Title-hungry Benfica edge themselves closer to promised land as Sporting and Porto collect home victories

Benfica have moved to  within five victories of claiming the Primeira Liga title after overcoming Rio Ave away from home with a slender 1-0 victory, this Sunday.

The Eagles relied on a sole goal from Gonçalo Ramos to prolong their good form, making it 23 wins out of 26 games in the league.

Benfica’s win comes after Sporting also capitalised on their own positive momentum with a fifth consecutive Primeira Liga victory, defeating Santa Clara 3-0 at Alvalade on Saturday night.

Last in action were FC Porto who were able to copy their rivals and collect a win of their own at home to Portimonense, courtesy of a first-half goal from Fábio Cardoso.

 

Sporting 3-0 Santa Clara

Matchday in the capital saw Sporting look to recommence the league campaign with a much-needed victory, having had their previous good form interrupted by the recent international break.

Rúben Amorim’s men seemed to have no problem kicking the machine back into gear, however, opening proceedings via Paulinho’s header as early as the 14th minute.

Francisco Trincão made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute in a game that threatened to become a bit of a stroll before half-time as both Gonçalo Inácio and Paulinho came dangerously close to finding a third for the Lions.

The honour of doing so fell at Marcus Edwards’ feet in 52nd minute, smashing a shot deep into the net with his weaker foot to conclude a 3-0 victory, applying the pressure on the likes of Sporting de Braga and FC Porto in second and third place.

 

Rio Ave 0-1 Benfica

In a blockbuster event for the locals, the Vilacondenses were tasked with making Benfica wobble off a path to the league title that has, for the most part, been made to look pretty straight-forward by Roger Schmidt’s side.

The Eagles threatened early but it was far from a walk in the park as Rio Ave responded with chances of their own, offering the visitors a scare with a disallowed André Pereira goal on the half-hour mark.

Gonçalo Ramos helped Benfica on with an opening goal arriving just a minute after the restart as he blasted a João Mário cut-back in from close range with his second bite of the cherry.

The panic remained hot on Benfica’s heels as Emmanuel Boateng came agonisingly close to directing a header on goal from close range in the 73rd minute, but luckily for the table-toppers, there’d be little else to weather in a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

 

FC Porto 1-0 Portimonense

Live from the Estádio do Dragão on Sunday night, Porto commenced their preparation for next week’s tasty Clássico versus Benfica with a home affair against Portimonense, themselves hoping to make an impression.

The visitors started brightly but the habitual passage of play soon found itself controlled by Sérgio Conceição’s men, threatening via Toni Martinez throughout the early exchanges. As the striker probed for the first goal, the opener came instead from the unlikely source that is Fábio Cardoso, nodding the ball in after 30 minutes of first-half football.

Porto sought comfort in the second period and thought that had been secured after Galeno finished his chance one-on-one with the goalkeeper in the 56th minute, only for the VAR to pick up a foul on Mohamed Diaby, committed by Martinez in the build-up.

A second yellow card for Lucas Ventura helped matters, however, as the current title-holders saw out the final 17 minutes versus Portimonense with a numerical advantage to claim a 1-0 victory.

By Patrick Ribeiro

Matchday 26

Estoril 1-0 Gil Vicente

Vizela 3-1 Casa Pia

Vitória 0-0 P. Ferreira

Sporting 3-0 Santa Clara

Chaves 1-2 Sp. Braga

Marítimo 4-2 Boavista

Rio Ave 0-1 Benfica

FC Porto 1-0 Portimonense

 

Monday 3rd April

Famalicão vs. Arouca