Portugal round-up: Simão saves Benfica blushes
Monday, February 3, 2003
Article summary
SL Benfica lost more ground on the Super Liga leaders FC Porto as they were held to a 1-1 draw.
Article body
Simão the saviour
Having seen Porto extend their advantage at the top of the Super Liga to 14 points on Sunday, Benfica wanted more than the point yielded by Simão's equaliser at the Estádio Da Luz. It could have been worse for the Lisbon club, however, who had fallen behind to a 56th-minute goal from Agostinho before the Portuguese international's leveller eleven minutes from the end.
Porto prevail
Porto, by contrast, were emphatic 5-3 winners at Gil Vicente FC. The Antas club had recovered from the setback of Nandinho's early strike to take a 3-1 interval lead through Hélder Postiga and Costinha with two goals on the stroke of half-time. After Ribeiro Maniche added a fourth for the visitors, Gil Vicente threatened a comeback with goals from Gaspar and Manoel before Edgaras Jankauskas sealed the victory with Porto's fifth in the 86th minute.
Super Mário
Elsewhere, defending champions Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated FC Paços de Ferreira 4-0 courtesy of Mario Jardel's hat-trick and a Ricardo Fernandes effort at the José Alvalade stadium. Sporting lie four points behind neighbours Benfica in third place. Lisbon's third team, CF Os Belenenses, drew 1-1 at home against bottom club CD Santa Clara.
Own goal for Guimarães
Vitória Guimarães consolidated fifth position with a 1-0 home success against Vitória Setúbal secured by a Hugo Alcántara own goal, while UD Leiria's 2-2 away draw at SC Beira-Mar helped keep them sixth in the table. Boavista FC's 4-1 home win against Associação Académica de Coimbra left the visitors in relegation trouble. CD Nacional inflicted a 3-2 home defeat on CS Marítimo, while SC Braga edged past Varzim SC 1-0.
