Trofense and Belenenses were relegated from the Portuguese league after suffering defeats in final-round games on Saturday. Last-place Trofense lost 1-0 at Pacos Ferreira, while No. 15 Belenenses went down 3-1 at Benfica for results that allowed the other two relegation-threatened teams, Rio Ave and Setubal, to survive. Trofense, promoted last season, saw their hopes of avoiding a swift return to the second division thwarted when William scored in the 75th minute for Pacos Ferreira. Belenenses ended an 11-year stay in the topflight despite a third-minute goal at Benfica by captain Silas. The home team then replied through goals by Oscar Cardozo in the 21st minute, Filipe Bastos in the 63rd minute and substitute Pedro Mantorras in injury-time.
■SOCCER
Falkirk send Inverness down
Inverness were relegated from the Scottish Premier League on Saturday after losing 1-0 to Falkirk in the last round of matches. Substitute Michael Higdon turned in Jackie McNamara’s cross in the 68th minute to ensure Falkirk remained in the top flight. The turning point came in the 39th minute when Inverness defender Ross Tokely was sent off for a challenge on Steve Lovell. The result prevented St Mirren from being relegated despite losing 1-0 to Hamilton through Simon Mensing’s header in the 28th minute. Mehdi Taouil scored a last-minute winner to end Kilmarnock’s season on a high with a 2-1 win at Motherwell.
■SAILING
‘Ericsson 4’ first in Galway
Ericsson 4 tightened its grip on the Volvo Ocean Race yesterday, reaching Galway in Ireland ahead of the field after a grueling transatlantic crossing from Boston. Victory in the seventh stage of the round-the-world challenge, one of yachting’s most prestigious events, gives the Swedish entry clear breathing space with only three legs to go. Skippered by Brazil’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Torben Grael, the boat arrived shortly after 3am to a raucous Irish welcome, with thousands cramming the Galway docks. Sino-Irish entry Green Dragon drew the loudest cheers when it pulled in third. “They know how to put on a good show in Ireland,” Ericsson 4 crew member Jules Salter said. “And this is just brilliant.”
■RUGBY UNION
Ireland defeat Canada
Barry Murphy, Ian Whitten and Tony Buckley each scored a try and Ian Keatley booted two penalty kicks to give Ireland a 25-6 victory over Canada on Saturday in an international rugby match. The Irish took command with a try in the 63rd minute, Ulsterman first-capper Whitten taking a pass from center Darren Cave and scoring with Keatley, another making his senior-level debut, adding the conversion for a 20-6 Ireland edge. Buckley followed four minutes later with a final try and while Keatley missed the conversation, he still earned man of the match honors. Ireland grabbed the lead in the 18th minute when Cave chipped a kick to Murphy for a try to open the scoring and Keatley converted.
■RUGBY UNION
Sivivatu out of the final
The Waikato Chiefs suffered a setback to their Super 14 final hopes against the Northern Bulls, with All Blacks wing Sitiveni Sivivatu forced out with a dislocated shoulder. Sivivatu was injured during Friday’s 14-10 semi-final victory over the Wellington Hurricanes and was ruled out of the squad following a medical assessment yesterday, the club said on its Web site.
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