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FC Porto go into the new year clear at the top of the SuperLiga after they drew 1-1 at Marítimo Wednesday in a game pending from the 14th jornada. Brazilian striker Pena scored against his old side to put the Madeirans in front on 11 minutes, stabbing home a loose ball from close range after Baía had fumbled a low cross. On the half hour the teams were level, Bosingwa heading a Diego cross back across the face of the goal for Luís Fabiano to tuck home, although the Brazilian striker looked offside. Sporting have brought their fifth round Taça de Portugal tie against Pampilhosa of the Segunda B forward from the12th to the 4th of January. This will effectively wipe out star striker Liedson's suspension for accumulation of yellow cards, meaning that he can face Benfica in the vital SuperLiga derby on the 9th. Sporting joined FC Porto and Benfica on 28 points at the top of the SuperLiga Monday with an ultimately fair, but on the way controversial, 4-2 win at Vitória de Guimarães. The first point of controversy started before a ball was kicked: Vitória were going to play Elpídeo Silva, loaned to them for a season from ... Sporting. While there are gentleman's agreements on this issue, meaning that Silva couldn't play, the Portuguese Football Federation has invalidated any such condition, and any loaned -out player should now be allowed to play against his 'team'. Silva grabbed this chance and scored two on the night. The first, on nine minutes, was from a through ball that actually caught him offside, but the linesman didn't see it, and the second, on 69, saw him deftly back-flicking a ball over the head of Ricardo from close range. In the meantime, Beto equalised for Sporting at 1-1 on the half-hour with what appeared to be a foul on the 'keeper Miguel, forcing him to drop the ball over the line. Then Liedson put Sporting in front just before the break with a neat flick, but not before he had seen a yellow card in a previous incident, meaning that his tally was now 5 for the season and that he would miss the next game against ... Benfica! Carlos Martins cracked in a drive that Miguel could ony turn over his own line ten minutes into the second half, then came Silva's second to reduce the gap, but it was Carlos Martins who put the game beyond Vitória's reach with a strong run on the counter-attack and a crisp shot beyond Miguel's right hand ten minutes from time. Vitória de Setúbal threw away two points at home to União de Leiria Sunday, but União had a bit of help from the ref on the way. Top scorer Jorginho, coveted by several big clubs, put Vitória in front on 57 minutes, sweeping in a cross from the left. Ten minutes later, Bruno Moraes, who insisted on taking the kick when Jorginho was the one designated, allowed the brilliant Brazilian ´keeper Helton to save twice from the spot, the kick being re-taken because he had moved off his line the first time. Then on 83 minutes, the most controversial moment of the game: Vitória 'keeper Marco Tábuas was out to the left of the goal collecting the ball after a free-kick had been awarded to União on the touchline near the half-way line. The referee allowed the kick to be taken quickly with another ball, meaning there were two balls on the pitch. Tábuas realised what was happening and tried to scramble back, but it was too late; Caíco lofted a massive shot from a good thirty metres out that sailed into the top corner of the net, and União had snatched a point. After a tremendous performance last week to beat Benfica 4-1, Belenenses crashed to earth in Madeira, going down 0-2 to Nacional. The game had a certain symmetry about it: Miguel Fidalgo got his second of the season after eight minutes to give Nacional the lead, and Adriano got his second eight minutes from time to clinch the points. Rio Ave notched up their ninth (!) draw of the season, 1-1 at Marítimo. Bino put the Madeiran side in front on the half hour, but Niquinha levelled ten minutes from time. Struggling Académica couldn't get the three points they desperately need against a Beira-Mar disrupted by the exit of another coach (Manuel Cajuda). They did take the lead through Luciano on 35 minutes, but Kingsley stole a point for the visitors on the hour. Revérsio and Nandinho got the goals in the last ten minutes to give Gil Vicente a 2-0 win and the points over Estoril. Benfica joined FC