Benfica control Primeira Liga race, earn hard-fought draw vs. Porto
Benfica retain the edge in the Primeira Liga title race after holding closest rivals Porto to a goalless draw on Sunday.
The stalemate between the top two sides in the division leaves Benfica three points clear with four games left to play. With Porto only picking up a point, Sporting can move to within six points of second - and an automatic place in the Champions League group stages - if they can win away at Moreirense on Monday evening.
Pacos Ferreira are seventh after a 3-1 away win over relegation-battling Arouca, but they needed two goals in the last eight minutes to do it. The visitors had taken the lead through Bruno Moreira in the 32nd minute, but Arouca leveled through Rui Sampaio just after the hour mark.
But with a precious point within sight for the hosts, Moreira struck again in the 82nd minute and Paolo Hurtado twisted the knife with a third five minutes from time. Nacional are two points behind Pacos after seeing off another relegation-threatened team in the form of rock-bottom Penafiel, whose fate was all but sealed with another defeat.
Zainadine Junior opened the scoring in the 17th minute and Francisco Soares made sure at the death.
The match between Boavista and Vitoria Setubal finished goalless.
