Benfica have been struggling to regain their place at the top of Portuguese football and Ferreira is their 10th coach in seven years.

'Goodbye' the tabloid Record splashed over a front-page photo of a hangdog Ferreira.

'It Is the End!' A Bola trumpeted.

A 10th-minute free kick from striker Cilio Souza of the northern second-division side Gondomar on Sunday eliminated Benfica from the Cup competition, which they have won 23 times.

Benfica squandered several chances to level and were unable to break through Gondomar's defensive wall.

Hungarian striker Miklos Feher came closest in the 54th minute when his header hit the post.

'Benfica thought they had the game won,' jubilant Gondomar coach Jorge Regadas told Record. 'The truth is that tactically we were perfect and the Benfica team, who have great talents, had contempt for their opponents, thinking that the result was already in hand.'

Police in riot gear were called to control about 400 fans screaming insults outside Benfica's dressing room. There were no reports of injuries or fighting.

Benfica management huddled into the early hours of Monday to discuss the situation but no decision was announced.

'What was shown to be decisive was the attitude of the Benfica players,' Record columnist Joao Cartaxana wrote. 'They did not have a rigorous attitude in professional terms and were arrogant right from the start of the game by underestimating their opponents.'

Benfica were Portugal's highest-spending club in signing new players in the off season. They include international striker Nuno Gomes, who returned to Benfica after two years at debt-ridden Fiorentina.

Benfica lie third in the league, seven points behind leaders Porto. Benfica are historically Portugal's most successful club and claim to have six million fans at home and in Portugal's vast immigrant community around the world.

However, they have not won a league championship since 1993.