FC Porto marched on with a league victory in Madeira before shunting Lokomotiv Moscow into the buffers in the UEFA Champions League.
Struggling Aves and Nacional earned impressive league results away at Chaves and Rio Ave respectively, while Tondela excelled on the road with a 4-2 triumph at Feirense.
Benfica suffered their third consecutive defeat as lowly Moreirense came back from a goal down to take all three points.
The Eagles opened with a second minute goal by Jonas but Moreirense levelled five minutes later through Chiquinho. Portuguese winger Arsénio Martins was one of the chief architects of Benfica’s downfall.
His low cross, after sixteen minutes, found Pedro Nuno at the back-post to put the visitors 2-1 up. Ten minutes before the interval Mamadou Loum found the back of the net from the edge of the box to give the visitors a two-goal cushion, which they defended until the final whistle.
Jardel received a straight red card fifteen minutes from time as the Benfiquistas began to leave and those that remained produced a chorus of boos and whistles. In treacherous conditions in the Azores, manager-less Sporting were looking to bounce back against Santa Clara. Following their midweek demise at home to Segunda Liga outfit Estoril in the League Cup, manager José Peseiro was shown the door and Tiago Fernandes placed in temporary charge.
The Lions looked to make good use of the wind by showering the hosts’ goal with shots, but it was the home side who took advantage of the conditions as Osama Rashid’s through ball was held up in the wind and Zé Manuel volleyed home. Bas Dost won Sporting a penalty on the hour mark and duly made no mistake from the spot.
Santa Clara’s Patrick Vieira was distraught over the decision and his protestations duly earned him a red card. Fifteen minutes from time, Marcos Acuña headed home at the back-post to gain all three points for Sporting and move them up to third place in the table. League leaders FC Porto went into the break 0-0 against Marítimo.
Moussa Marega missed a penalty on sixty-five minutes for the visitors, but made amends five minutes later when he laid on the opening goal for Otávio. Three minutes later the Brazilian returned the favour as Moussa Marega’s tap in made it 2-0, to keep the Dragons at the top-of-the-table ahead of SC Braga, on goal difference, who had a 2-1 home victory against V.Setúbal. FC Porto are virtually assured of progressing to the knock-out stages of the Champions League following their 4-1 demolition of Lokomotiv Moscow. Hector Herrera put the home side ahead in the second minute after some neat footwork from Moussa Marega. Herrera then turned provider just before half-time, chipping the ball over Lokomotiv’s defence for Marega to shoot low between the legs of Guilherme, Russia’s Brazilian-born national keeper.
Jesus Corona and Otávio added the other goals as Porto now sit top of Group D with ten points, while Lokomotiv are out of the competition on zero points after four games. Germany’s Schalke are in second place on eight points, while Turkey’s Galatasaray are third on four.