Liga Sagres wrap: Benfica stay in touch

Benfica kept the pressure on Liga Sagres leaders Porto with a 3-0 win over Vitoria Guimaraes on Saturday.

Jorge Jesus’ men moved level on points with the defending champions thanks to an Oscar Cardozo brace and a Lima strike.

Paraguayan forward Cardozo gave the hosts a 37th-minute lead at Estadio da Luz.

He doubled their advantage from the penalty spot early in the second half and Lima wrapped up the victory with the third.

Benfica were forced to play the closing stages with 10 men after Andre Lima, who came on late in the first half, was sent off.

Elsewhere, Sporting Braga stayed in touch with the top two as they overcame Gil Vicente 3-1 at home.

Kalidou Yero cancelled out Ze Luis’ 17th-minute opener to give the visitors hope of snatching at least a point.

But Alan struck from the penalty spot and Hugo Viana netted the sealer a minute before full-time for Braga, who are three points behind Porto and Benfica.

Gil Vicente sit seventh but have been unable to trouble the big guns having lost to Benfica and Braga in their past two matches.