Sporting keep up the chase with 4-1 thrashing of Vitória in Guimarães | OneFootball

Reigning champions Sporting produced a highly competent performance at a difficult venue to beat Vitória 4-1 in Guimarães tonight. The win keeps the gap to Primeira Liga leaders Porto to five points with two matches remaining until the end of the primeira volta that marks the halfway stage of the season.

The corresponding fixture last year was one of the games of the season, ending in 4-4 draw at the Dom Afonso Henriques, and a huge crowd and terrific atmosphere at kick-off augured for another entertaining match.

But the home fans were knocked back by a superb opening 45 minutes from Sporting, who went into the break with a deserved 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Francisco Trincão and Fotis Ioannidis, the second of which after a wonderful sweeping move from one box to the other.

Goalkeeper blunders at both ends

Vitória were offered a route back into the game when Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva made a mess of dealing with Telmo Arcanjo’s shot, allowing it to slip through his hands and into the net.

With the crowd coming alive again and Vitória re-energised, Sporting began to wobble, but another goalkeeping howler restored the two-goal lead for the visitors. Luis Suárez’s tame pass across goal was somehow diverted into his own net by Juan Castillo.

The goal settled Sporting, who reassumed control of the match and scored a fourth goal when Maxi Araújo followed up Castillo’s save from Suárez’s shot to tap into the net from point-blank range.

“I’d like to dedicate this victory to Iván Fresneda. A member of his family died this week but he wanted to stay with us and help the team and he played a great game,” said Sporting coach Rui Borges post-match.