Portugal round-up: In-form sides win again

FC Porto kept up their charge for the Portuguese title with a comprehensive home victory against Clube Académica de Coimbra tonight.

Five-point gap
The leaders won 4-1 to move five points clear of Sporting Clube de Portugal at the top of the Super Liga. Sporting had closed the gap to two points with their 3-1 victory at SC Beira-Mar on Saturday. SL Benfica remain in third after their 3-0 triumph on the at home against SC Braga. Porto have 30 points, Sporting 25 and Benfica 23.

Porto fightback
José Mourinho's Porto had to come back from a goal behind at Estádio Das Antas this evening. Académica took the lead through captain Dário's header after a Xano cross from the right flank. In the second half, normal service was resumed. Former SL Benfica midfield player Maniche put Porto ahead from the penalty spot, after Hélder Postiga was tripped by Dino. Postiga then scored the second deflecting a Paulo Ferreira cross from the right. Playmaker Deco continued his great season with a splendid free-kick before Lithuanian striker Edgaras Jankauskas sealed the win with another Porto penalty.

Another win
The other game played tonight saw Vitória Guimarães maintain their excellent form with a 3-1 home win against struggling Boavista FC. Pedro Mendes set Guimarães on their way after a one-two with Romeu. However, Boavista managed to find an equaliser through Elpídeo Silva from the penalty spot. The home side then took control as Ivan Djurdjevic's header and Carlos Fangueiro's spot-kick extended their lead and put them in fourth place.

Three off
On Saturday, Vitória Setúbal and CD Santa Clara played out a dour goalless draw. The point suited Santa Clara more as it lifted them off the bottom of the table, a position now occupied by Moreirense FC after they lost 2-1 at Gil Vicente FC in a match that saw three red cards.

Casquilha winner
It was Gil Vicente's fifth win out of five and it was achieved despite having conceded after just six minutes to a Nuno Cavaleiro strike. Gil Vicente bounced back seven minutes later through Paulo Alves and veteran playmaker Casquilha completed the comeback. The second half brought a burst of indiscipline, with Gil Vicente's Nuno Amaro and Moreirense's Flávio Meireles being shown red cards for dissent. In the last minute, visitor Mauro César was also shown dismissed, but this time for a second bookable offence.

Camacho watching
Benfica cruised to a 3-0 home victory against Braga, watched by new coach José Antonio Camacho. Goals from Tiago, Pedro Mantorras and Simão Sabrosa were enough to secure the three points. It was also a comfortable day for Sporting, as they saw off Beira-Mar 3-1. After the shock of falling behind to a Filipe goal, Sporting strode to victory through Marius Niculae, Mario Jardel and Toñito.

Home advantage tells
There were three games on Sunday, all of which finished as home wins. CD Nacional beat FC Paços de Ferreira 4-0, with two goals from Adriano, UD Leiria were 3-1 winners against Varzim SC thanks to a double from Silas and CS Maritimo beat CF Os Belenenses 2-1 with both goals from Gaúcho.