Sporting Clube de Portugal is the winner of the Cândido de Oliveira 2021 Super Cup. This Saturday, the Lions defeated SC Braga 2-1 at Estádio Municipal de Aveiro and, with goals from Jovane Cabral and Pedro Gonçalves, joined the trophy to the League and the League Cup won last season. It is the ninth Super Cup in the Club’s history and the first since 2015.
In an atmosphere of great celebration, or were it not for the return of the National Champions to the games with Sportinguistas – who were in a clear majority – in the stands, Rúben Amorim bet on the same starting lineup that, last week, he defeated at Olympique Lyonnais in Trophy Five Violins.
After a few minutes of study by both sides, with neither team taking control of the incidents, Abel Ruiz was the first to try to score, but the ball went well wide of Adán’s goal. On the other side, Pedro Gonçalves shot to defend Matheus and the game began, little by little, to come to life.
SC Braga grew by making life difficult for the green and white construction and even managed to reach 0-1 after 20 minutes through Fransérgio. The conceded goal, however, left no mark on the Lions, who were immediately looking for the draw.
They managed it less than ten minutes later, when Nuno Mendes, with a perfect pass, destroyed the opposing defense and isolated Jovane Cabral. The (now) shirt 10, in Matheus’s face, didn’t forgive. 1-1 and everything back to square one.
Sporting CP became the better team from that moment on, dominating and creating dangerous situations in the face of a struggling Minho. An example of this was the magnificent play in the 33rd minute, which ended with a beautiful cross by Nuno Mendes for Pedro Gonçalves to shoot and Matheus to defend.
The SC Braga goalkeeper could do nothing, even so, closer to the break, when Sporting CP completed the comeback and made the 2-1. João Palhinha recovered the ball, Matheus Nunes served Pedro Gonçalves on the right and the league’s top scorer in 2020/2021 lifted the Estádio Municipal de Aveiro with a trivela that only stopped at the back of the net. A real goal that closed the first half in the best way for the Alvalade emblem.
Sporting CP wanted to keep up with the challenge and continued better for the second half. Rúben Amorim’s players were quite comfortable on the field and not only didn’t allow SC Braga to create danger but also bothered – and in what way – Matheus. The keeper had trouble in the 52nd and 54th minutes, as he saved Pedro Gonçalves and Matheus Nunes’ shots, respectively, and shortly afterwards it was time to get scared when Nuno Mendes’ free-kick went against the side nets.
The football played by the green and white was very good, dominant and confident, and Sporting CP was much closer to scoring the third than to suffering the equalizer. However, time passed and neither option happened, so Rúben Amorim moved for the first time 20 minutes from the end, when he put Tiago Tomás in Paulinho’s place.
@ Sporting CP
