Sporting passes Benfica for second

LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- Sporting shrugged off a midweek European rout with a 2-0 victory over bottom table Rio Ave and Benfica's unbeaten home record ended in a 1-0 defeat to Guimaraes in the Portuguese league on Saturday.

Sporting, which exited the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday to Bayern Munich by a 12-1 aggregate, needed 22 minutes to get over it when Joao Moutinho opened.

Brazilian midfielder Fabio Rochemback's first half injury-time goal allowed Sporting, which last won the league in 2002, to improve to 44 points and sit one point behind leader and three-time defending champion FC Porto, which will host Naval on Sunday.

Benfica dropped into third with 43 points. Roberto Calmon stayed onside in the 66th to score off a counterattack with a left-footed strike at the Stadium of Light.

Guimaraes finished with 10 after 85th-minute substitute Cicero Sanchez was red-carded in injury time.

In Sunday's other 22nd round of games, Belenenses plays Amadora, Trofense faces last-place Setubal and Braga looks to stay fourth against Academica.

On Monday, fifth-placed Nacional plays Maritimo.

Pacos Ferreira picked up an important 4-0 win over Leixoes and moved away from the relegation zone on Friday.

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