Quaresma10
01-25-2005, 12:29 AM
LISBON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Defending champions Porto stayed top of the Portuguese Premier League with a 1-0 win at Uniao Leiria on Sunday, while Sporting kept up the pressure with a 3-0 victory at Gil Vicente.
The top two have 34 points from 18 matches but Porto lead the standings by virtue of head-to-head results.
Braga, who beat bottom club Academica 2-0 on Friday, and Boavista, who won 2-0 at Nacional Madeira, are one point further behind.
Benfica slipped to fifth place, three points behind the leaders, after slumping to a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Beira Mar on Saturday.
Defender Ricardo Costa ended Porto's run of three consecutive draws when he scored the winning goal, his first of the season, with a powerful header from a corner after 17 minutes.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 70th minute when South African striker Benni McCarthy was sent-off for two bookable offences but Porto held on for the win.
Sporting's veteran midfielder Sa Pinto scored once in each half to give his side a comfortable lead before Brazilian striker Liedson headed home the third with 12 minutes to go to seal the victory.
The top two have 34 points from 18 matches but Porto lead the standings by virtue of head-to-head results.
Braga, who beat bottom club Academica 2-0 on Friday, and Boavista, who won 2-0 at Nacional Madeira, are one point further behind.
Benfica slipped to fifth place, three points behind the leaders, after slumping to a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Beira Mar on Saturday.
Defender Ricardo Costa ended Porto's run of three consecutive draws when he scored the winning goal, his first of the season, with a powerful header from a corner after 17 minutes.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 70th minute when South African striker Benni McCarthy was sent-off for two bookable offences but Porto held on for the win.
Sporting's veteran midfielder Sa Pinto scored once in each half to give his side a comfortable lead before Brazilian striker Liedson headed home the third with 12 minutes to go to seal the victory.