Just three days after taking over Sporting, their new coach, Rui Borges, He brought the team back to the path of success and at the top of the Primeira Liga after winning the derby against Benfica 1-0.
Gyökeres support
The battle for the lead got complicated before the day started as Mozambique scored in the 28th minute. Geny Catamo opened the scoring found no opposition in the opposition area after a pass from the Sporting star, Viktor Gyökeres.
This goal energized the ‘lions’, who were playing at home, at the Alvalade Stadium, and showed themselves superior to the ‘eagles’ throughout the first half.
To change this dynamic, Benfica coach, Bruno Lage, He stopped the center back in the second half Florentino Luis to replace it with Leandro Barreiro. Benfica began to play more forward, driving Sporting’s Uruguayan goalkeeper, Franco Israel.
Benfica reacted after the break
Indeed, the tables turned and the Benfiquistas tormented the Verdiblancos in the second half.
In the 59th minute, an Argentine free shot from Benfica Angel di Maria It almost ended up being a goal thanks to a header from Barreiro that goes over the crossbar. Shortly after a corner kick from Di María, headed by his compatriot Nicolás Otamendi, He also surpassed the goal.
Despite numerous scoring chances, Benfica failed to equalize and Sporting were declared derby winners, in addition to retaking the lead in the standings, having lost last week.
In this result, Rui Borges, from Vitória de Guimarães, achieved his first victory on the ‘lions’ bench after the dismissal of João Pereira, who in 4 games added two losses, one win and one draw after relieving in mid-November Ruben Amorim. He left the bench to manage Manchester United.
After today’s match, Sporting took first place with 40 points and ends 2024 as the leader, equal on points with the second, Porto, and followed by Benfica, with 38 points.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
