Benfica took a step towards the Champions League last 16 with an away victory in Monaco thanks to a superbly taken second-half goal from in-form Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis.

Bruno Lage and his team will be pleased with the win but may feel they could have put the tie to bed after Monaco’s former Braga midfielder Al-Musrati was sent off early in the second half and Benfica missed chances to amplify their lead.

Nevertheless, the Eagles will be confident of finishing the job in Lisbon next week, especially considering Monaco will have three first-teamers suspended for the return leg. José Ricardo Leite reports. 

Sporting Clube de Portugal’s UEFA Champions League campaign looks likely to end in the knockout round play-offs after a 3-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg.

The Lions dominated the majority of the first half at Estádio José Alvalade and went desperately close in the 15th minute when Maxi Araújo slammed his shot against the bar.

Dortmund ended the first half strong and maintained the momentum after the break, deservedly taking the lead in the 60th minute when Julian Brandt’s cross was headed home by Serhou Guirassy.

The German club doubled their advantage eight minutes later, Guirassy turning provider for Pascal Groß who beat Silva from close range.

The rout was complete in the 82nd minute when Dortmund completed a counter attack, Karim Adeyemi breaking clear and playing a 1-2 with Brandt before firing into the net.

The season is prematurely over for Benfica players Alexander Bah and Manu Silva. In an incredibly cruel stroke of bad luck, the most dreaded injury in football struck to take down Danish right-back Bah and new holding midfielder Manu within three minutes of each other in the first half of Saturday’s victory over Moreirense.

With both players stretchered off it looked bad straight away, and the worst fears were confirmed on Sunday. Both players had suffered anterior cruciate ligament tears affecting their left knee. They will undergo operations before beginning their recuperation. The normal recovery time for ACL tears is 8-9 months. 

Five in a row! A 2-1 victory for Estoril over Boavista today made it five consecutive victories in the Primeira Liga, which is the club’s best winning run in the top flight for over 75 years.

Moroccan forward Yanis Begraoui scored a goal in each half, and despite Róbert Bozenik pulling one back for the visitors the three points were fully merited for the Canarinhos.

Estoril remain eighth in the standings but are now level on points with Casa Pia and Vitória immediately above them in the table. Tom Kundert reports from the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota.