Sporting enter 2024 top of the table after overcoming a testing trip to Portimão | OneFootball

Portimonense 1-2 Sporting

Sporting have held onto the Primeira Liga top spot at the turn of the new year after defeating Portimonense 2-1 away from home, this Saturday night.

The Lions took a second-half lead through Viktor Gyökeres before being made to sweat following a Filipe Relvas equaliser in the 69th minute.

Rúben Amorim’s men were salvaged by a Paulinho winner, however, securing a 2-1 win that places them one point clear of second-placed Benfica once more, going into 2024.

In the suspended Morten Hjulmand’s absence, Paulinho was offered the opportunity to star alongside Gyökeres in attack, as Pedro Gonçalves slotted into midfield to deputise the Danish enforcer instead.

Despite being pinned in their own half for much of the opening 45 minutes, it was Portimonense who accumulated the best chances in a half devoid of opportunities, as Carlinhos and Guga threatened Sporting’s goal.

The Lions came with a more aggressive approach for the second period that birthed two great opportunities for Paulinho to break the deadlock with his head, but the striker would have no luck up against the well-positioned Portimonense defence.

Gyökeres was far more savvy, however, ghosting behind the backline to meet Pedro Gonçalves’ lofted pass and flick the ball past the goalkeeper for Sporting’s first goal in the 66th minute.

But no less than three minutes later, the hosts were back level with a glancing header from the towering Filipe Relvas, taking advantage of an in-swinging free-kick to make it 1-1.

The equaliser left the game in the balance, with Hidemasa Morita working Vinícius from range before Dener, at the other end, was denied by a crucial Eduardo Quaresma intervention when bearing down one-on-one with Adan in the 78th minute.

Sporting found themselves back in front after a neat Paulinho back-heel, via Morita’s low cross, deflected off Relvas and found its way into the back of the net in the 89th minute.

The visitors were then tasked with defending a 2-1 lead that was almost cancelled out by Hélio Tavares, also one-on-one with Adan prior to the keeper’s save.

Paulinho could’ve placed the game beyond Portimonense’s reach shortly after following Gyökeres’s square pass before skying the Swede’s ball over the bar in the 95th minute, but the chance wasn’t to haunt Sporting who saw out a 2-1 victory to remain top of the table.