Sporting book Portuguese Cup final date after 2-1 win versus Rio Ave | OneFootball

A ninth win in 10 games for Sporting saw the Lions qualify for the Portuguese Cup final, the 2-1 victory against Rio Ave tonight completing a 4-1 aggregate triumph.

The match was played in Paços de Ferreira following substantial damage to Rio Ave’s stadium in Vila do Conde in the recent storms.

Gonçalo Inácio’s early header all but killed off Rio Ave’s faint hopes of turning around the tie, and Viktor Gyökeres made it 2-0 on the night in the 50th minute, following up on Geny Catamo’s shot that had been parried by Cezary Miszta.

André Luiz pulled a goal back for Rio Ave, finishing off a fine team move, but Sporting ran down the clock without undue alarm.

Sporting will certainly meet Benfica in the final, the Eagles holding a 5-0 first-leg lead against 4th-tier Tirsense ahead of the second leg tomorrow.

Therefore, everything is set up for an incredible finale to the season between the two historical Lisbon rivals. The Lions and Eagles will meet at the Estádio da Luz in the penultimate match of the Primeira Liga season, before bringing the curtain down on 2024/25 at Jamor, with the two games likely deciding who walks away with the major silverware in Portugal this year.