The Liga Sagres would’ve fit in nicely on Clapham Common this weekend after its bottom was the scene of some significant action.
Rio Ave leapt over Belenenses and Setúbal into the relative safety of 13th place
after a scrappy near post goal by Yazalde proved worthy of three points against an increasingly hopeless Naval side.
The top three remained exactly the same after they all ground out increasingly tedious victories against mid-table opposition.
Benfica hosted the most exciting of these games, beating Marítimo 3-2. It all got going when a cross from curly-haired David Luiz flew past everyone and into the net.
Oscar Cardozo added a second from five yards and another from about two yards to send Benfica into a 3-0 lead. The lanky Paraguayan has got six goals in his last four games and despite insisting he wants to stay at the Estádio da Luz next season he’ll probably be tempted away if any decent teams decide to take a gamble on him.
Marítimo took advantage of some defensive complacency to head themselves back into the game on 44 minutes. Marcinho was the scorer. Would you recognise him if you saw him in your local chippy?
The islanders began the second half by hitting a few low shots at Ben Stiller’s face, which was disgustingly plastered on the advertising hoardings to promote some new film that he’s in. £10 says it’s a stinker.
The excellently named Bruno F then slotted home a penalty on 60 minutes, but the comeback stopped there, thus making it not a comeback at all.
Elsewhere two goals for Lisandro Lopez put Porto one step closer to their fourth successive title.
The Dragons dominated the game but didn’t get their scaly necks in front until Lisandro turned on a dime and dinked one over the keeper in the 61st minute.
Their second came just six minutes later as Setúbal exhibited some of the lacklustre defending that has led to them sitting just one point above the drop zone.
With a trip to Sporting still on the calendar The Old Sir, as Setúbal sometimes like to be known, will probably want to get at least four points from their remaining home fixtures against Paços Ferreira and Leixões.
Hélder Postiga got a rare goal for Sporting after someone finally told him that you’re supposed to put the ball between the two white sticks, rather than spooning it over them or ignoring them completely and giving it to the opposition - that’s the guys in different coloured shirts Hélder.
The guys in the different coloured shirts this week were Estrela da Amadora, and they responded to Hélder’s goal with a belter from Marcelo Goiandira on the stroke of half time.
It wasn’t enough though as Liedson popped up with yet another goal on 55 minutes to keep Sporting on course for Champions League humiliation next season.
Next week could be big as regards the top three. Porto head over the water to Marítimo who have only lost twice at home this season. That did include a 6-0 roasting by Benfica though.
Benfica will also be getting on a plane to go to Nacional, and after a 0-0 draw at the Estádio da Luz earlier in the season I’m predicting a win for Nacional. You heard it here first.
Sporting are off to Académica who also don’t lose at home too often…except when one of the big boys turns up.
In other games this week Belenenses were unlucky to lose 2-1 at home to a below par Nacional. A manic final five minutes saw them hit the bar and have a header from their roaming keeper cleared off the line.
But with fixtures against fellow relegation bed-wetters Trofense and Rio Ave still to come Belenenses’ destiny is very much in their own hands.
Nacional look like UEFA cup probables after they managed to scrape through with a quick counter-attacking goal in the first half and a controversial header early in the second that left Belenenses keeper Júlio César on the deck for several minutes.
Bottom club Trofense look about as likely to survive as a young man taking a dip in Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool. They lost 1-0 to Braga this week, haven’t won for two months and have Benfica and Porto still to lose to.
Leixões drew 2-2 with Guimarães, Paços Ferreira drew 1-1 with Académica and they all lived happily ever after.
The top
Porto – 60
Sporting – 56
Benfica – 52
Nacional - 46
Braga – 45
The bottom (bottom two go down)
Rio Ave – 23
Setúbal – 22
Belenenses – 21
Trofense – 19