-1 with Guimaraes in the clubs derby, while Sporting held off a feisty Rio Ave 3-2.

Road Team of the Week: Maritimo

Home Team of the Week: Benfica

Player of the Week: Nolito (Benfica

Gil Vicente and Olhanense open Week 5 with a draw

Olhanense travelled to play Gil Vicente as Week 5 in the Portuguese League got underway, both clubs came into the game with only one win a peice but this did not change on this day.

Olhanense opened the scoring late in the first half when Wilson Eduardo headed home a rebound of a Salvador Agra shot. Gil Vicente then tied it late in the second half with under two minutes to go as Claudio tapped in a bouncing ball past Fabiano.

Cristiano Ronaldo could face UEFA suspension

Cristiano Ronaldo could be looking at a suspension from UEFA for his harsh criticism of the officials during Real Madrid's Champions League game against Dinamo Zagreb.

The Portuguese forward suffered a hard tackle that required stitches on his right ankle and was fumed after the game that no call was made.

Ronaldo said that he did not understand why the game does not protect him as they do with other top stars in the World, Arsenal's Arsene Wenger was suspended a month by UEFA for similar statements against the officials.

Looking back at Week 4 in the Portuguese League

Week 4 commenced on Friday with defending Champions FC Porto maintaining their perfect start to the season as they defeated Setubal 3-0 for their fourth straight win and sit atop the Portuguese League.

Saturday saw both Lisbon clubs in action as Benfica defeated Guimaraes 2-1 and Sporting came back from two goals down to Pacos Ferreira and scored three goals in the last 20 minutes to win 3-2 earning coach Domingos his first win since switching from Braga at the end of last season.

On Sunday Braga defeated Gil Vicente 3-1, Feirense earned their first victory of the season over Olhanense 2-1. Maritimo got the victory over Rio Ave to move into 5th spot in the Portuguese League and U. Leiria moved out of the basement with their 1-0 win over Beira Mar.

On Monday, Academica continued their impressive play to start the season with a 4-0 win over Nacional, their third win in four games.

Road Team of the Week: Sporting

Home Team of the Week: Academica

Player of the Week: James Rodriguez (FC Porto)

Week 4 commences with Porto win over Setubal

Week 4 starts off in the same fashion for defending Champions FC Porto with the club earning their fourth straight victory of this short season.

Setubal held the Dragons off the board as long as they could going into the half scoreless but Joao Moutinho scored just seven minutes into the second half when his long shot found its way past Diego Costa.

Porto then doubled their lead when a nifty little drop pass from Hulk landed on the feet of James Roadriguez who scored his third goal in the past two league games.

Porto then iced the game two minutes before the whistle as Belluschi on a back pass from Hulk placed the ball just right of the stretched out Setubal keeper.

FC Porto will now prepare for their first game of the Champions League Group Stage on Tuesday as they host Ukraine side Shakhtar Donetsk.

Vitor Pontes takes over at Uniao de Leiria

Uniao de Leiria have named Vitor Pontes their new head coach for the remainder of the season. Pontes takes over for the departing Pedro Caixinha.

Pontes is on his third stint as coach of Leiria and has also coached Guimaraes and Portimonense but has not held a head coaching position since the 2009 season.

Pontes recently worked as a soccer pundit for Sport TV in Portugal covering domestic games and Champions League coverage.

FC Porto take it to U. Leiria in road win

FC Porto returned to the top of the Portuguese League with a thud as they defeated U. Leiria 5-2 on the road in a game from Week 3 that was pushed forward due to the Dragons, UEFA Super Cup game against Barcelona.

Porto scored the only goals of the first half when James Rodriguez and Kleber gave the visitors a 2-0 lead going into the half. Leiria cut the lead in half six minutes into the second half as Almeida got one past Helton.

Porto then scored two more goals at the 63rd and 74th minute to take a strangle hold on the game with Rodriguez and Kleber each recording their second goals of the game. Gaucho replied for Leiria before Varela iced the game in extra time.

Sporting sell Djalo to France's Nice

Sporting have sold striker Yannick Djalo to France's Nice on the last day of transfers for $4.5 million euros. The 25 year old striker had appeared in 98 games for Sporting, scoring 23 goals.

Djalo deal is said to still have to be approved by FIFA as the Sporting and Nice agreement came right at the deadline, so Djalo fans may need to wait it out to see where the player ends up.