Liga Sagres wrap: Guimaraes maintain European hopes

4 March 2012 23:12

Vitoria Guimaraes kept their push for European football alive on Sunday with a 1-0 home win over Maritimo.

Guimaraes needed a 73rd-minute strike from Edgar Silva to wrap up the three points at Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques, and Maritimo had their French defender Valentin Roberge sent off in stoppage time.

With nine matches left to play, Guimaraes are sixth and trail both fourth-placed Sporting Lisbon and fifth-placed Maritimo by six points in the race for the Europa League places.

Elsewhere on Sunday, a brace from Joao Tomas guided Rio Ave to a 4-0 thumping of fellow strugglers Beira-Mar.

The win moved Rio Ave three points clear of the relegation zone, while Beira-Mar have only goal difference keeping them above the bottom two.

Pacos de Ferreira came from behind to defeat Gil Vicente 2-1, with a brace from Lorenzo Melgarejo cancelling out Ze Luis' 17th-minute strike for the hosts.

And Feirense played out a 1-1 draw with Academica at the Estadio Marcolino de Castro.