Belenenses 1-2 Naval
Benfica 2-1 Leixoes
Braga 1-0 Guimaraes
FC Porto 0-0 Sporting CP
Maritimo 5-1 Setubal
Nacional 3-1 Academica
Pacos 2-0 Rio Ave
Trofense 1-0 Amadora
Frustration for both sides in a rather cagey encounter at the Dragao, a game of few chances between leaders FC Porto and third-placed Sporting. Paolo Bento’s men have had a difficult week, going from the euphoria of overcoming Benfica last weekend to their 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich while Porto gave themselves a great chance of qualifying after scoring two goals at the Calderon. Pereirinha cleared a Rodriguez header off the line and Liedson hit the woodwork, but neither goalkeeper was called to make a difficult save during match that was intense but short on excitement. Worse news was to follow for Bento, who will be without left-back Leandro Grimi for the rest of the season and Fabio Rochemback for three weeks.
Benfica capitalized on this stalemate by closing the gap on Porto to 2 points, but they were made to sweat for it by the season’s surprise package, Leixoes. The visitors to the Estadio da Luz were left all shook up early on after defender Elvis turned an innocuous-looking Jose Antonio Reyes cross past his own keeper. Nuno Gomes, the forgotten man of Portuguese football, doubled Benfica’s lead before Rodrigo Silva’s reply for the visitors ensured a tense finale as the hosts had to play the last quarter with 10 men because of an injury after all three substitutions.
Nacional pounced on Leixoes’s defeat to move above the Matosinhos club on goal difference into fourth place. Os Alvinegros are in red-hot form, particularly their Brazilian striker Nene who is in pole position for the top scorers crown with 15 goals – six ahead of his nearest challenger, Maritimo’s young Senegalese striker Baba Diawara. After going behind courtesy of Lito, Nacional scored three unanswered goals through Nene and then two through Angolan star Mateus to wrap up an entertaining game in Funchal.
On Monday, Braga kept their European ambitions alive with a narrow 1-0 win over arch rivals Guimaraes that means Braga also join Nacional and Leixoes on 35 points. A characteristically fierce affair between the two Minho sides was settled early on in favour of Jorge Jesus’s men through a Paolo Cesar finish.
Carlos Carvalhal made a dazzling debut with Maritimo as the former Braga and Leixoes coach inspired his team to a 5-1 win at the Barreiros against Vitoria Setubal. Baba Diawara helped himself to a hat-trick against the dismal visitors, who are now in a three way tie for last place in the table with Belenenses and Rio Ave.
Speaking of Belenenses, it has been a rotten 2009 for them so far, without a win on home turf since December and sliding to a 2-1 defeat to Naval here. The visitors had picked up just one point from the last 12 available but such is the rut enveloping O Belém that they came away with a priceless victory, courtesy of goals from rebounds for both Frenchman Nicolas Godemeche and Brazilian Gilmar. Rio Ave lost 2-0 to Pacos de Ferreira to give Paulo Sergio’s men some much needed breathing space and Estrela Amadora, who are on a good run of form having lost just one in 8, could only draw with Trofense.
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