After two successive draws, Sérgio Conceição’s Porto were in no mood to drop further points against Vitoria de Setúbal at the Estádio do Dragão.


Adrián Lopez’s blocked effort after fifteen minutes enabled Héctor Herrera to head the home side in front. The visitors were reduced to ten-men eight minutes into the second period when Éber Bessa picked up a second booking for simulation inside the box.


The ten-men were soon punished as just twelve minutes later the Dragons landed the decisive blow when Tiquinho Soares headed home Alex Telles’ in-swinging cross from the right flank for a 2-0 victory. The next twelve days could define Porto’s season.


Today (Friday) a tricky away game at CD Tondela is followed by two massive home games against Benfica on the 3 March and three days later AS Roma arrive in the northern city with a 2-1 lead from the first-leg of their Champions League round of sixteen.

Benfica’s new boss Bruno Lage can do no wrong at the moment. The ten-goal mauling of Nacional was followed by a 2-1 triumph in Turkey against Galatasaray in the Europa League.


A trip to relegation threatened CD Aves saw the Eagles a goal up when Haris Seferovic lobbed the ball over keeper Beunardeau with just three minutes on the clock. The home side found themselves two goals behind when Rafa Silva curled his shot past the keeper ten minutes before the break.


Ferro added a third on the hour mark but four minutes later he was off for an early bath as he hauled down Derley but the ten-men of Benfica had no problem seeing out the game. Benfica have now scored twenty-two goals in their last four league games, a goal less than Aves have scored in twenty-two leagues games this season! The Primeira Liga game of the weekend was between third placed Braga and fourth placed Sporting at the Avalade.


Sporting were still reeling from their 1-0 home defeat against Villarreal (Spain) in the Europa League. After a couple of half-chances Bruno Fernandes gave Sporting the lead in the thirty-third minute from a free-kick.


Five minutes after the interval Abdoulay Diaby was upended in the penalty and Bas Dost made it 2-0 from the resulting spot-kick. Midway through the half, the Dutchman took advantage of a sleepy Braga defence to attack Bruno Fernandes’ cutback and slot in goal number three for the Lions. This result keeps alive Sporting’s chance of automatic Europa League qualification.


SC Portimonense slipped to their fourth straight defeat as they lost 2-0 at Vitoria de Guimarães. With just one goal scored in six hours of football the Portimão fans will be hoping for a change in fortune as the entertain CD Aves at the Municipal Stadium tomorrow (Saturday) at 6pm.