(GSM) - FC Porto did arch rivals Benfica an enormous favor by crushing title contenders Sporting Braga 5-1 on Sunday's league action.
Season revelations Braga needed a win to surpass Benfica at the top of the table but things did not go quite as expected for the visiting side.
Raul Meireles put defending champions Porto ahead on 16th minutes and Alvaro Pereira made it 2-0 in the 35th.
A minute later, it was Colombian Radamel Falcao to add a third and the forward went on to make it 4-0 in the 72nd minute. Fernando Belluschi finished it off with a fifth goal in the 83rd.
Alan got a consolation goal for Braga in the dying minutes but it made little difference to the visitors.
Benfica remain on top of the league, one point ahead of Braga and six points ahead of Porto.
|
Raul Meireles 16'
|
1 - 0 |
|
|
Á. Pereira 35'
|
2 - 0 |
|
|
R. Falcao 36'
|
3 - 0 |
|
|
R. Falcao 72'
|
4 - 0 |
|
|
F. Belluschi 83'
|
5 - 0 |
|
5 - 1 |
90' Alan
|
| Player | Bookings |
|---|---|
| Helton | |
| Bruno Alves | |
| J. Fucile |
 53'
|
| Rolando | |
| Á. Pereira |
 35'
|
| M. González | |
| Raul Meireles |
16'
39'
|
Fernando
|
|
|
Rúben Micael
|
|
|
Silvestre Varela
|
|
| R. Falcao |
36'
72'
|
| Coach: Jesualdo Ferreira | |
| Player | Bookings |
|---|---|
| Eduardo | |
| Evaldo | |
| Paulão |
54'
|
| Moisés Moura | |
|
Hugo Viana
|
|
|
Marcio Mossoró
|
8'
|
|
Olberdam
|
|
| Filipe Oliveira |
58'
|
| L. Aguiar | |
| Alan |
90'
|
| Paulo César |
53'
|
| Coach: Domingos Paciência | |
| Player | Bookings |
|---|---|
|
for Rúben Micael 68' |
|
|
for Silvestre Varela 76' |
83'
|
|
for Fernando 78' |
| Player | Bookings |
|---|---|
|
for Hugo Viana 45' |
|
|
for Olberdam 66' |
84'
|
|
for Marcio Mossoró 78' |
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