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Académica dragged themselves out of the relegation zone Monday with a 1-0 win at Vitória de Setúbal in what was a very scrappy affair, with Vitória just edging it in scrappy factor. Académica's goal came through Joeano on 70 minutes, stretching to tap in an N'Doye cross. But the Brazilian appeared to be offside, and initially, it appeared that the linesman had flagged for just that, but then he seemed to change his mind and the goal was allowed. FC Porto missed a prime opportunity to stretch their lead to six points over Benfica at the top of the Liga when they could only draw 0-0 at Rio Ave Sunday. Porto dominated throughout but could not get the goals against a resolute Rio Ave rearguard. Nacional and Sporting Braga both moved to within five points of Porto. Nacional beat Gil Vicente 2-0 in Madeira with goals from André Pinto in the first half, his twelfth of the season, and Ávalos in the second. Meanwhile, Braga pushed neighbours Vitória de Guimarães further into trouble at the bottom with a 1-0 home win, João Tomás heading home a Rossato cross on 52 minutes. Nacional's Madeiran rivals Marítimo also won at home, 3-0 over União de Leiria. In a fifteen minute spell midway through the second half Zé Carlos got two and Kanu got a penalty to knock União's hopes on the head. The result of the day was Belenenses' 5-0 pounding of lanterna vermelha Penafiel, who have just eight points from 20 games and may as well start packing for the trip down to the Liga da Honra. French forward Hassan Ahamada got a hat-trick, the other two goals coming from Rolando and Romeu. Belenenses' Sandro Gaúcho got a red card just before the break, Penafiel's Odair just after. Sporting got the double over Benfica Saturday with an impressive and conclusive 3-1 win at the Luz in front of a crowd of 63,489. Sporting were the better team throughout, despite going behind to a Simão penalty. Another penalty, this time from Sá Pinto, and two goals from Liedson sorted Benfica out. Benfica could drop to six points behind FC Porto if they win at Rio Ave on Sunday. Sporting in turn pulled themselves up to within three points of Benfica. (see match report) Relegation-threatened Naval threw themselves a lifeline with a 2-0 win over Estrela da Amadora, the goals coming from Lito and Fajardo, one in each half. Boavista continued their good run (three straight victories) with a 1-0 win at struggling Paços de Ferreira Friday. Paulo Jorge got the goal on 21 minutes, neatly clipping a Paulo Sousa through ball past Paços 'keeper Peçanha. Five minutes later, left back Areias was sent off leaving Boavista to defend their lead practically for the rest of the game. 27/01/06 There will be 600 police officers on duty in and around the Estádio da Luz Saturday evening for the clássico Benfica v Sporting, considered 'high risk' by the authorities. The 19th jornada finished with a draw Monday, Belenenses clawing back a point at União de Leiria . União had gone in at the break two goals up through César and Touré, but a fighting display in the last 20 minutes, and goals from Sousa and Silas, turned it around for the Lisbon club. There were no games on Sunday due to the presidential elections in Portugal (won by former Prime Minister, the rightist Social Democrat Hanibal Cavaco Silva), but Saturday saw a fullish programme. FC Porto returned to clear top of the Liga, three points ahead of Benfica, with a 1-0 win over Naval. Porto's performance was far from impressive, earning whistles from the crowd at the end. In fact it was only an own goal from Naval captain Fernando on the half hour that gave Porto the advantage. Sporting also struggled at home to Marítimo, but they were less lucky, losing two points in a 1-1 draw. Romagnoli got his first goal for Sporting on just seven minutes, cracking home a lay-off from Liedson. This was cancelled out on 42 minutes by Fahel, an overhead kick from close range after the Sporting defence had failed to clear. On 65 minutes, Sporting 'keeper Ricardo saved a penalty from Souza to at least leave the Lisbon 'giants' with a point. Boavista continued their mini-revival with a 2-1 win at home to Estrela da Amadora. Central defender Ricardo Silva knocked home a loose ball on just two minutes to give Boavista a springboard, but ten minutes into the second half, Santamaria scored from the spot after Cadú had fouled Carreira. Luckily for Boavista, the referee also saw a foul at the other end three minutes later, this time by Anselmo on Cadú, and Zé Manuel made no mistake with the