Porto lead on points, Benfica lead on xG difference
Porto have made a perfect start to Liga Portugal 2026/27. Eight matches, eight wins and 24 points put them five points ahead of Benfica. They have scored 20 goals and conceded only four.
But expected goals (xG) tell a more balanced story. Benfica have created 18.98 xG, slightly more than Porto's 17.96. They have also allowed just 5.01 expected goals against (xGA), compared with Porto's 7.05. That gives Benfica the stronger xG difference: +13.97 against Porto's +10.91.
The gap does not mean Benfica should be top of the table. Porto have earned every one of their 24 points. It shows that the two teams have performed differently when we compare results with the quality of chances created and allowed.
SmartMatchData has full-quality xG and xGA data for all 72 completed Liga Portugal matches through 19 October. Each of the 18 clubs has played eight games, so the figures use the same sample size.
Liga Portugal 2026/27: points, xG and xGA
Porto lead with 24 points, followed by Benfica on 19. Sporting and Santa Clara both have 18 points, while Gil Vicente, Arouca and Académico Viseu are on 14.
Benfica have the highest xG difference among the leading teams at +13.97. Porto follow at +10.91, with Sporting on +8.02 and Santa Clara on +4.84.
These numbers measure different things. Points show the results a team has achieved. xG estimates the quality of scoring chances, while xGA measures the quality of chances allowed to opponents. The difference between xG and xGA gives a useful view of overall chance balance.
No single measure tells the whole story. A team can win a match despite creating fewer chances, or fail to win after producing several good opportunities.
Porto's perfect record is built on results at both venues
Porto have won all four home matches and all four away matches. They have scored 20 goals and conceded four, producing a strong actual goal difference of +16.
Their results include 2-0 wins against Alverca, Rio Ave and Arouca, a 4-1 victory away to Casa Pia and a 3-1 home win over Benfica. They have also beaten Marítimo 2-1 away in their most recent league fixture.
Porto's 17.96 xG works out to 2.25 per match. Their 7.05 xGA is 0.88 per game. Both figures point to a strong team, even if Benfica's underlying totals are slightly better.
Porto have scored 2.04 goals more than their xG estimate. That is a modest positive difference over eight matches, not an unusually large gap. Their unbeaten record reflects the goals they have scored, the goals they have prevented and their ability to turn close games into wins.
Benfica have created more chances and allowed fewer
Benfica have scored 24 goals, four more than Porto, despite collecting five fewer points. They have won six games, drawn one and lost one. Their only defeat came away to Porto, where they lost 3-1.
Their 18.98 xG is the highest total in the league after eight rounds. They have scored 5.02 goals more than their xG estimate, helped by some high-scoring performances. A 7-0 win away to Casa Pia produced 3.04 xG, while a 4-0 win at Moreirense came from 2.99 xG.
Benfica's defensive numbers are also strong. Their 5.01 xGA is the lowest total among the leading four teams. They have conceded seven actual goals, compared with Porto's four.
The contrast is important. Benfica have allowed fewer estimated high-quality chances but conceded more goals. Porto have conceded fewer actual goals and taken more points. Both are signs of strong performances, but they are not the same thing.
Sporting and Santa Clara remain close behind
Sporting are unbeaten after eight matches, with five wins and three draws. They have scored 20 goals and conceded nine, collecting 18 points. Their 15.04 xG and 7.02 xGA produce a positive xG difference of +8.02.
Sporting's attacking numbers are strong, but they trail Porto and Benfica on chance creation. They have scored 4.96 goals above their xG estimate, including four goals in a 4-0 win away to Rio Ave from 1.66 xG.
Santa Clara also have 18 points, with five wins and three draws. They have scored 12 goals and conceded just four. Their xG difference is +4.84, based on 10.08 xG and 5.24 xGA.
Santa Clara's points total is impressive, but their attacking chance creation is lower than that of the leading three. They have been effective at collecting results without needing to score as often.
Vitória SC show the other side of the table
Vitória SC have taken only five points from eight matches, winning once, drawing twice and losing five times. They have scored five goals and conceded ten.
Their underlying numbers are much better than that record suggests. Vitória have created 12.79 xG and allowed 8.18 xGA, a positive difference of +4.61. They have scored 7.79 fewer goals than their xG estimate, one of the largest negative gaps in the league.
That does not mean Vitória have been unlucky in every match. It means their goals return has been well below the estimated quality of their chances across eight games. A closer look at finishing and individual shots would be needed to explain the difference.
Vitória's results show why points and xG can tell different stories. They have a positive chance-quality balance but a poor points return. Whether that gap narrows will depend on what happens in future matches.
Who is performing best in Liga Portugal?
Porto are the clear leaders by results. Eight wins from eight matches is a strong start, and they have conceded only four goals. Benfica, however, have the strongest xG difference and have created more chances while allowing fewer estimated goals against.
Sporting remain unbeaten and close on points, while Santa Clara have made an efficient start. Vitória SC offer the opposite case: good underlying chance numbers but very few points.
The key lesson is that results and expected goals should be read together. Porto's perfect record deserves recognition. Benfica's xG advantage deserves attention too. Neither figure alone can tell us how the season will finish.
For the latest standings and team records, visit the Liga Portugal statistics page. You can also explore team profiles, read Expected Goals Explained and learn how to compare xG and xGA.
Data and methodology
This article uses SmartMatchData's Liga Portugal Betclic 2026/27 records through 19 October 2026. The database contains 72 completed matches, all with full-quality xG and xGA for both teams. Each of the 18 clubs has played eight matches. xG difference is xG minus xGA, and goals-minus-xG is actual goals scored minus xG over the same fixtures. Figures are rounded to two decimal places. xG estimates chance quality, not guaranteed goals, and values may differ between providers. This is an early-season descriptive analysis, not a prediction of future results.