2011 Taça da Liga final

2011 Taça da Liga final
Event	2010–11 Taça da Liga
Date	23 April 2011
Venue	Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra
Man of the Match	José Moreira
Referee	Pedro Proença
Attendance	26,222
	← 2010 2012 →

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).

Paços de Ferreira

Round

Benfica

Opponent

Result

Stadium

First round

Opponent

Result

Stadium

Bye

Opponent

Result

Stadium

Second round

Opponent

Result

Stadium

Leixões

1–1 (A)

Estádio do Mar

First leg

Bye

2–1 (H)

Mata Real

Second leg

Opponent

Result

Stadium

Third round

Opponent

Result

Stadium

Arouca

3–2 (A)

Estádio Municipal de Arouca

Matchday 1

Marítimo

2–0 (H)

Estádio da Luz

Braga

3–2 (A)

Estádio Municipal de Braga

Matchday 2

3–2 (H)

2–1 (H)

Matchday 3

4–0 (A)

Group C winners

Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Paços de Ferreira	3	3	0	8	5	+3	9
Braga	3	2	1	9	4	+5	6
Vitória de Guimarães	3	1	2	3	5	−2	3
Arouca	3	0	3	2	8	−6	0

Final standings

Group B winners

Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Benfica	3	3	0	9	2	+7	9
Marítimo	3	2	1	3	3	0	6
Desportivo das Aves	3	1	2	4	8	−4	3
Olhanense	3	0	3	4	7	−3	0

Opponent

Result

Stadium

Knockout phase

Opponent

Result

Stadium

4–3 (A)

Semi-finals

2–1 (H)

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

2010–11 Taça da Liga Winners
Benfica 3rd Title

External links

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