• Francisco Trincao
• Sporting CP
• Luis Suárez
• Ricardo Mangas

Portuguese champions Sporting sent a message out to their title rivals by thrashing Arouca 6-0 in their first home match of the season.

Two goals each by Ricardo Mangas, Luis Suárez and Francisco Trincão saw the Lions romp to victory in front of a big and appreciative crowd in Lisbon.

Arouca had started the season well with a 3-1 victory over AVS last week but from the moment Dylan Nandín conceded a penalty and was sent off after 30 minutes there was only going to be one winner.

Tom Kundert reports from the José Alvalade stadium.

Injuries force changes

Sporting were forced into two changes at the back with left-back Ricardo Mangas and central defender Zeno Debast coming in for Maxi Araújo and Ousmane Diomande who picked up injuries in last week’s win at Casa Pia.

Arouca manager Vasco Seabra has built a reputation for getting his teams playing positive football and often upsetting Portugal’s major teams, so 42,000 fans packed into Alvalade in anticipation of an exciting contest.

No Gyökeres, no problem

The hosts began where they left off last week however, showing dynamism and creativity and a wider range of attacking routes than previous seasons when Sporting’s offensive game was built in the main around the prolific Viktor Gyökeres.

New striker Suárez linked up well with Pedro Gonçalves and Francisco Trincão, with Mangas often bombing down the left wing to lend his support to the attack, while in the middle the exceptional Morita was for once outshining his partner in crime in central midfield Morten Hjulmand.

Dream home debut for Mangas

Mangas marked his full debut for the Green and Whites in style by opening the scoring in the 19th minute. Suárez took a tumble in the box under the challenge of Arouca goalkeeper João Valido, but the ball fell to the former Vitória defender who calmly stroked it into the net. Credit should also go the referee who declined to blow for a penalty before the play had ended.

Sporting kept up the pressure and doubled their lead from a penalty on 30 minutes. Dylan Nandín caught Gonçalo Inácio in the head with his outstretched foot and after a VAR check the referee pointed to the spot and somewhat harshly sent Nandín off. Suárez converted the penalty and with Sporting winning 2-0 at home against ten men the game was as good as over. 

Trincão at it again

Unsurprisingly, Rui Borges’ men continued to create chances at will. Pedro Gonçalves produced an uncharacteristically bad miss shortly before half time, lifting a gilt-edged opportunity over the bar. But the home team would not be denied, Francisco Trincão firing in a terrific left-footer to make it 3-0 before the interval.

The second half was more of the same with Sporting refusing to take their foot of the pedal in a match of one-way traffic. Greek right-back Georgios Vagiannidis was handed his debut, coming on for Iván Fresneda, and he immediately made his mark with a low cross that allowed Mangas to score his second.

Quenda stakes his claim for a starting berth

Geovany Quenda came on for Geny Catamo in the 57th minute and promptly provided two assists, for Suárez (5-0) and Trincão (6-0) to make it half a dozen.

Although Benfica and Porto appear to have reinforced well in the transfer market, and Braga have started the season on fire, Sporting remain in good shape to defend their title. An exciting 2025/26 season is on the cards. 

Sporting CP 6-0 Arouca highlights

Sporting: Rui Silva, Iván Fresneda (Georgios Vangiannidis, 46’), Gonçalo Inácio, Zeno Debast, Ricardo Mangas, Morten Hjulmand, Hidemasa Morita (Giorgi Kochorashvili, 73’), Francisco Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves (Conrad Harder, 73’), Geny Catamo (Geovany Quenda, 57’), Luis Suárez (Alisson Santos, 81’)

Arouca: João Valido, Alex Pinto (Miguel Puche, 78’), José Fontán, Boris Popovi, Amadou Danté (Arnau Solà, 78’), Pedro Santos, Taichi Fukui, Alfonso Trezza (Barbero, 63’), Lee Hyun-ju (Tiago Esgaio, 46’) , Naïs Djouahra (Mateo Flores, 63’), Dylan Nandín

Goals:

[1-0] Ricardo Mangas, 19’

[2-0] Luis Suárez (pen), 30’

[3-0] Francisco Trincão, 44’

[4-0] Ricardo Mangas, 50’

[5-0] Luis Suárez, 62’

[6-0] Francisco Trincão, 76’

• Braga
• Alverca

Marko Milovanović went through on goal early on and was brought down by Lukás Hornícek, no penalty awarded due to the striker being ruled offside. The Serbian had another chance when he was released by Kaiky Naves, Hornícek getting a touch on his shot which allowed Paulo Oliveira time to make a goal line clearance.

It proved a costly miss with Braga taking the lead in the 11th minute. The visitors passed the ball around at will before Roger picked out Diego Rodrigues, the 20-year-old skipping past two opponents before unleashing a long range strike that swerved and wrong footed André Gomes.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 when Roger’s cross was slapped away by Gomes, Leonardo Lelo finding Ricardo Horta who fired a left footed volley into the roof of the net.

