Braga reach Portuguese Cup final after 17-year wait

LISBON, April 30 (Reuters) - Braga reached the Portuguese Cup final for the first time in 17 years after drawing 1-1 at last year's runners-up Rio Ave in a second-leg tie on Thursday. Braga won the first game of the semi-final 3-0 and Portugal forward Eder made the score 4-0 on aggregate two minutes before halftime when he scrambled the ball over the line after the hosts failed to clear a corner. William Jebor replied for Rio Ave three minutes after the break, helped by a blunder from goalkeeper Stanislav Kritsyuk who seemed to stop the Liberian's shot before letting the ball bounce past him.

Braga, who won the trophy in 1966, face Sporting Lisbon at the old National Stadium which remains the traditional venue for the May 31 final.

(Reporting by Brian Homewood, editing by Tony Jimenez)