The penultimate round of Liga NOS 2018/19 saw Benfica edge ever closer to regaining the league title from Porto, while contrasting results for Chaves and Tondela leaves the pair’s final day relegation showdown extremely finely poised.

Like last week, the goals flowed up and down the country and one particular contributor was Vitória Guimarães, hammering Belenenses 5-1 to ensure Europa League qualification for next season. PortuGOAL’s Figure of the Week Davidson was in particularly terrific form in Sunday’s stroll in the sunshine.

• Benfica
• Primeira Liga,
• Liga NOS,
• Sporting,
• FC Porto,
• Sporting de Braga,

The conclusion of the Primeira Liga title race will be taken into the final day of the season after wins for FC Porto and Benfica left the latter needing just a point against Santa Clara to clinch the championship.

Sérgio Conceição’s men were on hand to relegate Nacional in the Madeirans' final home game of the season, winning 4-0 at the Choupana prior to the Eagles’ trip to Vila do Conde on Sunday night.

Benfica rose to the occasion by putting three goals past Rio Ave in a hard-fought 3-2 win, keeping them two points ahead of Porto ahead of the final game of the season.

Elsewhere, ten-man Sporting were forced to settle for third place after drawing 1-1 at home to Tondela, meanwhile Sporting de Braga prolonged their sorry close to a promising campaign after a heavy 4-2 defeat away to Boavista. PortuGOAL has more from the penultimate week of the 2018/19 league season.

The conclusion of Week 32 in Liga NOS means just two more rounds remain before the 2018/19 reaches its climax. There is plenty left to decide but Marítimo, Boavista, Aves and Portimonense were all among teams to have officially avoided the dreaded drop to the second tier after results went their way.

Benfica kept their heads to inch ever closer to winning the league title, already relegated Feirense played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Chaves, while Sporting annihilated Belenenses in a Lisbon derby.

Another team to add the aforementioned list of safe teams though was Santa Clara, who guaranteed their top flight permanence in their first season back in Primeira Liga since 2002/03. One of their star performers all season long was again to thank in victory over Tondela, midfielder Osama Rashid is PortuGOAL’s Figure of the Week.

• Benfica
• Primeira Liga,
• Liga NOS,
• Sporting de Braga,
• Bruno Fernandes

A Bruno Fernandes hat-trick, making the Portuguese playmaker the highest-scoring midfielder in history on 31 goals, powered Sporting to an eye-popping 8-1 victory over Belenenses, this Sunday, as the third-placed Lions confirmed their spot on the Primeira Liga podium for yet another season.

Marcel Keizer's men responded to big wins around them in the league table, starting with Benfica's 5-1 triumph over Portimonense at the Estádio da Luz that left the Eagles needing just four points to clinch the Liga title, as the Portuguese footballing season nears its conclusion.

FC Porto reciprocated with a 4-0 victory at home to Desportivo das Aves on Saturday night, meanwhile Sporting de Braga renewed their poor form with an away loss to Marítimo, 1-0, and surrender in the race for third place. PortuGOAL has more from the crux of the Primeira Liga campaign.