Braga made it 3-0 in the 36th minute following Lelo’s corner that was handled by Chiquinho. Referee Miguel Nogueira watched replays on the sideline and awarded a penalty, Amine El Ouazzani putting the ball on the spot sending Gomes the wrong way.

Alverca continued to play balls over and behind Braga’s defence which provided another great chance after the break. Alexsandro Amorim released Chiquinho who had Hornicek to beat, the former Sporting CP junior missing the target.

Amorim then sent another pass over the top to Milovanović, his shot destined for the bottom corner before Hornícek got his fingertips on the ball to divert it wide.

Tiago Leite came off the bench and shot straight at the busy goalkeeper, Lelo looking certain to score at the other end before Nabil Touaizi deflected the ball over the bar.

Alverca finished the game in a flurry but their lack of quality in front of goal continued, Leite’s miscued shot hitting the bar and Diogo Martins forcing a save from Hornícek, Touaizi and Leite missing the final two opportunities of the contest.

Great game!

It was an exciting contest in Alverca where a top flight clash hadn’t been played in 21 years. Manager Vasco Botelho da Costa jumped ship and joined Moreirense, Custódio brought in to try and get the best out of a squad that has been completely rebuilt. Diogo Martins is the only player remaining from last season.

Custódio's tactics were clear and his side did a great job exploiting Braga’s high line, the only problem was the quality of their finishing and another strong performance from Lukás Hornícek. The promoted club have potential but have to start taking their chances.

Carlos Vicens continues to utilise his squad with two games being played a week. Hornícek has been one of the regulars alongside Paulo Oliveira and Jean-Baptiste Gorby, the trio now joined by Ricardo Horta.

The Warriors should have no problems getting past Lincoln Red Imps and earning a spot in the Europa League, but Vicens has to find a way for his side to stop conceding so many chances before the level of opposition increases.

Alverca 0-3 Braga highlights

• Benfica
• Estrela da Amadora

Benfica’s 2024/25 Primeira Liga campaign began with a hard fought 1-0 win against Estrela da Amadora.

The first two chances at Estadio José Gomes fell to Samuel Dahl, the left-back firing over the bar and sending another effort narrowly wide.

Amadora got into the game with Alan Godoy breaking clear and seeing his shot deflected wide by Nicolás Otamendi. A clever free kick resulted in Sidny Cabral sending a cross into the box where Atanas Chernev volleyed over the bar from point blank range.

Pavlidis went close to diverting Fredrik Aursnes’ wayward shot on target as chances continued to come at both ends. Gastão forced a save from Anatoliy Trubin and Aursnes picked out Andreas Schjelderup, Luan Patrick recovering to make a crucial block.

The home side had a great chance to take the lead in the 55th minute when Trubin palmed Sidny Cabral’s free kick straight to Godoy, the striker heading wide with the goal at his mercy.

The winning goal came five minutes later when Benfica were awarded a penalty. Franjo Ivanovic was foolishly dragged down by Chernev, referee Hélder Carvalho pointing to the spot where Vangelis Pavlidis smashed the ball down the middle.

Ivanovic looked certain to double the Eagles’ advantage in the 80th minute but Renan Ribeiro had other ideas, the Brazilian goalkeeper making a great save to keep his side in the game.

Amadora had a fantastic chance to steal a point in added time when Ianis Stoica sent Kikas through on goal, the substitute firing over the bar with Trubin to beat.

José Faria watched the game from the grandstand and would have been pleased with his team despite the defeat. Eight players in his starting side were new arrivals including all three centre-backs and both strikers.

Bruno Lage selected the same starting side for a third straight match, his side now facing a tough trip to Turkey where they face José Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the Champions League play-off first leg.

Estrela da Amadora 0-1 Benfica highlights

CD Santa Clara 0-0 Larne FC

CD Santa Clara deservedly earned themselves a place in the UEFA Conference League playoff against Irish club Shamrock Rovers in what promises to be one of the biggest ties in the club's 104-year history. A hard-fought 0-0 draw against Larne FC was enough to see the Azores club progress and enter the next chapter of their European journey. The supporters who made it out to the Estádio de São Miguel may not have witnessed an action-packed, goal-filled affair, but they would've been delighted with the final result.

Vasco Matos' decision to adjust his starting 11 after a dismal defeat to FC Famalicão this weeked paid off. The Portuguese manager made seven changes to his side on Thursday, bringing on some fresh legs in the hopes of hanging on to a three-goal advantage from the first leg. The changes were exactly what the doctor order for the Azores club going into this second leg of this Conference League encounter, with the Azoreans putting on a professional display and hanging on for a 0-0 result, and secure a 3-0 aggregate victory.