Porto’s blue-and-white end of the city had another reason to celebrate on Sunday: a 3-1 win over Benfica in the Portuguese clássico strengthened the Dragons’ position at the Primeira Liga summit, even as Mexican forward Santiago Giménez watched the entire match from the substitutes’ bench.
Key takeaways
- Porto defeated Benfica 3-1 in the seventh round of the Primeira Liga.
- Santiago Giménez was unused after appearing as a substitute in each of Porto’s previous three matches.
- Benfica lost Clément Lenglet to a red card in the 35th minute.
- Gabri Veiga, Victor Froholdt and Hwang In-beom scored for Porto.
- The result leaves Porto on 21 points, five clear of Benfica.
A clásico turned by Benfica’s dismissal
Benfica, managed by Marco Silva, began with the greater share of the ball and made a composed opening in Porto. That control did not last beyond the first half-hour, however, as a defensive lapse allowed Porto to move ahead through Gabri Veiga, whose finish beat the Benfica goalkeeper.
The visitors’ situation worsened five minutes later. French defender Clément Lenglet was sent off in the 35th minute after striking André Silva in the face, leaving Benfica to chase the game with 10 men.
There was a brief revival after the interval when Alexander Bah brought Benfica back into the contest in the 51st minute. Porto’s response under Francesco Farioli was swift and decisive. Victor Froholdt restored the home side’s lead three minutes later, before Hwang In-beom made it 3-1 on the hour.
From there, Porto managed the rhythm rather than allowing Benfica another route back. The victory gave the leaders 21 points and opened a five-point gap over their Lisbon rivals.
Giménez waits as league resumes in October
Giménez’s spell of three consecutive substitute appearances came to a halt in the derby. The Mexican striker first featured for Porto against Moreirense in Matchday 5, then received minutes in the Champions League against Manchester City. During the demanding run of fixtures, he also scored a penalty in the 4-1 victory over Casa Pia.
Despite that contribution, he was not used against Benfica as Porto closed out one of the season’s defining domestic fixtures.
The Primeira Liga now pauses before Matchday 8 begins on 9 October. Porto will travel to Marítimo on Saturday 10, with kick-off listed for 11:00 central Mexico time. Benfica return to the Estádio da Luz the following day to face Vitória Sport Clube of Guimarães, also scheduled for 11:00 central Mexico time, in the penultimate match of the round.
