Introduction:
At the turn of the century, an idea was mooted to improve the competitiveness of the Belgian, Portuguese and Scottish Leagues by creating a multinational league comprised of clubs from these three (and at the time Dutch league) together.
While on their own, each league had little going for them, with two or three giants dominating every year, this combined league had some good features. A competition that saw the likes of Porto, Benfica, Sporting, Celtic, Rangers, Standard Liege, Anderlecht, Ajax and PSV going head to head every week was seen as an attractive proposition. Not only would it give the bigger teams more practice and better games, it would increase the depth of the middle ranked teams and cannon fodder. Moreover, it would offer a chance to market an attractive product for television audiences who were tired of watching the same old domination.
The idea fell through but remains an interesting concept. And while the similarly themed but short lived Royal League, made up of top clubs from the Scandinavian shelf, Denmark and Iceland; has folded, the North Atlantic League could still get off the ground with some creative marketing and bold, dynamic thinking.
The North Atlantic League is currently dead, but I shall be reviewing them together in one supplement from this point forwards. It lives on, covered by Arjblog. It's format will undergo some revision before settling on a final look as the season goes on. I welcome your feedback.
Portugal:
Benfica beat visiting Pacos 4-1 to remain in the hunt for the local league as goals from Nolito, Luisao and a double from Javier Savoila kept them even on points with Porto at the top of the table. Vitoria Setubal had earlier beaten bottom side Rio Ave on Friday, 2-1. Feirense and Maritimo drew 2-2 in Sunday's early game while Nacional and Leiria both won 1-0, beating Olhanense and Braga respectively. Braga lose for the first time this season but remain third.
Sporting and Porto both won away games, at Guimares and Academica respectively. While Diego Capel scored the game winner for the Lisbon giants, Walter Silva, Freddy Guarin and James Rodriguez rounded out the scoring for Porto. Porto and Benfica are tied at the top with 17 points, Braga, Sporting and Maritimo are teh next three with 14 points each.
Nolito joins Oscar Cardozo and Pape Diaware at the top of the scoring charts with five goals apiece.
Belgium:
Like Benfica, Gent also big winners, hammering Leuven 6-1 at home to go top for a day, while giants Standard Liege could only manage a goalless draw with visiting Cercle Brugge at home. The latter remain in the top four but lose ground on leaders Gent. Club Brugge also drew at home, to bottom side Sint-Truiden but remain in the top two, a point behind Gent. Kortrijk moved into the top five with a 1-0 win over Mechelen. The rest of Saturday's games were draws with Mons tying Lokeren 3-3 and Westerlo holding Zulte, 1-1 at home.
On Sunday, the big guns were in action as Standard defeated Lierse 2-0 with goals from Felipe and Jelle Van Damme. Club Brugge cold only manage a 1-1 draw at Beerschot with the home side getting a late equalizer. In the late game, Anderlecht won the top of the table clash at Genk with a goal from from Dieumerci Mbokani. The result is a massive one for Anderlecht who moved to the top of the table with 20 points, one ahead of both Gent and Club Brugge in second and third respectively. Genk remain in midtable with their second loss of the season but Cercle, Standard and surprise Kortrijk round out the top six.
With his goal in Mons' high scoring draw, Jeremy Perbet pads his lead atop the scoring table with 11 goals.
Scotland:
Aberdeen were the big movers after their 4-0 demolition of Dunfermline saw them move out of the bottom spots and into ninth. Friday's win was only their second of the season. Rangers also won, edging Hibernian at home with a goal from Kyle Lafferty while St Johnstone and Motherwell picked up crucial away wins, over Killie and Dundee United respectively.
Inverness were similarly victorious, beating St. Mirren 2-1 at home, but remain bottom of the table. Sunday saw a massive upset as Celtic lost 2-0 at Hearts to slip into third place 10 points behind Rangers in first and a point behind Motherwell in second. Celtic had Kris Commons sent off as Hearts scored through Rudolf Skacel and Ryan Stevenson.
Rangers has 28 points after 10 games, Motherwell have 19 and Celtic are on 18. Rangers' Steven Naismith still leads Hibernian's Gary O'Conner eight goals to seven.
Fave-watch:
Benfica, Porto and Sporting all won while Braga lost. Standard Liege, Gent and Anderlecht were triumphant while Genk lost and Rangers won again while Celtic lost.
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