PortuGOAL

FC Porto put on a show as Benfica leave it late versus Estoril

With the Primeira Liga title race now dangerously close to boiling point, all eyes were on what Benfica and FC Porto could do in their respective games, post-Clássico, as Sporting laid in wait of a slip-up from the top two at home to Boavista.

Benfica moved first to claim a victory versus Estoril away from home, although it required 92nd-minute heroics from Eduardo Salvio to get over the line, with third-placed Sporting tucking Boavista away with a 1-0 win on Sunday night.

The majority of the goals were reserved for the Estádio do Dragão, where Porto were able to stick five past Vitória de Setúbal in a 5-1 win and maintain a two-point advantage over second place. PortuGOAL brings you up to speed with this weekend's top action.

Sporting going to Jamor after shootout victory over Porto

Sporting 1-0 Porto

Sporting booked their place in the Taça de Portugal final with a penalty shootout victory at the Estádio José Alvalade. The Lions overturned the one-goal advantage Porto held through the first leg with a late goal from Sebastián Coates.

Iván Marcano missed his spotkick and it fell to substitute Fredy Montero in the end to score the winning penalty to send Sporting to the Estádio Nacional to try and complete a domestic cup double against surprise finalists Aves.

Match report and video highlights

Chris — Congrats to Sporting. A good back and forth game. Marcano really screwed the pooch, but credit to Sporting for playing well. Should be a good final with Aves at the Jamor....

Ricardo Pereira stakes his claim for a World Cup spot

We’re really getting down to the sharp end of the 2017/18 Liga NOS season now and Week 30 saw a clash of the titans, Porto returning to the top of the table in stunning fashion away at defending champions Benfica thanks to Héctor Herrera’s superb late goal.

The skipper rightly claimed most of the plaudits in the Clássico victory but one player who played just as important a role has been perhaps Porto’s most consistent player throughout the campaign: Ricardo Pereira.

The right-back has barely put a foot wrong in 2017/18, was effective in defence and effervescent in attack in Sunday’s crunch match, staking a real claim to join Fernando Santos’ Portugal squad in Russia this summer. Ricardo is PortuGOAL’s Figure of the Week.

johnieooooo — Of course he makes it....no doubt.....Id be surprised if he doesnt start. I would bring Ricardo, Semedo & Cedric. Would only bring Raphael Guerreiro at LB. Id start Ricardo at RB, but shift him to LB if needed to cover for Guerreiro, then bring on one of semedo or cedric. Joao Cancelo doesn't ma......

George — Joao Cancelo's maxed out his opportunities to play for Portugal as far as I'm concerned. He's by far the worst of the 4 options frequently bandied about. I was one of those people constantly criticizing Eliseu on here - and, I believe, for damn good reasons - but, as much as I hated Eliseu at times,......

Val — I don't care who goes as long as Cancelo DOES NOT! Worst back I have seen in a very long time. No brain, cant defend. He is a below average winger playing as a full back. RUA!!!...

FC Porto leave it late to snatch top spot from Benfica

Benfica 0-1 FC Porto

FC Porto have returned to the top of the Primeira Liga table after a late Héctor Herrera goal powered the Dragons past Benfica with a 1-0 victory at the Estádio da Luz, this evening.

The two title contenders looked poised for a share of the spoils before the Mexican's strike from range stole the show in the 90th minute, moving the Dragons back above second-placed Benfica with a two-point lead.

Match report and video highlights

Matthew J McKay — Just my 2 cents. Porto's FB's played exceptionally well-both Pereira and Telles blocked multiple crosses and played great D. Rui V, as usual, made no adjustmments in the second half, while Conceicao had a great game plan and did make adjustments. Porto pressed defensively on both wings and preven......

Nelson Oliveira — Random thoughts: Benfica were clearly superior in first half; Porto seemed to be just holding on. Porto was better in the second, as Benfica could not keep up their manic pace, but the quality in the final third was sorely lacking until the goal. Rui Vitoria's subs were terrible. Why take off Rafa......

Andre/UK — Just a few add-ons from what I took from the match. Some debating going on here about the ref's performance. I don't think it was a penalty at the end with Zivkovic. I've seen those given before, but it would have been a very soft penalty. So I won't complain about that, but the ref definitely got i......

Rony Lopes: “My dream is to play for Portugal in a major tournament”

Exclusive PortuGOAL interview

AS Monaco’s supremely talented playmaker, Rony Lopes, has been widely considered one of the best players in Ligue 1 this season. Lopes’ goal-scoring form, particularly since the turn of the year, has prompted many to call for his inclusion in this summer’s World Cup squad.

