Porto downs Sporting to extend lead

Published January 13, 2015

FC Porto moved five points clear at the top of the Portuguese Liga on Sunday after securing a 3-1 home victory against second-place Sporting Lisbon.

Sporting had gone unbeaten in its first seven games to start the campaign and entered the contest two points adrift of the defending champions.

Porto took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Josue's successful penalty kick in the 11th minute, but Sporting leveled the match on the hour mark through William Carvalho.

Danilo restored Porto's advantage two minutes later and Lucho Gonzalez added a third goal to ensure the home side of its seventh win in eight games.

Benfica joined Sporting on 17 points in second place after turning back Nacional, 2-0, with goals from Guillherme Siqueira and Oscar Cardozo, while Estoril maintained a spot in the top four by winning 3-1 at Maritimo with second-half goals from Luis Leal and Seba.

Braga lost for the fourth time in eight contests to a fourth-minute goal from Fernando Alexandre, which lifted Academica to a 1-0 win.

Setubal and Belenenses played out a 0-0 draw, Luis Martins scored 11 minutes from time in Gil Vicente's 1-0 triumph at Rio Ave, Olhanense edged Arouca, 1-0, through a goal from Federico Dionisi, and Guimaraes notched a 3-1 win at last-place Pacos Ferreira on Monday.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/porto-downs-sporting-to-extend-lead