Casa Benfica draw level with Braga in Portuguese league

Matchday 8 saw Casa Benfica de Loures follow their clinching of the Euro Winners Cup with another victory, this time beating Leixões go level on points with SC Braga.

More bad news for the defending champions Braga had sixth-place Varzim take a shock victory over them at the weekend, meaning that Braga now share the league leader spot with Casa Benfica on 19 points.

Daniel Zidane’s European champions put four past Leixões for the three points, while Varzim hung on to a narrow 2-1 lead against Braga to jump into fourth, just a point behind Sporting, who managed to down ACD Sótão by three goals to two.

The Figueira da Foz hosts, Buarcos defeated bottom place São Domingos 3-1 in the final game of the day.

Matchday 9 of the Portuguese league will be played on 26 June in Nazaré, where Braga face Sporting, and Casa Benfica take on São Domingos, who still sit on zero points. Buarcos will go up against Varzim SC, and hosts ACD Sótão meet Leixões.

MATCHDAY 8 RESULTS (19 June)

Sporting CP 3-2 ACD Sótão
Varzim SC 2-1 SC Braga
Leixões 1-4 Casa Benfica de Loures
São Domingos 1-3 AD Buarcos

STANDINGS (after Matchday 8)

1st – SC Braga (19 pts)
2nd – Casa Benfica de Loures (19 pts)
3rd – Sporting CP (13 pts)
4th – Varzim SC (12 pts)
5th – AD Buarcos (10 pts)
6th – ACD Sótão (9 pts)
7th – Leixões (6 pts)
8th – São Domingos (0 pts)