Porto at the top of the SuperLiga Saturday after a 1-0 win at home to lowly Penafiel. In the first half, Benfica put together some of the best football seen at the Luz for some time, but once they got their goal, an Argel header from a Petit free-kick on 22 minutes, they sat back and played more on the break, which didn't much please the 30,000 watching. Benfica overtook Boavista, who took a 3-0 tumble at Sporting Braga thanks mainly to a terrible first quarter of an hour in which Luís Loureiro, on two minutes, had time to pick his spot with a loose ball on the edge of the area, and Tiago, on 12, passed back to Carlos ... who wasn't there, the ball trundling in off a post. To their credit, Boavista kept their game together, but their lack of firepower up front was more than obvious, despite good efforts from Cafú, past the post, and Zé Manuel, saved well by Paulo Santos. The game was up ten minutes from time when sub Paulo Sérgio made the line on the right after a series of one-two's and crossed well for another sub, Baha, to score his first of the season. Benfica and Porto both have 28 points, but Porto have a game in hand. Boavista are provisionally third with 27, and Braga jump to fourth with 26. FC Porto came back to mundane SuperLiga earth Friday after their triumph in Japan, and the World Club Champions had as much trouble with lowly Moreirense, or possibly more, than they had with South American Champions Once Caldas last weekend. Moreirense gave as good as they got in midfield, where Porto looked very tired (Maniche, Man of the Match in Yokohama, dragged his exhausted body off the field late in the second half), but they had no fire power up front, and whereas Porto also found it difficult to create clear chances, the one they had they took: on 25 minutes, Luís Fabiano took the ball to the line to the right of goal and crossed low for Maniche to slide in at the back post and score. Porto go top temporarily, ahead of Boavista, who play at Sporting Braga Saturday. But Porto will still have a game in hand, versus Marítimo, to be played on 22 December. Benfica came a cropper at Belenenses Sunday, leaving with their tail between their legs on the wrong end of a 1-4 defeat. A deadly ten-minute burst of attacking football in an excellent first half for Belenenses saw them three-up at half time through Antchouet, Lourenço (a penalty) and José Pedro. José Pedro added another in the second half, a fierce drive from the edge of the box, and Benfica's only response was a late consolation from Tomo Sokota. Benfica, without central defenders Luisão and Ricardo Rocha, struggled to keep a lively Belenenses at bay, although they had more play in the second half. But once again they failed to take top spot in the SuperLiga when they had the chance. That place goes to Boavista , who beat Académica 1-0 at home Friday, leaving it until the dying minutes to break the deadlock through central defender Éder. Sporting in turn had a chance to jump to first Saturday but came up against a brick wall in the form of a solid Sporting Braga. The Lions could justly complain about a bad decision that saw a perfectly good goal by Hugo Viana ruled out for offside. It ended 0-0. Also on Saturday, Rio Ave confirmed their irregular season with a 1-0 win over high-flying Vitória de Setúbal, captain Gama getting the only goal. Back to Sunday, and Vitória de Guimarães continue on a mini-revival, beating Penafiel 3-1 away. Romeu got two first-half goals to send Vítoria on their way, Luís Mário extended their lead in the second half and Edgar Marcelino pegged one back for Penafiel. Estoril beat co-strugglers Nacional of Madeira at home, Arrieta just before the break and Fellahi just before the end the scorers. Nacional are a shadow of the side that qualified for Europe last season. After the Lord Mayor's show ... Beira-Mar followed up a triumphant victory at FC Porto last weekend with a 1-3 defeat at home to Moreirense. Lito put Moreirense in front, Tanque Silva equalised for the home side but Fernando restored the lead on the stroke of half time. Armando put the game beyond Beira-Mar twenty minutes from time. Gil Vicente got a good point at improving União de Leiria. They went in front on 25 minutes through Luís Coentrão, but Bruno Tiago put through his own goal to give União a point. After fourteen jornadas, Boavista are top on 27 points, followed by FC Porto, Benfica and