A roundup of the 'Liga Portugal 2' Action - Gameweek 11

Here is a roundup of Gameweek 11 of Liga Portugal 2 brought to you by José Almeida. You can follow José on Twitter - @IwasJoseAlmeida

Penafiel v Leixões

Welcome back! Liga Portugal 2 kicks off this Jornada much like it did last week, with some Friday night football; with those boys in black from Penafiel. Pedro Ribeiro’s Penafiel, will face the challenge of João Eusébio’s returning Leixões side after 'The Sea Horses' missed the last matchday due to a Covid outbreak among the squad. Penafiel comes into the match tonight unbeaten in four with one win and three draws; Leixões picked up two losses and their only two wins of the season in their last four. The international break gave teams a chance to reflect and as a result we saw a lot of improvement from the sides at the bottom last weekend. Could Leixões do the same? The answer was no, Eusébio’s men conceded a goal that would prove to be decisive in only a mere three minutes, when a long ball over top found Wagner who played it across the face of goal for an easy tap in by Ronaldo Tavares (his first goal since the opening game of the campaign). Leixões could have been one-nil down before the initial three minutes if Penafiel took their chances. Long ball’s over the top proved to be a real problem for Leixões in the beginning, however, they grew into the game especially in the second-half but it wasn't enough to prevent Penafiel from picking up the win. Unbeaten in five now for Penafiel as they move to 5th, Leixões remain in 15th and may potentially enter the relegation zone this weekend.

Full-Time Penafiel 1-0 Leixões

Feirense v Benfica B

Feirense are a team who have been stumbling lately, while the opposition of Benfica B has just bounced back from a six-match losing streak to win two games in succession. Normal service resumed for both sides this Saturday morning though, as the Blues from Feira got back to winning ways. They never looked like losing this one Benfica B gifted Feira the first goal after the defence lost the ball in their own half to João Victor. The Brazilian found centre midfielder Mica on the left wing who was able to tee up Abraham Marcus for the game's opener. Feirense continued to be dangerous and got a deserved second after Mica caused Benfica some more problems giving the ball out wide and making a Frank Lampard-Esque run into the box to convert the return. It was a return to form for Filó’s Feira that now see’s them just two points behind liga leaders Estoril, Benfica B fall to 11th.

Full-Time Feirense 2-0 Benfica B

Oliveirense v Arouca

Like Leixões before Oliveirense is also returning to Liga Portugal 2 action for the first time in almost a month. They too find themselves loitering around the bottom of II Liga sitting in 16th; just one place above the drop zone. New manager Raúl Oliveira will hope the comparisons to Leixões stop there and that his first Jornado as head coach of UDO can be a promising win. They face an Arouca team who had a dip last time out losing only their second game all season to Porto B, Armando Evangelista will know it wasn’t a good enough performance from his men and more of the same today could result in mid-table obscurity being on the cards for Arouca this season. However, the friendly neighbourhood saviour of Arouca João Basso, is back in the side this Jornada after missing the 3-2 defeat last weekend due to suspension. And wouldn’t you just know it, Oliveirense’s Leandro Marques gave away a penalty just 25 minutes into the game allowing Arouca’s top scorer, centre-back, and all-round lover of penalties João Basso to grab his fourth goal of the season (currently fifth top scorer in the league as of Sunday morning). It was a good contest between both sides, Oliveirense became much more proactive in the second half and got a deserved equaliser through Pedro Bortoluzo on his first start of the season. A nervy last 20 minutes looked to be on the cards but Arouca followed the philosophy of mid-2010s, viral YouTube sensation Sweet “ain’t nobody got time for that” Brown. As Famalicão loanee Lawrence Ofori came off the bench, killed the excitement and put Arouca back ahead only five minutes after the UDO equaliser, Arouca remain in the hunt for promotion; Oliveirense remains in the hunt for survival.

Full-Time Oliveirense 1-2 Arouca

Vizela v Ac Viseu

Estádio do FC Vizela was the venue for Saturday’s 17:00 game, not much of note happened. Viseu centre-back Fábio Santos was the main focus of the game for all the wrong reasons, the 32-year-old was drafted in for his second game of the season but it all went awry when he gave away the penalty that would prove to be the decider. Cassiano converted for his third goal of the season and Vizela’s fourth win. Fábio Santos’s day went from bad to worse when he was sent off in the games final minutes. Vizela are unbeaten in three and on their best run so far this season now sitting in 8th position not too far from the promotion challengers, Viseu remain second from bottom occupying the other relegation place.

Full-Time Vizela 1-0 Ac Viseu

Vilafranquense v Estoril

Estoril uncharacteristically blew a two-goal lead last weekend, missing their chance to stretch their lead at the top. The good news is; so did most their of their promotion rivals meaning a win today will confirm 'The Canaries' will hold onto their 1st place position. Vilafranquense picked up their first victory under João Tralhão in last weekends fixture, and since Quim Machado was replaced by the 40-year-old Tralhão, his side has managed to keep a clean sheet in all of his three games in charge. Its a tough task ahead for either side a stubborn, unbeaten in five UDV vs one loss all season, constant goal threats Estoril. This was always going to be a tactical battle and Vilafranquense were once again a solid defensive unit, but to be first in a league as competitive as Liga Portugal 2, you must be able to generate results and come out of difficult battles as the victors. Estoril did exactly that, after João Gamboa grabbed his first Estoril goal last week he came up again this week grabbing his second with a header from a set-piece that would prove to be the lone goal in a vital victory for Estoril. Even in defeat Vilafran keep the goals to a minimal, goalkeeper Adilson Maringá denied Abdul-Aziz Yakubu the chance of going top of the Liga Portugal 2 scoring charts, when he saved the Estoril strikers penalty just after the hour mark. when the referee blew for the full-time whistle it was Estoril who managed to edge out this chess-like encounter. Deservedly Bruno Pinheiro’s men will finish Jornada 11 as leaders.

