Liga Sagres wrap: Porto, Benfica post wins

6 May 2012 04:49

Porto celebrated their Portuguese Liga title with a win over nine-man Sporting Lisbon, with Benfica also victorious on Saturday.

Porto already had the title sewn up heading into their final home game of the season against Sporting Lisbon, but that did not stop the champions running out 2-0 winners at the Estadio do Dragao.

Porto received their winners' medals prior to kick off and the newly-crowned champions proved worthy of the title.

All the action came in a dramatic second half which delivered three red cards and two goals.

USA defender Oguchi Onyewu was the first to be dismissed for Sporting after a second bookable offence in the 67th minute before Brazilian Anderson was the next to go for the visitors.

He conceded a penalty in the 82nd minute and his countryman Hulk successfully converted from the spot to see Porto go 1-0 up.

The striker got another seven minutes later to seal the result.

The hosts had Francisco Fernando sent off in the 90th minute, although it didn't spoil the party as Porto celebrated their 22nd win of a successful campaign.

Benfica, meanwhile, secured second position on the table through a 1-0 win over last-placed Uniao Leiria.

Bruno Cesar scored the game's only goal in the 21st minute, his effort helping Benfica secure Portugal's second automatic Champions League berth.

Benfica's win meant Braga had to settle for third, despite a 1-0 win over Beira Mar (12th) courtesy of Custodio Dias de Castro's 55th-minute goal.

Maritimo (fifth) and Olhanense (eighth) played out a goalless stalemate as Guimaraes (sixth) came from behind to convincingly beat 15th-placed Feirense 3-1 through two late goals from Jonathan Urretavizcaya and El Arbi Hillel Soudani.

Nacional (seventh) also came from behind to defeat Gil Vicente 3-1, while Joao Pataco Tomas scored the second of his two goals in added time to help Rio Ave (13th) inch further clear of the drop zone through a 2-2 draw with 10th-placed Pacos de Ferreira.