Porto, Portugal – Hulk scored twice as FC Porto beat Beira Mar for its eighth win during a 10-game unbeaten streak in the Portuguese Liga, 3-0 on Saturday.
Hulk converted a penalty kick in the first half and, following a goal from Marc Janko, added his second goal and 12th of the season in the 54th minute as Porto maintained its four-point cushion atop the standings.
Beira-Mar lost for the third time in its last five and is 12th in the table.
Benfica kept pace with Porto as Nolito fired a brace in a 4-1 win over Maritimo on Saturday, but the second-place squad has just three matches left to overturn the deficit.
Nolito, who has 10 goals this season, scored his goals four minutes apart early in the first half, and Rodrigo and Bruno Cesar added second-half goals.
Also Saturday, El Arbi Hillel Soudani scored the game-winner the 86th minute as Guimaraes edged relegation-threatened Uniao Leiria, 3-2.
On Friday, Braga saw its winless streak reach three matches as it settled for a 1-1 draw Pacos Ferreira. Braga was atop the table in late March, but lost games against Benfica and Porto since to slip seven points off the pace in third.
On Sunday, Ricky van Wolfswinkel converted a penalty in the 76th minute to help Sporting Lisbon edge Nacional, 3-2, for its fourth straight win, Bedi Buval had the lone goal as Feirense beat Setubal, 1-0, and Gil Vicente tied Rio Ave, 0-0.
On Monday, Olhanense secured a 1-0 win at Academica after a second-half goal from Rui Duarte. The goal arrived in the 61st minute and Academica was reduced to 10 men just three minutes later when Flavio received a red card.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.