SL Benfica beat Lisbon rivals Sporting Clube de Portugal 2-0 to go six points ahead of SC Braga at the top of the Portuguese Liga. Benfica are unbeaten in the league since a 2-0 defeat by Braga in October but were forced to bide their time against Sporting. Óscar Cardozo broke the visitors' resistance midway through the second half before Pablo Aimar's strike 11 minutes from time wrapped up the win.