The Brazilian-born Portuguese international spoke exclusively to PortuGOAL’s Marino Peixoto about his meteoric rise in Ligue 1 this season, coach Leonardo Jardim, Bernardo Silva, the Liga NOS and Portuguese domestic football, playing for the Seleção, and Portugal’s chances at the World Cup this summer.

Joao Rosario — He is great option for future our national team. But right now is difficult for him. We have more complete players right now in this position he plays in. Quaresma and Bernardo are few that comes to mind. But if a player like Gelson get injured then maybe we can consider take him. You see there we c......

Danny — Patricio, doesn't matter who the second is Semedo, Pepe, Carrico, Guerriero Lopes/Bruma/the Sporting kid, William, Neves, B.Silva Guedes, Ronaldo Reserves: Neto, Cedric, Coentro, Queresma, Ad. Silva, An. Silva, maybe the Benfica CB...

Danny — Carrico needs a call up too....

Benfica's perennial saviour: Mexican striker Raúl Jeménez

The drama of Week 29 in Liga NOS was primarily reserved for off-the-field events as Sporting fell into near complete meltdown with a very public spat between the players and club president Bruno de Carvalho.

They recovered of sorts to ultimately win their game against Paços Ferreira, while Porto also kept up their title challenge with a straightforward win over Aves.

However, champions Benfica remain on top of the league with a 2-1 victory at Vitória Setúbal, albeit far from an easy one relying on a stoppage time penalty to claim the three points. The star man on the day, and PortuGOAL’s Figure of the Week, was two-goal hero Raúl Jiménez.

Benfica leave it late to keep FC Porto from top spot

The recent change of scenery at the top of the Primeira Liga saw Benfica come out at the Estádio do Bonfim at the weekend looking to firm up their bid to secure a fifth straight league title from the lofty heights of first place.

In Jonas' absence, Rui Vitória's men required a late Raúl Jiménez penalty to do so, however, with a 2-1 victory away to Vitória de Setúbal keeping FC Porto a point's distance from the top of the table, following their 2-0 win versus Desportivo das Aves.

Last in action were Sporting, dipped into a very public dispute between players and its club president, Bruno de Carvalho, but the club's key stars still had some energy to level at Paços de Ferreira, who were defeated by a 2-0 scoreline at the Alvalade.

Week 29 round-up with video highlights

Sporting imploding?

Bruno de Carvalho, Sporting Clube de Portugal Despite a spirited performance, Sporting lost 2-0 to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final last night in the Spanish capital. Losing somewhat unluckily to the tournament favourites in the away leg should not be seen as a disaster.

However, what has transpired in less than 24 hours since the final whistle blew at the Wanda Metroplitano has thrown the Lisbon club into complete turmoil.

Sporting’s firebrand president Bruno de Carvalho took to Facebook to vent his frustration shortly after the match, singling out several members of the team for heavy criticism. Today the players responded – also via the social networks – and the upshot is that 18 of the first-team squad have been served immediate suspensions. According to the Portuguese press, the B-team will be used in Sporting’s league game at home to Paços de Ferreira on Sunday.

Snoker — This is a very worrying trend for a team that I love. Soon I might have to find another team...

Ed Gomes — Who new it took complete meltdown from BdC to galvanize this club. When your President is more a fan, which is derived from fanatic, there's going to be problems. Even the most hardened Sporting fans have to see that BdC is not good. He's been poor in the transfer market so I'm curious of how the f......

Neville — Possibly the same type of strategy as Arsenal...

Ronaldo with the world at his feet

Cristiano Ronaldo, as is his wont, took it upon himself to dominate the Champions League headlines this week. The Portugal captain put on a majestic display as Champions League holders Real Madrid swept aside Juventus 3-0 in Turin, scoring what he himself called “the best goal of my career.”

Ronaldo has scored 649 goals in his professional career, he’ll score hundreds more before hanging up his boots, but perhaps none better than the perfectly executed overhead kick against Juventus on Tuesday night.

The Thirteenth Chapter – Fernando Santos & Portugal message of support

Fernando Santos We’ve had an excellent response to the launch of our book on the history of the Seleção entitled The Thirteenth Chapter – from Eusébio to Ronaldo, Portugal’s 50-year journey from football minnows to European Champions.

Ten days are left to purchase the book at the discount price of £14 via our Kickstarter campaign page. The campaign also gives Seleção fans the opportunity to be part of a public letter of support to Fernando Santos and the Seleção.