Full-Time Vilafranquense 0-1 Estoril

Porto B v Académica

Porto where one of the sides who’s fortunes changed after the international break allowed the rest of Liga Portugal 2 competitors. 'The Young Dragons' bounced back from a four-game losing streak with a surprise win over promotion contenders Arouca. Was it a fluke though? or have Rui Barros and his men turned a corner, what better way to find out than a game against Académica the side second in the Liga with the least goals conceded and only one loss all season. Académica are also the only team that have handed Estoril a defeat this season. The Coimbra side is to be feared and they proved as much in the first-half when new arrival from Braga B, Fábio Vianna grabbed his first goal on his second start, a superb free-kick that left young Porto B keeper Ricardo Silva with no chance of producing a save. 15 minutes later Mohamed Bouldini did what Bouldini does best, scoring yet another wonderfully skilful goal as the Moroccan now has scored In five of his last six games. Danny Loader then grabbed a goal back not long after half-time for 'The Dragons'. However, Académica has the best defence in the liga for a reason, in the end Rui Borges was able to guide his Académica to the win in the battle of the Rui’s. Things don't get easier for Rui Barros and Porto B as they face league leaders Estoril next.

Full-Time Porto B 1-2 Académica

Varzim v Cova Piedade

‘‘It's a long season and anything can happen’’ is the message optimistic Varzim fans will be telling themselves, the reality is though, Varzim hasn’t won a liga game for almost three months now; their last victory coming way back in September on the opening day against Porto B. 'Poveiros' finished 6th last season and their opponents Cova da Piedade finished in the relegation zone, only spared by the demotion of two divisions for Primeira Liga sides Aves and Vitória Setubal. It is unlikely this year's bottom two clubs will be so lucky. The early season favourite suggests Varzim will occupy at least one of the spots but the optimistic fan isn’t wrong, it is a long season and anything can happen, but Varzim have to make it happen. António Pereira returned to the Cova dugout after his battle with Covid-19, the first time since his sides 2-0 triumph over Leixões. Winless in his absence, Pereira’s presence made a massive difference to the Cova players as they once again strolled to victory under the veteran manager. Kheireddine Zarabi & Miguel Rosa grabbed two first-half goals for Cova, giving Varzim the insurmountable task of scoring three goals to win the game when they had only scored five goals all season. Sodiq Fatai did manage to grab one back for Varzim (their sixth of the season) after Patrão gave away a penalty. Christian Irobiso then saw a second yellow that dealt quite the blow to Varzim’s comeback hopes, the nail in the coffin was just around the corner though when Patrão redeemed himself with the goal that sealed the win for Cova on António Pereira’s inspiring return.

Full-Time Varzim 1-3 Cova

Sporting Covilhã v Chaves

7th vs 8th was the match that graced our screens on Monday evening, two decent sides looking to get back on track after defeats in their last outings. It was six matches unbeaten for Covilhã before they visited serial winners Académica, while Chaves on the other hand had lost only once before Jornada 9, and 10. Defeats to both Penafiel and Casa Pia in those match-ups poses some real questions about Carlos Pinto’s sides promotion credentials. It looked like the questions would continue as Sporting Covilhã missed two great open goal opportunities, both times unable to get the ball under control and finishing just over the bar. It was Chaves who managed to get the opener against the run of play with a debatable penalty decision. Abdoulaye Daffe got tangled up with Juninho, which resulted in a confident conversion from Zé Tiago. The remainder of the game Chaves looked more comfortable but a routine clearance turned into an avoidable handball by former Portugal youth star and II Liga veteran Bura. The penalty was awarded as a result and Gilberto scored the equaliser from the spot. Ten minutes remained and two even sides looked to be on their way to sharing the spoils. However, Chaves have been doing some work on set-pieces and it paid off massively tonight, a low driven corner into the box was dummied by two Chaves players before being converted by a vindicated Bura. The centre-back who’s looking an awful lot like Sergio Agüero mirrored the Argentine in more ways than one with his big game-winning goal. Chaves rise to 6th, Covilhã fall to 10th.

Full-Time Covilhã 1-2 Chaves

Casa Pia v Mafra

Things looked good in the Mafra camp just a few weeks ago, Filipe Cândido’s side were the Liga Portugal 2 leaders but two defeats in their previous two games has thrown a spanner in the works. Mafra faces a difficult test on this Tuesday night in the shape of Casa Pia, a team in which you never really know what you are going to get. Former Mafra boss Filipe Martins is in the dugout for 'Casapianos', meaning a win here would likely be sweeter than most. Casa Pia does have the ability to get goals, but with 19 goals conceded so far this season that makes them the team with the most goals conceded in the entire Liga Portugal 2. Although, as previously stated you don’t know what you will get with Casa, they proved that when they came back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Penafiel a few games ago, and they proved it once again tonight. The ligas worst defence met one of the ligas best attacks and came out with a clean sheet and quite the underdog victory. Two first-half goals from their African heroes was enough to claim a massive Casa win. 20-year old Ghanaian, Malik Abubakari and 24-year old Nigerian, Saviour Godwin are the men who send the hopeful champions of Mafra to 4th, their lowest position of the season so far. Casa Pia find themselves in 8th, with the potential for promotion very much alive in the Lisbon side.

Full-Time Casa Pia 2-0 Mafra