The Liga NOS title race took a slight deviation in Jornada 9 of 2020/21 as division leaders Sporting suffered a slight blip at Famalicão to allow city rivals Benfica to close the gap at the top to 2 points as Jorge Jesus’ team left it late to overcome in-form Paços Ferreira.

Braga’s terrific run of form came to a close with a shock loss to Belenenses SAD, while Farense bounced back from midweek Taça de Portugal disappointment to triumph against beleaguered Maritimo.

Another side profiting from Sporting’s draw was Porto as they nervously defeated Tondela at Estádio do Dragão. PortuGOAL Figure of the Week Moussa Marega returned to form to boost his team’s title defence hopes.

• Benfica
• Tondela
• Primeira Liga,
• Sporting,
• FC Porto,
• Sporting de Braga,
• Belenenses
• Pacos de Ferreira
• FC Famalicao
• Gian-Luca Waldschmidt
• Pedro Goncalves

Benfica have moved within touching distance of first-placed Sporting after a late Gian-Luca Waldschmidt goal secured a hard-earned 2-1 victory at home to Paços Ferreira, this Sunday.

The Lions succumbed to their second draw of the season in a tempestuous 2-2 affair with Famalicão, marked by Sebastian Coates’ controversially-disallowed goal in the final moments of the game.

Sporting’s draw meant that Benfica could halve the initial four-point-gap with a victory against Paços, secured in stoppage time by Waldschmidt. FC Porto also received the 2-2 draw with grace, producing a seven-goal-thriller at home to Tondela with a 4-3 win, headlined by a Moussa Marega brace.

Sporting de Braga, however, would be less fortunate, losing 2-1 away to Belenenses and falling five points behind the leaders of the pack. PortuGOAL has more from Matchday 9.

Portugal’s two representatives in the Europa League group phase booked their place in the next phase of the competition in convincing fashion tonight.

In Greece, a Galeno-inspired Braga beat AEK Athens 4-2, while in Lisbon Benfica thrashed Lech Poznan 4-0. Both Portuguese teams secure second place in their respective group with an outside chance of snatching top spot on the final matchday. 

FC Porto 0-0 Manchester City

It was far from a classic, but Porto booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League after winning a hard-fought point in a goalless draw at home to Manchester City.

The Dragons equal a club record of four consecutive Champions League matches without conceding a goal, and the 10 points accumulated from 5 matches guarantees a second-place finish in Group C with one game to spare.