Canadians in Europe: Eustáquio sees red in Porto loss
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Stephen Eustáquio was sent off in a Porto loss, while Jonathan David helped Lille pick up a key three points. Here's a look at Canadians in Europe over the weekend.
Stephen Eustáquio, Porto - Stephen Eustáquio has established himself as a key component of Sérgio Conceição's squad in his first full season at Porto, but during Friday's edition of O Clássico, the Leamington, Ont. native was central to a defeat at the hands of Porto's archrival Benfica. Heading into the contest, Benfica held a three-point lead over Porto atop the table. A win for the hosts would have pulled Porto even with the league leaders. In the 15th, Porto thought they had a sure opener. Zaidu's looping cross was met in the area by a powerful header from Mehdi Taremi, but Odysseas Vlachodimos made a terrific diving save to palm it away. Porto would rue the missed chance because the match was turned on its head only minutes later. After picking up a booking for a rough tackle on Alexander Bah in the 24th, Eustáquio was shown a second yellow in the 27th. As Porto attempted a move forward, Bah held up the ball looking to make a clearance pass. Eustáquio lunged in late with his studs up and once again caught the Denmark right-back on the leg. The referee was left with no choice other than to send the Canadian off. Benfica would eventually make the man advantage count. With Benfica moving forward, Rafa Silva engaged in a give-and-go with David Neres down the left side. As it appeared that Benfica missed their opportunity when Silva initially bungled the return pass, the former Portugal winger recovered in time to rip the ball past Diogo Costa for the 1-0 lead and eventual victory at that scoreline. The win gave Benfica some precious breathing room atop the table, now six points clear of both Porto and Braga.
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Jonathan David, Lille - Ottawa's Jonathan David didn't score his 10th goal of the season on the weekend, but did have a number of goals in an important contest for European places in the top half of the Ligue 1 table. Lille hosted Monaco on Sunday in a battle of the two most recent French champions not named Paris Saint-Germain. Heading into the match, Philippe Clement's side sat two points up on LOSC in the table. The hosts would open the scoring midway through the first half on a set piece. Adam Ounas whipped a free kick into the area and Alexsandro Ribeiro got a step on his marker to meet the service with a free header to beat Alexander Nübel for a 1-0 lead in the 22nd. Monaco pulled even minutes later on a free kick of their own that wasn't as, uh, nice. Caio Henrique went for goal from distance with his free kick that should have been easily handled by Lucas Chevalier, but it was not. Looking uneasy on his line ahead of the attempt, Chevalier found himself slightly screened and misplayed the ball as it bounced in front of him and through his legs to make it 1-1 in the 34th. The hosts would get their lead back before halftime with the first of two goals from Rémy Cabella with David doing the heavy lifting with some fine work. Sprung down the left with service from Ounas, David turned on the jets to get past Axel Disasi. As he approached the area, David held up and then beat Disasi going to his right. His left footed effort when through the legs of Nübel and hit the far post. Before Monaco could handle the rebound, Cabella swooped in to poke it over to ensure Lille headed to the break up 2-1...or so he thought. The visitors would once again level matters ahead of halftime. A set piece would cause problems for Lille again. Breel Embolo leapt over two markers to head down towards the far post on a corner. Instead of shooting himself, France forward Wissam Ben Yedder squared up for Disasi, whose quick shot beat Chevalier to make it 2-2 in the 44th. The visitors would earn their first lead of the match after the restart thanks to a brutal error from Tiago Djaló. After repelling a Monaco attack, Lille controlled possession just in front of their own area. Djaló dithered on whether to go forward or pass back to Chevalier and that allowed Ben Yedder to pounce, easily dispossessing the Portugal U-21 defender and then chipping over the oncoming Chevalier to give Monaco a 3-2 lead in the 53rd. All three of Monaco's goals had a distinct odor to them. Cabella's second tied the match again, completing a fine team move alongside David and Jonathan Bamba. At midfield, Ribeiro headed down for Bamba, who headed forward to David, whose deft touch forward found Cabella to break left. Using David as a dummy, Cabella beat Nübel at the near post to complete his brace in the 62nd. The hosts would go on to wrap up the three points in the 71st. With a foul at midfield, the referee allowed Lille to play the advantage with Angel Gomes streaking forward. Having David on his right and Bamba on his left, Gomes beautifully threaded a pass to Bamba, who cut into the area and beat Nübel with his left foot to make it 4-3 and pick up a big victory. The win allowed Lille to jump Monaco in the table into sixth on 22 points, one back of Marseille for the final European place and five back of Lorient for a Champions League spot.
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Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich - Bayern picked up a crucial three points on Saturday against Europe-chasing opposition as Bundesliga-leading Union Berling slumped to defeat against relegation-threatened Bochum the next day. Julian Nagelsmann opted to leave Sadio Mane on the bench for the trip to Hoffenheim, instead leading the line with the in-form Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. The visitors would get on the board first thanks to a set piece in the 17th. Joshua Kimmich's corner was headed down to the far post by Leon Goretzka where it was met by Jamal Musiala. The former Chelsea youth product chested down the ball and then blasted home with his right foot to make it 1-0. Bayern would double their lead - and wrap up all scoring in the match - in the 34th. Forcing a turnover near midfield, Bayern came up the right through a give-and-go between Choupo-Moting and Serge Gnabry. Choupo-Moting finished off the move with his fourth goal in three matches. The Bayern win coupled with the Union loss puts Bayern only one point behind the leaders in second place. Alphonso Davies, only two weeks removed from a bruised skull against Borussia Dortmund, played all 90 minutes of the contest. Davies led the team in shot-creating actions with six and carries with 63. He also produced three tackles and three interceptions.