• Viktor Gyökeres
• Sporting CP
• Porto

Sporting Clube de Portugal came back from the death to earn a 2-2 draw against Porto in a sensational game of football at Estádio do Dragão.

The Dragons got off to a great start, pouncing on a loose pass from Franco Israel which saw Evanilson open the scoring in the 7th minute.

Porto doubled their lead in the 40th minute after a long run forward by 18-year-old Martim Fernandes, the debutant picking out Pepê Aquino who fired past Israel.

Viktor Gyökeres replaced Bragança at half-time, Rúben Amorim introducing Nuno Santos in the 60th minute and Marcus Edwards in the 86th. All three players would contribute to an incredible preiod of play which saw Sporting score twice in 60 seconds.

It had to be Gyökeres, the Swedish striker heading home Santos’ cross before tapping in Edwards’ cross after Porto had gifted the Lions possession from the restart.

It was an incredible end to the game, the result seeing Sporting inch closer to the Primeira Liga title, now five points clear of Benfica with three games remaining. Porto move one point ahead of Braga in the race for third spot.

The longest and most successful presidency in football history anywhere in the world came to an end this Saturday night.

André Villas-Boas was elected the new president of Futebol Clube do Porto, ending Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa’s 42-year reign.

A record turnout of 26,741 voters – smashing the previous record of around 10,000 – gave Villas-Boas 80% of the vote for a crushing triumph. 

• Benfica
• Ricardo Horta
• Roger Schmidt
• David Neres
• Marcos Leonardo
• Sporting Braga

Benfica 3-1 Sp. Braga

Benfica have killed off Sporting’s hopes of celebrating a Primeira Liga title triumph this weekend against FC Porto after battling towards a 3-1 victory at home to Sporting de Braga, this evening.

The visitors put the pressure on the Eagles, navigating through turbulence from the stands after Ricardo Horta’s opener in the 28th minute of the first half, as Roger Schmidt’s side struggled to impose themselves.

The balance tipped with the change of halves, however, as Marcos Leonardo’s 71st minute equaliser pathed the way for David Neres’ crucial header in the 85th minute, and a stoppage-time second from Leonardo secured an important 3-1 win.

Porto fans vote on Saturday: Pinto da Costa or André Villas-Boas?

Tomorrow, Saturday 27 April 2024, is set to be a monumental day for the future of FC Porto. Indeed, the visit of league leaders Sporting to the Estádio do Dragão the day after has been relegated almost to a sideshow this weekend for Porto fans.

Porto’s long-serving president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa and the pretender to his throne, André Villas-Boas, were once the closest of allies. But the two have become embroiled in an increasingly fractious election campaign, with insults and accusations flying from one camp to the other. 

PortuGOAL elaborates on the backdrop to Satuday’s election.