Event | 2008–09 Taça da Liga | ||||||
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Benfica won 3–2 on penalties | |||||||
Date | 21 March 2009 | ||||||
Venue | Estádio do Algarve, Faro | ||||||
Man of the Match | Quim (Benfica) | ||||||
Referee | Lucílio Batista (Setúbal) | ||||||
Attendance | 28,182 | ||||||
The 2009 Taça da Liga Final was a football match between Benfica and Sporting CP which was held on the 21 March 2009 at Estádio do Algarve, Faro. It was the final match of the 2008–09 Taça da Liga, the 2nd season of the Taça da Liga, a football competition for the 32 teams in the Primeira Liga and the Liga de Honra. Benfica were appearing in their first final, while Sporting were appearing in the final for the second time; having lost the previous season's final to Vitória de Setúbal.
After a goalless and uneventful first half, Sporting scored the first goal of the game through Bruno Pereirinha in the 48th minute. Benfica equalized in the 75th minute through Spanish winger José Antonio Reyes who converted from the penalty spot. After ninety minutes where the game remained tied, the final was to be settled on penalties. After Quim saved Hélder Postiga's penalty, Carlos Martins stepped up to the penalty spot and scored the decisive penalty to clinch Benfica's first Taça da Liga. This was Benfica's first trophy in four years since winning their 31st Primeira Liga in the 2004–05 season.
In the aftermath of the Taça da Liga Final, Sporting's president, coach and two players would face disciplinary action by the LPFP after the incidents in the match involving the decision given by the referee Lucílio Batista following Pedro Silva's handling of the ball in the box which resulted in Sporting being reduced to ten men and Benfica being awarded a penalty. Benfica also faced disciplinary action due to the behavior of their fans during the final.