Sporting CP see off Portimonense SC 2-0 at home

Sporting Clube de Portugal made it six league wins in a row on Matchday 20 of the Liga NOS season, beating Portimonense SC 2-0 at the Estádio José Alvalade. First half goals for Zouhair Feddal and Nuno Santos ensured the three points stayed with Sporting CP, who remain outright leaders.

With Paulinho out of the squad due to last-minute physical problems, Rúben Amorim kept Tiago Tomás in the eleven and bet on Nuno Santos returning to the starting lineup, in a game in which the pitch was in good condition, despite the heavy rain feel during the day and that fell with intensity throughout the first part.

With Paulinho out of the squad due to some last-minute discomfort, coach Rúben Amorim brought Santos back into the starting lineup.

The pitch was in good condition for the game, despite the heavy rainfall during the day and throughout the first half.

Sporting CP started the game strongly, building play patiently but also creating opportunities on goal. After 6 minutes, a run by Nuno Santos ended with a shot, saved by Samuel Portugal.

Just before the half hour, the opening goal finally arrived. Off a free kick sent in by Gonçalo Inácio, Coates headed on target. The rebound fell to Zouhair Feddal, who took advantage of a scramble in the area to prod the ball into the net. It was his first goal for Sporting CP since joining the club last summer.

Portimonense SC attempted a first half response, and had a goal disallowed for offside, but were stifled as Sporting CP controlled possession and eased into halftime.

As rain continued to fall going into the second half, Sporting CP adopted a more conservative approach to proceedings, and allowed Portimonense SC to have more of the ball. In an attempt to attack on the counter, coach Rúben Amorim brought Jovane Cabral on for Tiago Tomás.

The visitors had problems finishing their chances, and it was Os Leões who came closest to scoring again, from two efforts by Pedro Gonçalves: his first shot went wide, with his second forcing Samuel Portugal to make another good save.

In the final fifteen minutes, with Portimonense SC pushing forward in search of a goal, it was Jovane Cabral who almost made it 3-0 in another one-on-one, but in the end the score remained 2-0 at the Estádio José Alvalade.

With this result, Sporting CP have 54 points in Liga NOS, 13 more than nearest rivals - and next opponents - FC Porto.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán, Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates, Zouhair Feddal, Pedro Porro, João Palhinha (Matheus Nunes, 87 '), João Mário, Nuno Mendes, Pedro Gonçalves (Daniel Bragança, 88'), Nuno Santos (Bruno Tabata, 71 ') and Tiago Tomás (Jovane Cabral, 62')