Sporting beat Benfica in extra time to lift Portuguese Cup and complete the double | OneFootball

Benfica 1-3 Sporting (a.e.t.)

With one minute of the ten minutes of stoppage time remaining in the Portuguese Cup final it seemed certain Benfica would get a measure of revenge over Sporting, their city neighbours who had narrowly beaten them to the title last week. Orkun Kökçü’s superb long-range goal at the start of the second half had Benfica leading with only seconds left.

But Francisco Trincão and Viktor Gyökeres had not given up. The two combined with the Swede hurtling into the box and being tripped by Renato Sanches. Penalty! Gyökeres picked himself up and there was only ever going to be one outcome. 1-1 and into extra time we went.

For the first time, Sporting got on top of their opponents, late substitutes Geovany Quenda and Conrad Harder injecting new energy into the Lions’ attack.

And it was the young Dane who put Sporting into the lead, powerfully heading in a delicious Trincão cross. The two combined again for the clinching third goal, this time Harder setting up Trincão, who produced a classy finish to send the green half of the stadium into dreamland.

Benfica coach Bruno Lage pulled off a couple of surprises, selecting Samuel Dahl and Bruma in the starting XI, while Ángel Di María was left on bench, where he was joined by injury doubt Aursnes. For Sporting Ousmane Diomande failed to recover from injury, the big centre-back not even on the bench. Jeremiah St. Juste replaced him.

Sporting started well, keeping hold of possession for long periods, but when Pedro Gonçalves lost the ball in a dangerous area Orkun Kökçü tried his luck from the edge of the box but Rui Silva had it covered.

Play switched to the other end of the pitch where Geny Catamo sped past Carreras with a strong run, António Silva cutting out his low cross in the nick of time with Gyökeres lurking with intent for a tap-in.

Sporting celebrate winning the Portuguese Cup 2024/25. Photo: Arlindo Homem ©

Penalty drama

Sporting were losing the ball carelessly and the play was largely restricted to their defensive half of the pitch. Benfica’s ascendancy was almost rewarded in the 11th minute. Bruma’s shot was charged down by Gonçalo Inácio’s arm, the referee pointing to the penalty spot, only for the decision to be reversed as VAR had spotted an offside in the buildup.

Benfica continued to push forward. In the 20th minute another poor loss of possession by Debast allowed Pavlidis a clear sight at goal, goalkeeper Rui Silva saving his Sporting teammate’s skin with a superb save to push the Greek striker’s firm shot onto the post.

With Carreras increasingly influential, the chances kept coming for Benfica, Bruma’s effort deflected over the bar by a last-ditch Inácio interception and Pavlidis heading wide.

All Benfica

The Greek striker had another headed opportunity just before the break, with Gyökeres at last appearing straight afterwards but unable to seriously test Samuel Soares. The half-time whistle went with the game goalless.

The Benfica fans may feel they deserved more after having the clear upper hand during the opening 45 minutes, but they did not have to wait long after the break to start celebrating. The lively Kökçü got hold of the ball 25 yards out and smashed an unstoppable low shot into the corner of the net.

Benfica fans celebrate taking the lead. Photo: Arlindo Homem ©

VAR denies Bruma

The red half of the stadium erupted, and they were bouncing even more soon afterwards as Bruma was played through and made no mistake. 2-0 Benfica! But no. VAR intervened again, ruling that Carreras had fouled Trincão earlier in the move and the goal was ruled out.

Morita came on for the out-of-sorts Debast but Sporting continued to struggle to create any openings, a speculative Gyökeres shot on the turn apart.

All change

With 15 minutes remaining Rui Borges made a double change, Conrad Harder and Geovany Quenda coming on for Geny Catamo and Pedro Gonçalves, while by this time Benfica had made four changes, Renato Sanches, Andreas Schjelderup, Fredrik Aursnes and Andrea Belotti all joining the action.

On 81 minutes Benfica had a chance to kill the game, but Belotti’s shot from close range was kept out by Rui Silva.

With the clock ticking down Trincão was played in by Harder but the forward got no power behind his shot and Samuel Soares saved easily.

Late late equaliser

Sporting were given hope when the referee signalled 10 minutes of stoppage time, but that hope had all but evaporated when the ball fell to Trincão deep in his own half. The Portugal international somehow summoned the energy to progress with the ball up the wing and slip a pass to Gyökeres. The Swede bore down on goal and was clipped by Sanches for an obvious penalty.

The nerveless Number 9 duly smashed home the spot kick, sending the final into extra time.

Although well controlled by Benfica’s defence, Viktor Gyökeres proved decisive by earning and scoring a last-gasp penalty for Sporting. Photo: Arlindo Homem ©

Conrad has his day

It has been a promising first season at Sporting for Conrad Harder, but the 20-year-old Danish striker has had to be patient with one of the best strikers in Europe severely limiting his chances.

But Harder would prove the difference-maker as Sporting at last began to get on top. Gyökeres was denied by a good save from Soares, but it was only a stay of execution for Benfica. A spell of heavy Sporting pressure saw the ball come out to Trincão who immediately swung over a sumptuous left-foot cross where Harder rose highest to thump a header into the net.

Bruno Lage threw on Ángel Di María but it was now Benfica who were looking short of ideas and inspiration. The Argentine tried his luck from distance twice, his first effort from a free kick grasped by Rui Silva and his second flying high over the bar.

The game was made safe for Sporting in the 120th minute. With Benfica pushing everyone up, Sporting broke, Gyökeres and Harder working the ball neatly to Trincão who skipped past António Silva and slid the ball into the net to spark the second huge party for Sporting fans in little over a week.

The 2024/25 season ended in absolute triumph for Rui Borges and his coaching team, who were appointed mid-season. Photo: Arlindo Homem ©

Benfica 1-3 Sporting highlights

Benfica: Samuel Soares, Tomás Araújo (Fredrik Aursnes, 77’), Nicolás Otamendi, António Silva, Samuel Dahl (Ángel Di María, 103’), Álvaro Carreras, Florentino Luís, Orkun Kökçü (Renato Sanches, 69’), Vangelis Pavlidis (Andrea Belotti, 77’), Bruma (Leandro Barreiro, 90’), Kerem Aktürkoglu (Andreas Schjelderup, 69’)

Sporting: Rui Silva, Eduardo Quaresma (Iván Fresneda, 83’), Jeremiah St. Juste (Matheus Reis, 83’), Gonçalo Inácio, Zeno Debast (Hidemasa Morita, 58’), Maxi Araújo (David Moreira, 115’), Morten Hjulmand, Geny Catamo (Geovany Quenda, 75’), Francisco Trincão, Viktor Gyökeres, Pedro Gonçalves (Conrad Harder, 75’)