2012 Taça da Liga Final

The 2012 Taça da Liga Final was the final match of the 2011–12 Taça da Liga, the 5th season of the Taça da Liga. It was played on 14 April 2012 at the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra in Coimbra,[3] between Benfica and Gil Vicente. Benfica won 2–1 and claimed their fourth consecutive title.[4] The winners also received €1 million in prize money, while the runners-up received €350,000.[5]

2012 Taça da Liga Final
Event2011–12 Taça da Liga
Benfica Gil Vicente
2 1
Date14 April 2012
VenueEstádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra
Man of the MatchAxel Witsel
RefereeJorge Sousa [1]
Attendance23,452 [2]

The competition involved the 32 clubs playing in the top two tiers of the Portuguese football league system – the Primeira Liga and the Segunda Liga – during the 2011–12 season. Benfica were the three-time defending champions and, as such, participated in their fourth consecutive final. In contrast, it was Gil Vicente's first-ever final in any national competition. Before this match, Benfica were on a 19-match unbeaten run in this competition, with their last defeat coming in a fourth round match against Vitória de Setúbal in October 2007.[6]

Background

Benfica will go into the match as the Taça da Liga title holder, having won the previous three finals, in 2009, 2010 and 2011. This will be the first ever appearance by Gil Vicente in any final. Both teams started at different stages in the competition. Gil started in the second round, having been promoted from the Liga de Honra the previous season. Benfica started in the third round as they finished in the top eight of the 2010–11 Primeira Liga.

Benfica topped Group B with three wins from three games. In the first game of the group stage, they beat Vitória de Guimarães 4–1 at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques.[7] Their next two group stage games were at home; they beat Liga de Honra side Santa Clara 2–0[8] before also recording a 3–0 win against Marítimo.[9] This qualified the team for the semi-final, in which they played at home against bitter rivals Porto. Benfica won the game 3–2. The semi-final is so far the most viewed program of the year in Portugal, with approximately 4.6 million viewers.[10]

Gil Vicente started their Taça da Liga campaign back in October 2011 in the second round. They were drawn against Belenenses, where they overcame the Liga de Honra side in a two-legged fixture. Following a 2–1 away loss,[11] Gil turned the deficit around with a 2–0 win over Lisbon side at the Estádio Cidade de Barcelos.[12] In the third round, Gil were drawn in Group A against Moreirense, Rio Ave and Sporting CP. In their first group game, they defeated Moreirense 2–1.[13] Their second group game saw them draw with fellow first division side Rio Ave 1–1.[14] Their last group, a winner-takes all affair against Sporting CP at the Estádio José Alvalade, ended 1–0 to Gil.[15] Gil Vicente topped Group A with seven points and progressed to the semi final stage, where they played Braga. Gil defeated Braga on penalties after a 2–2 draw.[16]

Route to the final
See also: 2011–12 Taça da Liga

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Benfica Round Gil Vicente
Opponent Result Stadium First round Opponent Result Stadium
Bye Bye
Opponent Result Stadium Second round Opponent Result Stadium
Bye First leg Belenenses 1–2 (A) Estádio do Restelo
Second leg 2–0 (H) Estádio Cidade de Barcelos
Opponent Result Stadium Third round Opponent Result Stadium
Vitória de Guimarães 4–1 (A) Estádio D. Afonso Henriques Matchday 1 Moreirense 2–1 (H) Estádio Cidade de Barcelos
Santa Clara 2–0 (H) Estádio da Luz Matchday 2 Rio Ave 1–1 (A) Estádio dos Arcos
Marítimo 3–0 (H) Estádio da Luz Matchday 3 Sporting CP 1–0 (A) Estádio de Alvalade
Group B winners
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Benfica 330091+89
Marítimo 320143+16
Santa Clara 310214−33
Vitória de Guimarães 300317−60
 Final standings Group A winners
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Gil Vicente 321042+27
Moreirense 31113304
Sporting CP 302123−12
Rio Ave 302123−12
Opponent Result Stadium Knockout phase Opponent Result Stadium
Porto 3–2 (H) Estádio da Luz Semi-finals Braga 2–2 (4–2p) (H) Estádio Cidade de Barcelos

Match

Summary

Prior to the match, referee Jorge Sousa was awarded the right to officiate the final by the LPFP, the LPFP also selected fellow referees Pedro Garcia and Paulo Soares as the assistant referees, while Rui Costa was selected as the fourth official.[17]

