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 FerreiraRoundBenficaOpponentResultStadiumFirst roundOpponentResultStadiumByeByeOpponentResultStadiumSecond roundOpponentResultStadiumLeixões1–1 (A)Estádio do MarFirst legBye2–1 (H)Mata RealSecond legOpponentResultStadiumThird roundOpponentResultStadiumArouca3–2 (A)Estádio Municipal de AroucaMatchday 1Marítimo2–0 (H)Estádio da LuzBraga3–2 (A)Estádio Municipal de BragaMatchday 2Olhanense3–2 (H)Estádio da LuzVitória de Guimarães2–1 (H)Mata RealMatchday 3Desportivo das Aves4–0 (A)Estádio do AvesGroup C winners TeamPaços de Ferreira330085+39Braga320194+56Vitória de Guimarães310235−23Arouca300328−60Final standingsGroup B winners TeamBenfica330092+79Marítimo32013306Desportivo das Aves310248−43Olhanense300347−30OpponentResultStadiumKnockout phaseOpponentResultStadiumNacional4–3 (A)Estádio da MadeiraSemi-finalsSporting CP2–1 (H)Estádio da Luz
Match
Details
PAÇOS DE FERREIRA: GK1 Cássio RB15 BaianoCB5 Javier Cohene CB2 Ozéia LB7 Maykon DM8 André Leão CM16 Leonel Olímpio CM10 David Simão RW81 Manuel José (c) LW31 Pizzi CF19 Mario Rondón Substitutes:GK45 António FilipeLB13 BuraRB96 Filipe Anunciação CM11 Rui Caetano CM17 Nuno SantosFW21 Pádraig AmondFW24 Nélson Oliveira Manager: Rui VitóriaBENFICA: GK1 José MoreiraRB14 Maxi Pereira CB4 Luisão (c) CB33 JardelLB18 Fábio Coentrão DM6 Javi GarcíaRM17 Carlos Martins LM11 Franco JaraCM10 Pablo Aimar FW30 Javier Saviola FW7 Óscar CardozoSubstitutes:GK12 Roberto LB25 César Peixoto CB27 SidneiDM2 Airton CM16 Felipe Menezes FW19 WeldonFW31 Alan Kardec Manager: Jorge Jesus
2010–11 Taça da Liga WinnersBenfica3rd Title
See also 2010–11 S.L. Benfica season 2011 Taça de Portugal final
External links Official site Official regulation Official Statistics José Moreira Wins Man Of The Match Award