Sporting begin title defensive with 2-0 win at Casa Pia | OneFootball

“I think it was the best game since I’ve been at Sporting,” said coach Rui Borges after the Portuguese champions began their quest for a third consecutive league title in impressive fashion in Rio Maior tonight.

A goal in each half by Francisco Trincão and Morten Hjulmand secured the three points for the Lions, and only the woodwork and a fine exhibition by Casa Pia goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira prevented further goals for the visitors.

In the inaugural match of the 2025/26 Liga Portugal, Casa Pia were gunning to build on last season’s superb showing. Coach João Pereira expressed his ambition pre-match by saying the aim was to try and beat their Lisbon rivals for the first time in almost 100 years (since 1930)!

As for Sporting, new Colombian striker Luis Suárez was handed his full debut in a 4-2-3-1 formation as Borges continues to seek alternatives to Ruben Amorim’s three-at-the-back system.

Attack, attack, attack

A focused Sporting were dynamic from the off, pinning Casa Pia into their defensive half of the field for practically the entirety of the first half.

Captain Morten Hjulmand hit the post in the 9th minute with Sequeira saving bravely from Suárez on the follow-up. Pedro Gonçalves was next to go close, his first-time curler bringing a flying save out of the Costa Rican goalkeeper. Maxi Araújo then sent a header crashing against the bar as the hosts struggled to survive the visitors’ avalanche of attacking football.

The lively Suárez was seeing plenty of the ball and combining well with Pote and Trincão in the centre of the pitch. Only a fine sliding tackle by José Fonte denied the striker, and shortly afterwards Sequeira saved instinctively from the debutant after Trincão had charged down the goalkeeper’s clearance.

Trincão strikes

Just when it seemed Casa Pia would somehow survive until the interval Sporting found the breakthrough with a well-executed goal demonstrating their enterprising offensive play. Diomande found Trincão who carried the ball forward before releasing Pote, who weighted his return pass perfectly for Trincão to sweep into the net on the run from the top of the box.

The first half ended with Sporting having accumulated 18 shots (6 on target) compared to zero for the home team.

A series of injuries, multiple substitutions and a more aggressive Casa Pia made the second half a different affair. Maxi Araújo was forced off in the 53rd minute, paving the way for Ricardo Mangas to make his debut, and soon afterwards Ousmane Diomande also hobbled off the pitch, replaced by Zeno Debast.

For Casa Pia André Geraldes and Renato Nhaga came on for João Goulart and Rafael Brito. The hosts had stemmed the attacking tide since the break, but continued to be inoffensive.

Captain on the mark

Just after the hour mark Sporting doubled their lead. This time Trincão turned provider, his cleverly worked free kick with Pote prodded into the net by Hjulmand.

Another injury saw Kelian Nsona replaced by Korede Osundina, and as both coaches used up their allotted substitutions the game drifted into a somewhat anarchic end. Giorgi Kochorashvili for Sporting and Max Svensson for Casa Pia came close to late goals with headers, but no further goals were added.

One week after losing the Super Cup to Benfica in a lukewarm match in the Algarve, Sporting fans will be feeling much happier given the convincing nature of the victory, while João Pereira has work to do to elevate his team to last season’s high standards.

Casa Pia AC: Patrick Sequeira, Fahem Benaissa (Miguel Sousa, 82’), José Fonte, João Goulart (André Geraldes, 57’), Gaizka Larrazabal (Max Svensson, 82’), Duplexe Tchamba, Rafael Brito (Renato Hnaga, 57’), Yassin Oukili, Kelian Nsona (Korede Osundina, 71’), Jérémy Livolant, Cassiano