Portuguese Roundup

Benfica one point away from Champions League

LISBON (Reuters) -- Second-placed Benfica put itself just one point away from qualifying for the Champions League by overwhelming Belenenses 4-2 away on Saturday.

FC Porto, which secured the Portuguese league title last week, was beaten by Pacos Ferreira 1-0 on Sunday. Defender Cadu scored the lone goal in injury time.

Porto will play in the UEFA Cup final against Glasgow Celtic on May 21 in Seville, Spain. The team is looking for a third trophy in the Portuguese Cup against Leiria.

Benfica has 68 points, 11 ahead of third-place Sporting, who can trim the difference to eight points if they win Monday at home against Portuguese Cup finalist Uniao Leiria.

With both teams discarding defensive tactics, Benfica defender Helder Cristovao opened the scoring against mid-table Belenenses with a header in the 17th minute.

Benfica's Brazilian midfielder Geovanni Filho struck just three minutes later to make the score 2-0 after a pass from winger Simao Sabrosa.

Belenenses cut the gap to 2-1 a minute before halftime with a goal by striker Verona Bezerra. Benfica striker Tomislav Sokota and midfielder Tiago Mendes notched up goals in the second half to put the score at 4-1.

Belenenses' Liberian striker Antchouet rounded out the scoring in the 77th minute.

Benfica finished with 10 men after Mendes was sent off seven minutes from time for receiving a second yellow card.

In other 31st-round games, it was: Boavista 1, Beira Mar 0; Moreirense 1, Guimaraes 2; Gil Vicente 0, Maritimo 1; Braga 4, Nacional 1; Varzim 3, Setubal 2; and Santa Clara 0, Academica 0.

 

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Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.