Leader Porto draws 1-1 with Benfica in Portugal

A second-half penalty from Lucho Gonzalez salvaged a point for defending champion FC Porto as it drew 1-1 with Benfica on Sunday to stay top of the Portuguese league.

The penalty was awarded after Benfica midfielder Hassan Yebda was adjudged to have fouled Lisandro Lopez in the area.

Yebda had earlier given Benfica the lead with a powerful header from a corner by Jose Antonio Reyes on the stroke of halftime.

Yebda said Porto's spot kick should not have been awarded.

"I'm frustrated as I didn't commit a penalty and we were better than FC Porto. If it wasn't for the penalty, we would have won," the midfielder said after the match.

The result kept Porto _ which has won the league the past three seasons _ one point ahead of Benfica, which is seeking its first championship since 2005.

Sporting's title hopes suffered a blow with a 3-2 defeat against visiting Braga.

Porto has 35 points from 17 games, while Benfica has 34. Leixoes, which beat Trofense 2-0 on Friday, and Sporting each have 31.

Sunday's other results were: Guimaraes 2, Maritimo 1; Naval 0, Nacional 4; and Rio Ave 1, Academica 0.

On Saturday, Amadora was held 0-0 by Setubal.

Pacos Ferreira hosts Belenenses on Monday.

Sporting and Braga began the game with the two best defenses in the league but, after a goalless opening 45 minutes, the second half yielded five goals.

Braga's forward Albert Meyong Ze broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when he scored his seventh goal of the season following a goalmouth scramble.

Although Sporting leveled 10 minutes later through striker Derlei's shot from a cross by Simon Vukcevic, the visitors then stunned the home team with two goals in three minutes.

Wason Renteria fired home in the 81st from a pass by Luis Aguiar, with Marcio Mossoro heading Braga's third.

Marat Izmailov's shot reduced the deficit in injury time for Sporting, which is now winless in three games.

Guimaraes improved on its poor home form with a victory over Maritimo.

Joao Paulo Fajardo opened the scoring in the 25th minute, with Nuno Assis adding Guimaraes' second in the 58th. Substitute Baba netted a consolation goal for Maritimo in the 85th.

Nacional cruised to victory over Naval after goals in the 17th and 27th minute by the league's leading scorer, Nene, whose tally for the season now stands at 12.

Ruben Micael and Mateus added goals for sixth-place Nacional in the 72nd and 90th.

Yazalde Gomes' 17th-minute goal gave last-place Rio Ave a victory over Academica, which remained winless away.