The match began with Benfica starting quickest in the starting blocks, in the opening 45 minutes Benfica dominated the ball possession creating several chances. Benfica scored after creating several changes thanks to an attack by Bruno César down the left wing in which he crossed in the box for Rodrigo to open the scoring 30 minutes into the game. Benfica went into the break leading 1–0 and came back into the second half dominating again as they did in the first half. In the 78th minute, Gil Vicente received a corner in which they capitalized from after several blocked attempts from Benfica's defence; Zé Luís put the ball in the back of the net, beating Benfica goalkeeper Eduardo. Six minutes later, the winning goal came from Benfica substitute Javier Saviola after Gil Vicente's goalkeeper blocked Axel Witsel's shot, which led to the ball falling to the Argentine in which he slotted the ball home into the opposition's empty goal. Benfica's Witsel was named man of the match.[18]

Details
Benfica2–1Gil Vicente
Rodrigo  30'
Saviola  84'		 Report Zé Luís  78'
Attendance: 22,952
Referee: Jorge Sousa
Benfica
Gil Vicente
GK47 Eduardo
RB14 Maxi Pereira (c)
CB33 Jardel
CB24 Ezequiel Garay
LB38 Joan Capdevila
DM21 Nemanja Matić
CM28 Axel Witsel
LW8 Bruno César 86'
AM10 Pablo Aimar 62'
RW19 Rodrigo 82'
CF16 Nélson Oliveira 45'
Substitutes:
GK1 Artur
DF3 Emerson
MF6 Javi García
MF20 Nicolás Gaitán 81' 45'
FW7 Óscar Cardozo 62'
FW9 Nolito
FW30 Javier Saviola 86' 82'
Manager:
Jorge Jesus
GK1 Adriano Facchini
RB2 Rodrigo Galo
CB44 Cláudio 85'
CB54 Halisson
LB80 Júnior Caiçara
DM10 André Cunha (c)
CM25 César Peixoto
LW66 Luís Manuel 50' 56'
AM58 Luís Carlos 67'
RW70 Hugo Vieira
CF89 Richard 76'
Substitutes:
GK21 Jorge Baptista
DF16 Paulão
MF20 Éder
MF40 Guilherme 67'
FW77 João Vilela 76'
FW9 Tó Barbosa
FW99 Zé Luís 56' 56'
Manager:
Paulo Alves
2011–12 Taça da Liga Winners
Sport Lisboa e Benfica
4th Title

Match officials

  • Assistant referees:
    • Pedro Garcia
    • Paulo Soares
  • Fourth official: Rui Costa

Man of the match

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • Penalty shootout if scores still level.
  • Seven named substitutes.
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

See also

References
  1. "Benfica 2-1 Gil Vicente INFORMAÇÃO" [Benfica 2-1 Gil Vicente INFORMATION]. A Bola. 14 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  2. "Benfica 2-1 Gil Vicente". Liga Portugal. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 13 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  3. "BWIN CUP - 2011/2012 - 3.ª FASE" [2011-12 - Bwin Cup - Third Round] (in Portuguese). 27 November 2011. Archived from the original on 26 November 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  4. "Taça da Liga: Benfica conquista quarto troféu consecutivo" [League Cup: Benfica win their fourth consecutive trophy] (in Portuguese). 15 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  5. "Taça da Liga: vencedor ganha um milhão de euros" [League Cup: the winner wins one million euros] (in Portuguese). 23 March 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  6. "Águias somam 19.º jogo consecutivo sem perder" [Eagles added 19th consecutive game without losing] (in Portuguese). 23 March 2012. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  7. "V.Guimarães 1-4 Benfica" (in Portuguese). 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-04-28. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  8. "Benfica 2-0 Sta.Clara" (in Portuguese). 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-08-01. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  9. "Benfica 3-0 Marítimo" (in Portuguese). 26 March 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  10. "Clássico da Taça da Liga foi o programa mais visto do ano" [Clássico of the League Cup was the most viewed program of the year] (in Portuguese). 23 March 2012. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  11. "Belenenses 2-1 G.Vicente" (in Portuguese). 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  12. "G.Vicente 2-0 Belenenses" (in Portuguese). 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  13. "G.Vicente 2-1 Moreirense" (in Portuguese). 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  14. "Rio Ave 1-1 G.Vicente" (in Portuguese). 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  15. "Sporting 0-1 G.Vicente" (in Portuguese). 26 March 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  16. "G.Vicente 2-2 Braga" (in Portuguese). 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  17. "Benfica 2-1 Gil Vicente INFORMAÇÃO" [Benfica - Gil Vicente INFORMATION]. A Bola. 14 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  18. "Witsel foi o Man of The Match" [Witsel was the Man of The Match]. LPFP. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
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