Liga Sagres wrap: Benfica close gap at the top

Benfica smashed Rio Ave 5-2 on Saturday to cut Porto’s lead at the top of the Liga Sagres to just five points.

Javier Saviola and Eduardo Salvio both scored doubles at the Estadio da Luz as the defending champions romped to victory, although they did have defender Fabio Coentrao sent off for committing a second bookable offence late in the game.

Pablo Aimar opened the scoring for the hosts after just five minutes before Saviola doubled the lead three minutes later.

Joao Tomas managed to pull one back for Rio Ave two minutes before half-time, as the visitors searched for a result to move them further away from the relegation zone.

But instead it was the hosts who responded after the break, with Saviola scoring his second and Salvio nailing his first to put Benfica 4-1 up.

Tomas scored again in the 71st minute, this time from the penalty spot, to give Rio a slim chance, but their hopes were dashed two minutes later when Salvio added a fifth for Benfica.

Coentrao picked up two yellow cards in the final 20 minutes, but his dismissal on 89 minutes did little to change the outcome of the match.

The win was Benfica’s fourth in a row and moves them to within five points of league-leaders Porto, who travel to Pacos de Ferreira on Sunday.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Wilson Eduardo scored two goals in the last five minutes to give Beira Mar a come-from-behind victory against nine-man Vitoria Guimaraes.

Leandro Tatu had put Beira Mar ahead after 17 minutes, but two goals in two minutes from Edgar Silva and Bruno Pereirinha gave the visitors the advantage.

However, disaster struck for Guimaraes when Brazilian defender Edson was sent off in the 82nd minute.

It took Beira Mar just three minutes to capitalise on their numerical advantage, with Eduardo equalising on 85 minutes before putting the hosts ahead in the last minute of regular time.

Guimaraes’ frustration got the better of them as Joao Alves was sent off in injury time, reducing the visitors to nine men and dashing any hopes of a comeback.

Beira Mar move up to eighth on the table with the victory, while Guimaraes slip behind Sporting Lisbon to fourth.