penalty. Vitória de Setúbal earned their first win under new coach Hélio, 2-1 at Paços de Ferreira. Binho and Bruno Ribeiro gave the visitors a two-goal lead going into the break, reduced ten minutes into the second half by Ronny. An early goal from Gaúcho for Rio Ave put Vitória de Guimarães under pressure, relieved somewhat a minute into the second half with a header from Saganowski. But Vitória are struggling to find their rhythm, and the tension is showing: Senegalese striker N'Doye allegedly put a man in hospital after the game when a small group of fans started verbally abusing the players as they entered their hotel. Nacional dropped another two points, missing out yet again on a chance to push to the top of the Liga. This time it was a 0-0 draw at Académica. Benfica drew level with FC Porto (at least provisionally) at the top of the Liga Friday, beating Gil Vicente 3-1 in an Estádio Municipal de Barcelos more than three-quarters full of benfiquistas . It was Gil that went in front, however, Nandinho scoring from the spot on nine minutes against his old club, after Simão had brought down Carlitos, also a former Benfica player. It was the first goal conceded by Benfica in nine games. Just seven minutes later, Benfica were level, Simão netting also from the spot after Marcos António had handled in the area. Geovanni put the champions in front on 33 with a first time strike from the edge of the area after a run down the right and low cross from Nuno Gomes. Ten minutes into the second half, Benfica went two goals in front after an awful mistake by Gil goalkeeper Jorge Baptista, kicking air instead of the ball from a back-pass by Marcos António. And that was that. Sporting Braga drew 0-0 at bottom club Penafiel Thursday. Wender, who had been Braga's hero in the previous two games with three goals, missed a penalty near the end. Boavista notched up their first away win of the season, beating Vitória de Setúbal 2-0 Monday. It was Vitória's second straight defeat, and the stuffing appears to have been knocked out of their strong start to the season. A refreshingly coherent Boavista were on top virtually thoughout and got the points with goals by Zé Manuel on 76 minutes (a well placed drive from the edge of the box after a superb though ball from João Pinto) and Manuel José ten minutes later against his old club. Boavista move into seventh, four points behind Vitória. FC Porto slipped to only their second defeat of the season Sunday, their first away, when they went down 1-2 at useful Estrela da Amadora, notching up their third win in a row. Estrela were all over Porto in the first half and went in at half-time two-up with goals by Maurício from a free kick and Coutinho with a drive that went through Vítor Baía's legs. Porto reorganised in the second half and pushed Estrela back, but they could only manage one goal from all their chances, a neat goal on the hour by Lucho Ganzalez from a chipped through ball by Paulo Assunção. The win moves Estrela up to seventh, while Porto remain top, but their lead is now reduced to just three points. Hot on Porto's heels are Benfica, who beat Académica 3-0 at the Luz with goals by Simão from the spot on four minutes, Luisão with a header on 78 and Nuno Gomes in added time. Académica protested that they should have had a penalty, which if converted would have made it 1-1, when Luisão handled in the box, but the referee saw nothing. Nacional drew 2-2 at home for the second week running, this time against Paços de Ferreira. André Pinto put Nacional in front, his 11th goal of the season. Júnior equalised for Paços from the spot, and from the same place, Alexandre Goulart put Nacional back in front. But five minutes from time, central defender Luíz Carlos won a point for Paços. Nacional's Madeiran neighbours Marítimo also drew at home, 1-1 against Gil Vicente. Gil went ahead on 26 minutes with an own-goal from Nuno Morais, and the home side left it until ten minutes from time to grab a point through Zé Carlos. Naval and Vitória de Guimarães, both in need of points to escape the danger zone at the bottom, could only manage one apiece in a 0-0 draw. Poor old Penafiel went down once again, this time 0-2 at Rio Ave, Evandro and Keita getting one in each half. Sporting Braga moved into second in the Liga with a 1-0 home win over União de Leiria, breaking a three-match winning streak for União. Wender, recently returned from Sporting, scored his third in two games to secure the three points. Lisbon giants Sporting travelled across town to steal all three points at hapless Belenenses. Tonel