A 3-0 home win over Gil Vicente FC earns them the runner-up spot in the league

In the closing match of the 2025/26 Liga Portugal season, Sporting CP defeated Gil Vicente FC 3-0 through goals from Eduardo Quaresma, Luis Suárez and Morten Hjulmand, earning them second place in the final table and access to the qualifying phase of the UEFA Champions League.

They were up against one of the revelations of the season, Gil Vicente FC, who were still seeking to equal their best ever position of fifth place and qualify for European competition -and had been one of the teams that took points from Sporting CP in the first half of the season with a 1-1 draw.

Rui Borges made three changes to the Sporting CP starting eleven: Georgios Vagiannidis, Hjulmand – both recovering from injury – and Geny Catamo returned, taking the places of Ousmane Diomande (out through suspension), Daniel Bragança and Luís Guilherme.

Before the game got underway, Hidemasa Morita – whose contract is expiring at the end of the campaign –, and Geovany Quenda – who is heading back to Chelsea FC after a season on loan – were cheered on their farewell at Alvalade.

Once the action began, Sporting CP came out intensely, dominating possession, and captain Hjulmand had the first chance in the opening moments -sending a shot wide.

The pace slowed down afterwards, but the scoring was opened from a set piece. Just past the quarter-hour, Pedro Gonçalves took a corner to the far post, where Eduardo Quaresma rose and headed into the back of the net for his second goal of the season.

From another dead ball situation, Suárez reached the byline and passed to Hjulmand in the six-yard box, but his effort was stopped by goalkeeper Dani Figueira.

 The mobility and combinations between the Sporting CP attackers caused increasing havoc, and between successive crosses and increasingly dangerous approaches, they continued to push for goal number two.

'Pote' turned on the style for another close call, but it would be the league's top scorer who made it 2-0. Morita managed to cushion the ball down for Luis Suárez's arrival, and the Colombian unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the area, for his 28th Liga Portugal goal of the season.

Before halftime, Dani Figueira came out of his area to prevent Vagiannidis from going through alone. In response, Sporting CP’s Rui Silva made a good save to deflect a shot from outside the area by Luís Esteves.

After the interval, Gil Vicente FC came out more aggressively and were even the first team to threaten, with a long-range shot from Luís Esteves that Rui Silva kept away. At the other end, good work by Suárez left Francisco Trincão with a clear chance to score, were it not for a last-ditch clearance by Jonathan Buatu in the area.

Shortly after the hour mark, with more space to exploit due to Gil Vicente FC's higher defensive line, Trincão got a shot away that Dani Figueira saved with great difficulty.

As the minutes ticked by, Sporting CP controlled possession, and Rui Borges made three substitutions at once. Daniel Bragança, Luís Guilherme, and Geovany Quenda came on, replacing Pedro Gonçalves, Geny Catamo, and Morita, who received a huge ovation on his farewell night at what has been his home since the 2022/23 season.

Sporting CP later brought on Ricardo Mangas and Salvador Blopa, and controlled play until the end, with few further chances arising. However, there was still time to celebrate another goal at Alvalade. In stoppage time, captain Hjulmand went into the opposing area and, with a curling shot, provided the perfect ending to this last home game and the final league match.

Rounding off the competition with their third consecutive victory, Sporting CP equalled their 82 points from last season, this time six fewer than FC Porto and two more than SL Benfica.

The team now head to Jamor for the final of the Taça de Portugal, on Sunday, May 24th (5:15pm) against SCU Torreense.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Georgios Vagiannidis (Salvador Blopa, 90'), Eduardo Quaresma, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand [C], Hidemasa Morita (Daniel Bragança, 73'), Geny Catamo (Geovany Quenda, 73'), Pedro Gonçalves (Luís Guilherme, 73'), Francisco Trincão (Ricardo Mangas, 90'), Luis Suárez.