THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LISBON, Portugal — Radamel Falcao’s early goal gave defending champion Porto a 1-0 victory over a nine-man Sporting in the Portuguese soccer league Saturday.
Porto’s win kept it in third place, five points behind surprising leader Braga, which won 1-0 at promoted Olhanense on Friday.
Meanwhile, second-place Benfica continued its impressive start to the season with a 5-0 win over a nine-man Leixoes to remain two points off the lead.
Braga has 18 points, Benfica has 16 and Porto has 13. Rio Ave and Sporting follow with 10 points.
Falcao, a Colombian striker signed in the off-season from River Plate, won the game for Porto with a third-minute header from Fernando Belluschi’s free kick.
Falcao then wasted the chance to double his tally when he missed a 52nd-minute penalty which brought the ejection of Sporting defender Anderson Polga.
Sporting, which has won at Porto’s Stadium of the Dragon only twice in the past 12 years, then had midfielder Miguel Veloso sent off in injury time for a foul on Jorge Fucile.
Sporting striker Liedson, who has netted five goals in four games this season, continued his record of having never scored at Porto.
Benfica, which had already tallied 16 goals in its opening five games, was boosted when Leixoes forward Christian Pouga was sent off in the 27th minute.
Defender David Luiz broke the deadlock when he headed home from Pablo Aimar’s free kick on the stroke of halftime after being left alone.
Leixoes’ situation worsened in the 57th when captain Nuno Silva fouled Aimar and was also ejected early in the second half. Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo converted the resulting spot kick for his sixth goal of the season.
As the visitors caved in, midfielder Ramires and defender Maxi Pereira added further goals in the 75th and 82nd minutes respectively, with Cardozo sealing Benfica’s win in the 89th.
In other games, it was: Maritimo 1, Naval 2; Setubal 0, Pacos Ferreira 1; and Rio Ave 0, Academica 0.
There are no games Sunday as Portugal holds its general election.