The Benfica team arrived at the Marquês de Pombal statue in central Lisbon in the early hours of Monday morning to join an estimated crowd of 200,000 celebrating the team’s success. There were smaller but similar parties all over Portugal and much further afield in Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and the USA. This was always going to be a special occasion as Benfica notched up back-to-back titles for the first time in over thirty years.
The Eagles missed a succession of early chances and had to settle for a goalless draw, but arch-rivals FC Porto could only draw in the capital as a late Tiago Caeiro equaliser for Belenenses cancelled out Jackson Martínez’s goal for the Dragons.
Benfica coach Jorge Jesus said, “The players deserve it. We’ve worked eleven months for this. It may not be a squad with as much quality as in previous years, but it’s very united, an authentic family, and in certain games that made the difference. There were two key games. The draw against Porto at the Luz, where we knew if we didn’t lose they would have little chance of catching us, and the draw at the Alvalade, because at the time if Sporting won they could have joined the title race. We cancelled out one opponent, then the other.”
Benfica centre-back and former Olhanense player Jardel was delighted.
“In previous seasons I didn’t play much but this time the boss put his trust in me. I contributed to the title, and that goal at Sporting was so important. What made the difference was the togetherness and I can’t neglect to pay tribute to our captain, Luisão, who is an out-of-this-world person.”
Third-place Sporting had a 4-1 win over their nearest rivals - some eighteen points behind - SC Braga.
Bottom club Penafiel beat Gil Vicente 2-1 which consigns both teams to 2nd Division football next season.
In the second tier, the top two, Tondela and Chaves fought out a 2-2 draw whilst Covilhã beat SC Farense 1-0 to keep alive their promotion hopes.
SC Portimonense lost 1-0 at Ac.Viseu but SC Olhanense won 3-1 at Oliveirense to record their fourth win in five games.
The league’s in-form team, Olhanense, finish their season on Sunday, kick-off 5.00pm, against Atlético at the José Arcanjo Stadium, Olhão (behind McDonalds on the EN125).