Sporting clinch Champions League spot

LISBON (Reuters) - Sporting secured the second Champions League automatic spot when they beat Boavista 2-1 on the last day of Portuguese Premier League on Sunday.

Porto, who clinched the championship more than a month ago, finished with 69 points from 30 matches after the league this week stripped them of six points for the alleged bribery of referees in the 2003/4 season.

Sporting finished second on 55 points and Vitoria Guimaraes third on 53

Vitoria Guimaraes, who crushed Estrela Amadora 4-0 on Sunday, booked a place in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League for the first time.

Benfica's veteran playmaker Rui Costa did a lap of honour after his side's 3-0 victory over Vitoria Setubal on Sunday in what is expected to be his last game before retiring.

Champions Porto, without nine regulars, celebrated their third successive title with a 2-0 win at Naval on Saturday.

(Reporting by Carlos Pontes; editing by Miles Evans)