2011 Taça da Liga final

The 2011 Taça da Liga final was the fourth final of the Taça da Liga tournament in Portugal, a competition involving the top 32 clubs in the Portuguese football league system, the Primeira Liga and the Liga de Honra teams. The final was contested on 23 April 2011 by Benfica and Paços de Ferreira and was played at the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra in Coimbra. This was the first time that the final was played at this stadium since the past three editions were at the Estádio Algarve in Faro. This was the third consecutive final appearance for Benfica and the first ever for Paços de Ferreira.

Background

Benfica went into the match as the Taça da Liga title holder, having won the previous two finals, in 2009 and 2010, while this was the first ever Paços de Ferreira appearance in the decisive game. Both teams started at difference stages in the competition — Paços de Ferreira in the second round, as part of the six last teams from the previous Primeira Liga and two promoted teams from last year's Liga de Honra, and Benfica in the third round, comprising the faction of the top eight Primeira Liga teams from the last season. After overcoming Leixões in a two-legged fixture, following an away draw and a home victory, Paços de Ferreira topped Group C, composed by the two Minho rivals, Braga and Vitória de Guimarães, as well as Arouca. Benfica won Group B, which included Marítimo, Desportivo das Aves and Olhanense. The two teams won their respective groups with the perfect score of three victories out of three matches. In the semi-finals, Benfica hosted and won over Lisbon rivals Sporting CP, with a late winner coming in the last moments of stoppage time, after being one goal down during the first half. Paços de Ferreira played at Nacional's stadium and won an entertaining match that ended in a 4–3 result, controlling the scoreline during much part of the second half due to an early two-goal advantage.

Route to the final

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

Match

Details

23 April 2011

21:00 UTC

Paços de Ferreira	1–2	Benfica
Luisão 50' (o.g.)	Report	Jara 17' García 42'

Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra

Attendance: 26,222

Referee: Pedro Proença

Paços de Ferreira

Benfica

PAÇOS DE FERREIRA: GK 1 Cássio  90+2' RB 15 Baiano CB 5 Javier Cohene CB 2 Ozéia LB 7 Maykon  26' DM 8 André Leão  79' CM 16 Leonel Olímpio  33' CM 10 David Simão  75' RW 81 Manuel José (c)  71' LW 31 Pizzi CF 19 Mario Rondón Substitutes: GK 45 António Filipe LB 13 Bura RB 96 Filipe Anunciação  79' CM 11 Rui Caetano  71' CM 17 Nuno Santos FW 21 Pádraig Amond FW 24 Nélson Oliveira  75' Manager: Rui Vitória

BENFICA: GK 1 José Moreira RB 14 Maxi Pereira  30' CB 4 Luisão (c)  49' CB 33 Jardel LB 18 Fábio Coentrão DM 6 Javi García RM 17 Carlos Martins  61' LM 11 Franco Jara CM 10 Pablo Aimar  90+2' FW 30 Javier Saviola  68' FW 7 Óscar Cardozo Substitutes: GK 12 Roberto LB 25 César Peixoto  61' CB 27 Sidnei DM 2 Airton  68' CM 16 Felipe Menezes  90+2' FW 19 Weldon FW 31 Alan Kardec Manager: Jorge Jesus

External links

• Official site
• Official regulation (in Portuguese)
• Official Statistics (in Portuguese)
• José Moreira Wins Man Of The Match Award