Sporting stutter in title race

By Onofre Costa

FC Porto and SL Benfica kept hold of the leadership of the SuperLiga, but lost the company of Sporting Clube de Portugal at the weekend.

Deflected winner
Porto required a last-minute goal from South African striker Benni McCarthy to take maximum points at FC Penafiel on Saturday night. The Portuguese champions trailed the strugglers from the first minute when Wesley headed in Clayton’s cross from the left. It took 80 minutes for José Couceiro’s side to reply with Pedro Emanuel heading in Nuno Valente’s free-kick, before McCarthy’s deflected effort settled the issue in Porto’s favour.

Penalty miss
Giovanni Trapattoni’s Benfica side joined Porto on 45 points the following day, after achieving a first win in 14 years at CD Nacional. Nuno Gomes, who was later carried off on a stretcher, scored the only goal of the match on 48 minutes, before Nacional’s Brazilian striker Adriano hit the bar from the penalty spot ten minutes from time.

Lisbon woe
Earlier in the day, Sporting suffered a setback when they lost the Lisbon derby at CF Os Belenenses. Centre-back Pelé decided the match in the 60th minute when he took advantage of hesitant defending from Hugo and Rogério to score following Neca’s free-kick.

Late header
Sporting now trail the leaders by three points, while Boavista are lurking just one point further back after drawing at GD Estoril-Praia. The visitors trailed Praia three times during the match until Hélder Rosário’s last-minute header salvaged a point for Jaime Pacheco’s side. However, both teams could be overtaken by SC Braga if they defeat Vitória FC on Monday.

Brum sent off
CS Marítimo avoided a first home defeat of the season with a 1-1 draw against strugglers A. Académica de Coimbra. Brazilian winter signing Marcel put the visitors in front on eleven minutes but they failed to hold out for the win after Brum was dismissed in the 85th minute, and Silas equalised for Marítimo a minute from time.

Beira-Mar hit basement
Nevertheless that point for Académica took them off the bottom of the table after SC Beira-Mar were defeated 5-1 at UD Leiria. Leiria’s goals came through João Paulo, Krap, Caíco and two from Fábio Felício, while Beto scored for the new bottom side. Elsewhere, Rio Ave FC overcame strugglers Moreirense FC 1-0, thanks to Gaúcho’s strike, while on Friday Vitória SC won 3-1 at Gil Vicente FC.