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Sporting crowned champions after a 19-year wait to lift the Primeira Liga title

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Sporting have clinched the Primeira Liga title after defeating Boavista 1-0 at the Estádio José Alvalade, this Tuesday.

The Lions, just two points short of reaching the promised land, rounded up their push for the league title with a first-half goal from Paulinho, securing three sweet points for the Lions.

Rúben Amorim’s men had the chance to celebrate the league title even before entering the field of play, relying on a FC Porto defeat versus Farense on Monday night - a prospect that was met with a resounding victory from the Dragons, winning 5-1 at home.

Although we didn’t see quite as many goals at the Choupana, Benfica’s 3-1 victory against Nacional was one that held huge implications for the latter’s top-flight status, relegating the side from Madeira back down to the second division.

Elsewhere, Sporting de Braga’s season showed no signs of picking back up after slipping substantially behind Benfica in fourth, making it mathematically impossible to catch the Eagles after a 1-1 draw away to Gil Vicente.

 

Sporting 1-0 Boavista

On, potentially, the biggest night of Sporting’s season, ‘the Green & Whites’ welcomed Boavista to the Alvalade in their bid to bring a 19-year-wait for the league title to an end.

Nuno Santos came close to firing the hosts in the right direction with a purposeful strike from range on his favoured left foot, but the post stood strong to add to the drama and keep the winger’s early effort out.

Paulinho was next to go close for Sporting, rising high at the near post from Nuno Mendes’ corner before glancing a header wide of the mark.

Amorim’s side continued to ramp up the pressure in a dominating display, threatening further through Pedro Gonçalves before Nuno Santos, in the 37th minute, provided the delivery to assist Paulinho for his first goal at home, finishing from close range. 

At the other end, the other Nuno Santos came close to levelling the game just before half-time before witnessing his shot from Yanis Hamache’s pull-back stopped by a strong Antonio Adan palm.

Taking on the warning, Sporting intensified the search for a second goal with three opportunities all falling to the hosts’ costly goalscorer, Paulinho, who’d fail to recapture his form in front of Léo Jardim.

More pressure from the home side came Boavista’s way after Pedro Gonçalves struck the post from a tight angle and Paulinho, in a prime position, aimed a strike sky-high on the bobble coming into the final ten minutes.

A second goal wouldn’t be needed, however, with Sporting clinching the league title with just a 1-0 victory at home to Boavista.

 

FC Porto 5-1 Farense

Prior to the celebrations in Lisbon, Porto were on red alert at home to Farense in the knowledge that a loss against the relegation candidates would gift their rivals, Sporting, the title.

The hosts came in strong, earning a penalty off the back of a Licá handball for Mehdi Taremi to tuck home in the 6th minute before the Iranian striker, just seven minutes later, assisted Toni Martinez for Porto’s second.

Sérgio Conceição’s men began to run away with things in the 20th minute with Luis Diaz’s finish for 3-0 before Farense were left with ten men, following a reckless tackle from Bilel close to the half-hour mark.

Taremi got his name to a second goal in the 59th minute, finishing in off the post prior to goal number five for the hosts, secured by João Mário cutting in from the left flank.

Licá nipped in ahead of Augustin Marchesín late on to grab a mere consolation goal for Farense in the 89th minute, completing a 5-1 defeat for the Lions from Faro.

 

Nacional 1-3 Benfica

Having flirted with the concept of relegation for so long, the reception of Benfica in Madeira threatened to be the game that called time on Nacional’s short stay in the Primeira Liga.

The hosts started strongly, however, stunning Benfica with the opener in the 8th minute, picked up by Pedrão with a tap-in from a corner.

Things should’ve gotten even better for Manuel Machado’s team after Eber Bessa found a way through the defence, failing only to place his shot passed Helton Leite inside the box in the 33rd minute.

The Eagles took until the 78th minute before breaking the hearts of the Alvinegros, equalising via a Pedrão own-goal off the back of a Haris Seferovic strike, heading wide before the defender’s failure to get out of the way.

Two casual first-time finishes from Gonçalo Ramos in the 81st and 86th minute swung the three points Benfica’s way, confirming Nacional’s relegation to the second tier of Portuguese football.

 

Gil Vicente 1-1 Sp. Braga

With a top-three finish now a fading dream, all Braga had left to do was aim for a strong finish with wins on the board, subsequently delaying the confirmation of Benfica’s spot on the podium.

The game seemed to be that way inclined for the Arsenalistas against Gil Vicente after taking the lead nine minutes in, courtesy of Ricardo Horta’s finish via Ricardo Esgaio’s subtle first-time cut-back.

Gil Vicente issued their response in the 29th minute, equalising through Claude Gonçalves’ strike from the edge of the box, as the two sides took to half time with the score locked at 1-1.

Heartbreak was in store for both sides in the final ten minutes after Andraž Sporar missed a golden opportunity to secure a victory, missing a tap-in at the back-post moments before Kanya Fujimoto did the same for the home side. Locked at 1-1, the two sides succumbed to accruing a point each.

By Patrick Ribeiro

Matchday 32

P. Ferreira 1-1 Marítimo

Gil Vicente 1-1 Sp. Braga

Portimonense 1-2 Moreirense

FC Porto 5-1 Farense

Santa Clara 1-0 Rio Ave

Tondela 1-3 Belenenses

Nacional 1-3 Benfica

Sporting 1-0 Boavista

Wednesday 12th May

Vitória vs. Famalicão

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