The team win 6-0 against the league's basement side

Sporting CP had one of their best showings of the season to date on Liga Portugal Matchday 14, thrashing AFS 6-0 at home. Three goals in a devastating five-minute span from Luis Suárez, Maxi Araújo and Geny Catamo put them on track, and this was followed up by all three scoring their second goals of the game in the second half.

Bottom of the table AFS side had only three points and no wins to their name, and just one point earned away from home. Rui Borges made a total of six changes to the Sporting CP starting lineup to face them: Georgios Vagiannidis, Gonçalo Inácio, Giorgi Kochorashvili, Hidemasa Morita, Ricardo Mangas – as a full-back with Maxi Araújo ahead of him – and Francisco Trincão, returning from injury, were starters in place of Iván Fresneda, Eduardo Quaresma, Matheus Reis, Morten Hjulmand, João Simões and Alisson Santos -who had begun the game against Bayern Munich.

Before the opening whistle, there was a minute of silence and applause in memory of Ernesto Figueiredo, one of the greatest goalscorers in the history of Sporting CP, a two-time Liga Portugal winner and also one of the heroes of the 1963/64 Taça das Taças.

Sporting CP began the game assertively and with great quality in their combinations, and only needed three minutes to threaten João Gonçalves' goal with an attempt by Luis Suárez that went straight at the goalkeeper. Moments later, they were initially awarded a penalty -which was overturned after VAR check.

From two mid-range shots, Trincão culminated a beautiful collective move with a strike that went just wide of the post, then drew a save from the opposing goalkeeper.

Geny Catamo appeared at the far post with a cross that forced João Gonçalves into a tight save, before a flood of goals arrived when the half-hour mark was reached.

After an AFS counterattack in which Óscar Perea was denied by Rui Silva, Sporting CP showed ruthless effectiveness.

It all started with a powerful shot from Suárez, from outside the area. It deflected off defender Devenish and left the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

In quick succession, Maxi Araújo appeared unmarked in the area to finish off Vagiannidis' run and subsequent cross.

Geny Catamo then took advantage of a loose ball from a corner to set up a shot on his right foot, drilling low to make it 3-0. All three goals came in a five minute spell.

At halftime, Sporting CP made a change, as Matheus Reis came on for Gonçalo Inácio.

Goal number four came two minutes after the restart, as Maxi Araújo got his first brace for the club. He surged down the left, passed inside to Suárez, who opened up play on the opposite side to Vagiannidis, and the Greek delivered a perfect pass for the Uruguayan to tap in.

Suárez then threatened twice more, before finally adding to his tally. A knock in at the back post off a corner took the scoreline to 5-0, and established him as the league's top scorer – 11 goals in the league, 14 in all competitions.

Immediately, Rui Borges made another change, bringing on Eduardo Quaresma and Fotis Ioannidis, and later João Simões and Alisson Santos were also introduced.

AFS, who were already decimated, had a tame attack, with Pedro Lima shooting and Rui Silva easily catching the ball.

Entering in the last 15 minutes, Kochorashvili also tried his luck with an effort from outside the area, which was met by João Gonçalves. Alisson had two shots go wide and another two be saved.

Aves' final chance of note was from Tomané, who found himself unmarked in the area and headed the ball towards goal -but Rui Silva made another safe save.

In the last move of the game. Geny Catamo slipped down the right and, in front of goal, took the opportunity to score his second goal.

With a resounding 6-0 victory, Sporting CP extended their unbeaten run to ten games in the competition.

Rui Borges’ men still have two more away games scheduled before Christmas, the next one coming on Thursday in the Azores. They will play a Taça de Portugal tie against CD Santa Clara.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Georgios Vagiannidis, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio [C] (Matheus Reis, 46’), Ricardo Mangas (Eduardo Quaresma, 55’), Giorgi Kochorashvili, Hidemasa Morita (João Simões, 72’), Maxi Araújo (Fotis Ioannidis, 55’), Geny Catamo, Francisco Trincão, Luis Suárez (Alisson Santos, 72’)