Liga Sagres wrap: Porto go undefeated, Benfica held

Porto’s 2-0 win at Maritimo on Saturday ensured the champions were the first side to go through a Liga Sagres season undefeated in 33 years.

With the league already wrapped up, the focus of Andre Villas-Boas’ side is firmly on the finals of the Europa League (against Sporting Braga on May 18) and the Taca de Portugal (against Vitoria Guimaraes on May 22) as they look to complete a historic treble.

But the champions still managed to do enough to win at the Estadio dos Barreiros, despite the likes of key strikers Hulk and Radamel Falcao not featuring in the match.

Winger Silvestre Varela opened the scoring for the visitors after 21 minutes and the win was as good as sealed when fringe striker Walter scored his seventh goal for the season shortly after, allowing Porto to stitch up the season with yet another victory.

Elsewhere, Benfica threw away a two-goal lead as Uniao de Leiria claimed a 3-3 draw away from home.

Paraguay forward Oscar Cardozo scored a 41st-minute opener for the hosts but Joao Silva’s goal on the stroke of half-time levelled proceedings.

Two goals within six minutes from Javi Garcia and Franco Jara should have ensured Benfica ended the season on a high note, but Leandro Lima’s 75th-minute strike gave the visitors a lifeline – one which they snatched up when on-loan Everton striker Silva snared his double with just a minute to play.

Sporting Lisbon will finish the season in third after they climbed ahead of Sporting Braga with a 1-0 away victory.

Braga boss Domingos Paciencia will leave the club at the end of the season and has been linked with the job at Sporting, and saw his current side slump to defeat courtesy of Yannick Djalo’s fifth-minute goal.

In other matches, an amazing five-goal burst in 22 minutes handed Pacos De Ferreira a 5-1 home win against Academica.

Venezuela striker Mario Rondon (twice) Ozeia, Pizzi and an own-goal from Academica Pedrinho all contributed to a hot streak that started in the 21st minute and ended two minutes before half-time.

Eder grabbed a second-half consolation for the visitors.

Vitoria Guimaraes won 3-0 at relegated Naval 1 de Maio thanks to a Jorge Ribeiro double, while fellow top-six club Nacional also won on the road, 2-0 at Beira Mar.

Second-half goals to striker Claudio Pitbull and Michel gave Vitoria Setubal a 3-1 come-from-behind win against Portimonense, while Dady’s 80th-minute leveller ensured Olhanense claimed a point in a 2-2 draw with Rio Ave.