Portugal Cup: the half-dozen «giant tombs» of this century
And when you least expect it, a bang. It’s rare, but it happens. In 81 editions of the Portuguese Cup, there were 14 times in which the big three fell at the feet of a team from a lower level.
Six of them happened already in this century. Gondomar, Naval, Varzim, Vitória de Setúbal, Atlético and, more recently, Alverca achieved the feat of being “tomb-giants”. A feat that in 1998/99 Torreense and Gil Vicente reached against FC Porto and Sporting, respectively, and that before that happened often, since the 1940s [ver lista].
On the day that the greats come into action in the Queen’s Championship of national football, we remember the feats that happened this century. Rarities, which even so become a Cup of Portugal, an unpredictable and passionate competition, for giving the little ones a chance to overcome.
Toppling a giant is a Herculean task, but possible. And, mind you, David is always on the lookout for Goliath’s smallest distraction.
2002/03: Benfica-Gondomar (2nd Division B), 0-1 (4th round)
In the first game in the queen competition in the 2002/03 season, a crash with Benfica in the middle of Estádio da Luz. Gondomar, from II Division B, was qualified. The defeat had technical consequences for the incarnated ones.
2002/03: Sporting-Naval (Liga de Honra), 0-1 (quarter-finals)
After rival Benfica, also Sporting, champion in title, ended up eliminated with a surprising home defeat against a club from a lower echelon. The author of the feat in the last game of the Cup at the old Alvalade stadium was Naval 1º de Maio. A solitary goal from Frenchman David Costé (at 58m) made a team coached by Laszlo Boloni in the quarter-finals and with Mário Jardel and Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting line-up.
2003/04: Sporting-V. Setúbal (Liga de Honra), 0-1 (5th round)
As in the previous season, the lions were removed from the Cup, but this time even earlier. Now, in the first game of the competition held at the new stadium in Alvalade, Sporting, under the command of Fernando Santos, had no different luck and lost again 1-0. As early as 7m, defender Orestes scored the goal that guaranteed V. Setúbal a passage to the round of 16.
2006/07: Varzim (League of Honor) -Benfica, 2-1 (round of 16)
Varzim, directed by an ancient incarnated glory, Diamantino Miranda, ended up surprising Benfica on their visit to Póvoa. Nelson scored an own goal and Simão equalized even before the break, but at 77m a goal by Mendonça would eventually make the League of Honor team fall the eagle. On the bench was Fernando Santos, who had already had similar experience three seasons before for Sporting.
2006/07: FC Porto -Atlético (2nd Division B), 0-1 (4th round)
David, apt name for a giant tomb. He was the one who felled the blue and white Goliath in Estádio do Dragão. Atlético, from II Division B, defeated FC Porto, champion who also defended the title in the Cup, thanks to a goal by the Brazilian striker, at 60m. Quaresma still wasted a penalty, sending the ball to the post, but the afternoon was unlucky for the white and blues and for their coach Jesualdo Ferreira – who in Luz, a few years before, had already experienced a similar sensation against Gondomar.
20/2019: Alverca (Portuguese Championship) -Desportivo, 2-0 (3rd round)
After more than a decade without real giant tombs to keep the big ones out of the Cup, Alverca had the role of hero against Sporting. The Portuguese Championship team, two levels below, managed in the 2019/2020 edition to fend off the lions in the first round they played. Brazilians Alex Apolinário, who tragically died a little more than a year later, and Luan Silva scored the goals that drove away the team then commanded by Silas.
The 14 eliminations of the big three by teams from the lower levels:
1942/43: V. Setúbal (II Division) -FC Porto, 7-0 (semi-finals)
1943/44: Estoril (II Division) -FC Porto, 3-2 and 2-1 (quarter-finals)
1947/48: Barreirense-FC Porto, 1-0 (round of 16)
1948/49: Tirsense (Division III) -Sports, 2-1 (1st round)
1960/61: Benfica-V. Setúbal (League of Honor), 3-1 and 1-4 (round of 16)
1969/70: Tirsense (II Division) – FC Porto, 2-2 and 1-0 (5th round)
1998/99: Gil Vicente (Liga de Honra) -Desportivo, 3-2 (4th round)
1998/99: FC Porto-Torreense (2nd Division B), 0-1 (5th round)
2002/03: Sporting-Naval (Liga de Honra), 0-1 (quarter-finals)
2002/03: Benfica-Gondomar (2nd Division B), 0-1 (4th round)
2003/04: Sporting-V. Setúbal (Liga de Honra), 0-1 (5th round)
2006/07: Varzim (League of Honor) -Benfica, 2-1 (round of 16)
2006/07: FC Porto -Atlético (2nd Division B), 0-1 (4th round)
20/2019: Alverca (Portuguese Championship) -Desportivo, 2-0 (3rd round)