Portugal: Rodriguez, FC Porto thrash Beira Mar

LISBON (AP) -- James Rodriguez guided FC Porto to a 4-0 thrashing of the visiting Beira Mar as the defending Portuguese champions took the overnight league lead on Saturday.

Porto, which won its Champions League opener earlier this week, continued to show no signs of missing Hulk, recently sold to Zenit St. Petersburg.

Striker Jackson Martinez got Porto rolling in the 32nd minute with an acrobatic bicycle kick from a pass by Rodriguez.

Six minutes later Rodriguez set up Silvestre Varela for his first goal of the season before the Colombian international added a goal of his own in the 47th.

Center back Maicon capped the rout with a header from Joao Moutinho's cross in the 71st.

Porto's win lifted it three points above Benfica, which plays at Academica on Sunday.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.