Sporting, all on 25, although Porto have a game in hand. Vitória de Setúbal are fifth and sixth on 23. At the bottom, Académica take over from Moreirense as 'red lantern' on 11, a point behind Nacional and Moreirense. Benfica were fortunate Monday to snatch all three points at home to a plucky but ultimately ineffectual Estoril. It was Estoril who went in front after just four minutes, Fellahi flicking a ball square for João Paulo to tap into the empty net. Then Benfica's perennial saviour Simão was at it again, first with a low drive from the edge of the box on 33 minutes that went in off the post, and then with a penalty just before half time for a non-existent foul on Karadas; the Norwegian blatantly dived but fooled the referee. Between Benfica's first and second goal, Manuel Fernandes was sent off for kicking out at Paulo Sousa, and the numerical inferiority conditioned their play for the last hour of the match, playing on the back foot most of the time, much to the displeasure of the scant crowd. The unconvincing win puts Benfica up level with FC Porto on 25 points. Estoril find themsleves in the relegation zone. In one of the closest championships for many seasons, there are now just five points separating the top eight sides, with Benfica still to play Monday (home to Estoril) and with a chance to join FC Porto at the top. Boavista and Sporting Braga both has the chance to topple Porto from the top spot Sunday but both failed. Boavista stay second, along with Sporting, a point behind Porto. The Panthers travelled to Moreira dos Conegos to face the local side. It was all square until ten minutes from time when João Pinto (later sent off) put Boavista in front, but the very next minute, Manoel gave Moreirense a point, but they remain bottom. Sporting Braga looked to have an easy task at home to Penafiel, but the visitors are improving and Clayton gave them all three points on the hour. Sporting are right back in contention after an eventful game in Coimbra. Sporting were two up at half time through who else but Liedson, whose two goals make his tally 12. But as has happened more than once this season, Sporting took their foot off the gas and Académica drew level in the second half through Adriano and Luciano, but their cause was weakend with the expulsion of Faísca on the hour, and Sporting capitalised on their numerical superiority to steal the points through Rogério a quarter of an hour from the end. Sporting's Tinga was sent off in the dying minutes. Vitória de Setúbal joined the pelotão at the top with a just 2-0 win against an uncharacteristically pallid Marítimo, who had Leo Lima sent off on 70 minutes. Eusébio put through his own goal after a quarter of an hour, and central defender Hugo Alcântara headed in a free-kick within five minutes of the second half whistle. Gil Vicente dragged themselves out of the relegation zone with an excellent 3-1 win over irregular Rio Ave. Braima put Gil in front on the half hour, Evandro equalised early in the second half but then Júlio César on 48 minutes and Tonanha on the stroke of time finished Rio Ave off. On Saturday, a single goal by midfielder Nuno Assis gave Vitória de Guimarães all three points against Belenenses. The two teams swap places in mid-table. União de Leiria continue to recover after a shaky start and are back in the leading group after a 3-0 win at Nacional, who now find themselves near the relegation zone. Not for the first time, Helton in the União goal kept them in the game in the first half, and then it was Edson who broke the back of Nacional´s resolve with two goals late in the second half, his second a free-kick from a good thirty metres. Krpan made it three in added time. FC Porto suffered their second SuperLiga defeat of the season, their first at home, 0-1 to Beira-Mar, but it was ironically Beira-Mar's first win under coach Manuel Cajuda. A free-kick on 38 minutes by Beto, later sent off for a dubious second yellow, proved decisive for the team from Aveiro. From then on it was merely a question of holding the fort, and with the excellent Paulo Sérgio in goal, saving the day on more than one occasion, and a less than focussed Porto side, it proved possible for the black-and-ambers. Porto can now be passed at the top by Boavista, who visit Moreirense on Sunday. Beira-Mar in turn leap out of the relegation zone.
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