scrambled the ball in on 28 minutes after Marco Aurélio had failed to clear a Carlos Martins corner. Belenenses missed the chance to equalise on 67 minutes when Hugo Amorim blasted over a penalty. And in the closing minutes, Sporting's Sá Pinto allowed Marco Aurélio to save another penalty. Sporting remain fifth, while Belenenses hover just above the relegation zone. União de Leiria closed the first half of the season with a bang, winning 2-1 at Rio Ave and climbing to seventh, above Boavista. União were two up within a quarter of an hour, Milhazes putting through his own goal and Alhandra. Evandro pulled one back for Rio Ave on 66, but it was not enough. FC Porto reinforced their position at the top of the league Sunday with a comfortable win, albeit by a single goal, over local rivals Boavista. Boavista were a nonentity in the first half and went behind to a Ricardo Quaresma free-kick on 22 minutes, deflected past Carlos by the head of Zé Manuel. Boavista were much improved in the second half but were restricted to a couple of chances that Manuel José could not get past Vítor Baía. In the dying minutes, Boavista captain João Pinto was sent off for a second yellow, both for words to the referee. Benfica were comfortable winners also over Paços de Ferreira, 2-0 at the Luz. Paços were good for the first ten minutes, but an own goal by João Duarte after a cut inside and shot by Nélson on the left was enough to throw their entire game plan out of kilter. Geovanni's near-post effort from a Simão cross for Benfica's second was enough to confirm Benfica's superiority. The game saw the débuts of Moretto in the Benfica goal (he had to make his first serious save on 90 minutes), Laurent Robert and Manduca, the latter two as substitutes. Estrela da Amadora beat Vitória de Guimarães 2-0 at home, leaving the northern club second from bottom. Second-half goals from nippy forwards Manú and Semedo were enough to hoist Estrela away from the relegation zone. In a thrilling match Saturday, Sporting Braga beat Sporting Lisbon 3-2. Wender, returning on loan to Braga after a less than famous spell at Sporting, headed in on 32 minutes to give Braga the lead. João Tomás made it 2-0 on 50 minutes, but then by the 70th minute Liedson had levelled the score with two opportunist goals. It was left to Wender to get the winner on 78 minutes, cocking a snook at the club that had let him go. Braga leapfrog Sporting into third place. Académica travelled to Madeira and came away with a point from their 2-2 draw with Marítimo. Os Estudantes went ahead through Joeano on 15 minutes, but Marítimo turned it around through Rincón on 34 and Marcinho on the stroke of half time. Académica left it until two minutes from time for Hugo Alcântara to get the equaliser. At the bottom, Penafiel 's woes pile up. This time they were trounced 4-1 at Naval. Saulo gave Naval a 1-0 lead going into half time, but in the second half they stepped up a gear and went three up through Fernando and Lito. José Rui pulled one back for Penafiel on 72 minutes before Franco confirmed Naval's superiority on 83. Nacional dropped two points at home to Vitória de Setúbal but still move three points clear of Benfica and three points behind FC Porto at the top. The Croat Franja put Vitória in front on the half hour after Ricardo Fernandes had handled in the area, and it wasn't until the 70th minute that Nacional could get back in the game against the best defence in the Liga: Patacas crossed from the right for André Pinto to direct a header inside the far post. André Pinto got a second just four minutes later to put Nacional in front, shooting from a distance after Binho had lost the ball in midfield. But in the dying minutes, Vitória salvaged a point through the Frenchman Lacombe , who had just come on as sub. A weedy Belenenses lost 0-2 at home to Gil Vicente, Gil looking the more organised and objective team throughout. Despite losing Rodolfo Lima on the stroke of half time, sent off for a foul on Meyong, they pressed forward and got both goals in the second half through Carlitos with a marvellous solo effort on 64 minutes and Bruno Tiago on 81, driving home a loose ball from outside the area. "We were terrible", admitted Belenenses coach José Couceiro. Gil join Belenenses on 20 points, only two away from the relegation zone. 04/01/06 Games in the Liga will be played as from the 18th day with the Teamgeist ball designed for next summer's World Cup. Up until now, the ball used has been the Roteiro , used at Euro 2004.
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