Sporting, Benfica win to keep pressure on Porto

LISBON, Portugal (AP) -Sporting defeated Leixoes 1-0 and Benfica beat Amadora 2-1 on Sunday - with all three goals coming from the penalty spot - as the two Lisbon clubs maintained the pressure on Portuguese leader FC Porto.

Sporting's Derlei Fernandes scored with a left-footed shot in the 13th minute as Leixoes continued its second half slide - dropping to seventh - after an impressive start to the season which even saw it top the standings.

Sporting remained second and Benfica third.

Amadora's Ney Santos was booked for bringing down Nuno Gomes in the seventh minute and Oscar Cardoza stepped up to convert the penalty.

Cardoza scored again from the spot in the 15th to put Benfica 2-0 up before Silvestre Varela got one back for the home side in the 29th after Hassan Yebda had brought down Nuno Andre Coelho.

Porto, vying for its fourth straight league trophy, beat Guimaraes 3-1 on Saturday to improve to 51 points after 23 games. Sporting has 47 and Benfica 46.

Orlando Sa, Cesar Peixoto and Alberto Rodriguez all scored second half goals as Braga beat Setubal 3-0 Sunday to stay fourth with 40 points.

Maritimo drew 1-1 against Trofense and Naval and Pacos Ferreira drew 0-0 in a meeting of bottom-dwelling teams.

Last-place Rio Ave welcomes Nacional on Monday.

On Friday, Academica beat Belenenses 1-0.