Sporting's Silva service

The Portuguese SuperLiga's top six were all pitted against each other in an exciting weekend - with honours going the way of the home side in each of the three matches.

Porto ahead
FC Porto's 3-0 defeat of SC Beira-Mar kept them five points clear at the summit - but they had to rely on an own goal by Clyde Wijnhard to set them on their way. Porto pressed home their advantage in the last quarter of an hour, when strikes from Benni McCarthy and Maniche wrapped up the win.

Sporting win
The biggest crowd of the weekend flocked to the José Alvalade, where 32,369 watched Silva score the game's only goal to secure second-placed Sporting Clube de Portugal all three points against Erwin Sanchez's Boavista FC. A goal in each half from Simão Sabrosa and Tomislav Sokota gave SL Benfica a 2-0 victory against SC Braga, who had Artur Jorge sent off eleven minutes from time.

Late winner
With three of the chasing pack losing, CS Marítimo took advantage to move into fifth spot with a 1-0 win away against ten-man CD Nacional. António Gouveïa's red card came ten minutes after Alan Osório's winning goal.

Basement battle
At the other end of the table, Vitória SC came from behind to draw 1-1 at home against FC Paços de Ferreira, who climbed off the bottom thanks to CF Estrela da Amadora's 4-1 defeat by ten-man UD Leiria, who had João Manuel sent off with the score at 2-1.

Waldiram strikes
In the weekend's other games, goals from Bruno Mauro and Waldiram gave CF Os Belenenses a 2-0 home win against Alverca Futebol SAD, while the match between Moreirense FC and Gil Vicente FC finished goalless, as did AA Coimbra's home tie with Rio Ave FC, who slipped into the bottom half despite the away point.