Viktor Gyökeres leads Sporting CP towards the league title
Star striker Viktor Gyökeres guided Sporting CP to their second consecutive Portuguese league title, securing the championship on the final matchday.
Gyökeres and Pedro Gonçalves were the scorers of the goals in the 2-0 victory over Vitoria SC, ensuring that the title remained in the hands of the green and white team and leaving their Lisbon rivals as runners-up.
Benfica, for its part, drew 1-1 against Braga, who played with ten men. This left Sporting with 82 points and Benfica with 80 after 34 matchdays.
Gonçalves opened the scoring for Sporting in the 53rd minute, and Gyökeres sealed the victory in the 82nd, controlling a ball in the area, dribbling past a defender and the goalkeeper before scoring. The Swedish striker celebrated with euphoria, flexing his muscles and shouting while the home fans celebrated.
With this goal, Gyökeres reached the impressive figure of 39 goals in 33 league matches, also adding six goals in the Champions League. He is in the race for the European Golden Shoe, which rewards the top scorer in domestic leagues.
This achievement surpasses the 29 goals of last season, and consolidated Sporting as champions in 2024. Gyökeres is considered one of the most promising prospects in European football, and a millionaire transfer is expected in the next market.
It was our goal all season and to finish it on the last day is incredible. You never know what’s going to happen.
Viktor Gyökeres
This is the 21st league title for Sporting.
Sporting and Benfica arrived at the last matchday tied on points, but Sporting had the advantage in the tiebreaker due to direct encounters. Sporting needed to match Benfica’s result, while Benfica needed Sporting to stumble and for them to improve their result.
The title definition was extended until the last day, after Sporting and Benfica drew 1-1 in a derby the previous week, when both had the opportunity to secure the championship.
The Sporting and Benfica matches were played simultaneously on Saturday.
Benfica took the lead early in Braga, when Rodrigo Zalazar converted a penalty in the 23rd minute. Vangelis Pavlidis equalized for Benfica in the 63rd, after an assist from Ángel Di María, who had just come on as a substitute.
Braga was left with ten men three minutes later, when João Moutinho received a second yellow card, but Benfica could not get the victory.
The championship ended one day before the national elections in Portugal.
Sporting and Benfica will face each other again in the Portuguese Cup final next weekend. That could be Gyökeres’ last match with Sporting, as bigger European clubs are interested in his goals.
We want to win that match, but right now we want to celebrate.
Viktor Gyökeres
