Sporting beat Vitória 2-0 to be crowned champions of Portugal | OneFootball

“BICAMPEÃO! BICAMPEÃO! BICAMPEÃO!” was the chant that rang around the Alvalade stadium at full time as two unanswered second-half goals saw Sporting beat Vitória. It is the first time the Lisbon club has won back-to-back leagues for 71 years.

It was far from plain sailing though. Vitória, needing a win to ensure European football next season, battled hard and kept out the hosts until the 55th minute when Pedro Gonçalves finished off a flowing move to break the deadlock.

Fittingly, it was Viktor Gyökeres who sealed the deal, the deadly Swedish striker scoring goal number 39 in 33 Liga Portugal matches this season with 10 minutes remaining, and the party began. Lisbon will be painted green tonight. Tom Kundert reports from Alvalade.

Suspensions force changes

As expected, Morita came into midfield in place of suspended Sporting captain Morten Hjulmand, while for Vitória Mikel Villanueva and Telmo Arcanjo returned to the starting XI with Filipe Relvas and Tomás Handel suspended.

Sporting immediately took the initiative, Gonçalo Inácio coming close from a corner after Vitória goalkeeper came out and missed the cross.

The tension of the game was evident as a stop-start opening period clearly frustrated the home players and fans, with several stoppages for injuries, one of which resulted in Sporting centre-back Ousmane Diomande having to be substituted with Jeremiah St. Juste taking his place.

No quarter given

Vitória had no intention of rolling over for the hosts as some tough tackles flied in from both sets of players, Toni Borevkovic and João Mendes for the visitors and Debast for Sporting shown yellow cards.

Sporting eventually got some joy against Vitória’s well-organised defence as half time approached, Maxi Araújo’s header from a corner almost setting up Morita, and then Gyökeres finally having a run at goal with Bruno Varela hesitating. The Swede reached the ball first, battled past his marker but could not get enough purchase on the shot and Varela saved.

Half time and 0-0, the biggest cheer of the first half coming when news filtered through that Braga had taken the lead against Benfica at the Quarry.

Sporting continued to probe after the break, Morita making a good connection with a header from a corner but directing his effort over the bar, and then Trincão tried his luck from long range but also got too much height on his shot.

Brilliant move breaks the deadlock

The home team’s patient approach was vindicated in the 56th minute with a beautifully constructed goal. Centre-back Eduardo Quaresma was at the genesis of it, dribbling to the middle of the pitch and passing to Debast who feinted to shoot but instead laid the ball off to Maxi Araújo. The Uruguayan’s first-time pass to Pedro Gonçalves was dispatched into the top corner by Pote with the precision of a surgeon, and the crowd erupted in a mixture of relief and elation.

The pattern of the game did not change much, with Sporting continuing to search for another goal. Geny Catamo was so close to scoring it in the 65th minute with a terrific left-foot shot from outside the box that thudded against the foot of the post and out.

Gyökeres then had a chance but the normally lethal striker overcomplicated his effort and ended up having to rush his shot straight at Varela.

With news of a Benfica equaliser, the tension returned to the Alvalade as Vitória began to enjoy more of the ball, albeit without ever truly threatening Rui Silva’s goal.

Gyökeres makes sure

On 83 minutes the crucial second goal came to practically end all doubts that Sporting would shortly be lifting the championship trophy. Pote dinked a pass into the box, Vitória’s defence failed to deal with it, Gyökeres latching onto the ball and showing neat footwork to round Varela and shoot into the net, ecstatically celebrating his goal by ripping off his shirt and running to the jubilant stands.

The party well and truly got started. It will last long into the Lisbon night.

Sporting 2-0 Vitória highlights

Sporting: Rui Silva, Eduardo Quaresma, Ousmane Diomande (Jeremiah St. Juste, 25’), Gonçalo Inácio, Geny Catamo (Matheus Reis, 88’), Hidemasa Morita (Geovany Quenda, 76’), Zeno Debast, Maxi Araújo, Francisco Trincão (Conrad Harder, 88’), Viktor Gyökeres, Pedro Gonçalves (Iván Fresneda, 88’)

Vitória SC: Bruno Varela, Miguel Maga, Mikel Villanueva, Toni Borevkovic, João M. Mendes, Beni Mukendi, Tiago Silva, Telmo Arcanjo, João Mendes (Vando Félix, 67’), Gustavo Silva (Nuno Santos, 46’), Nélson Oliveira (Jesús Ramírez, 73’)