Once again Sporting Clube de Portugal in a bold act made a loud statement by winning 3-0 over Rio Ave at the Estádio José Alvalade on Sunday. The team from Lisbon in green and white completely dominated the match from the very first minute, and not even their opponents from Vila do Conde were given a small opportunity to respond.

Sporting with their coach Rui Borges not only controlled the game’s tempo and rhythm but also produced many chances to score while being solid defensively at the same time. Rio Ave could hardly find any area where they could play, and the meager attempts of putting the home goal in danger were so rare that the match was almost unilaterally sided.

This victory proved to be decisive in the struggle for the title. Sporting has not only raised the distance in the Primeira Liga table with Benfica who are now five points behind, thus putting them in a good position for the remaining part of the season. The fans at the stadium were given a marvellous show, which besides lifting their hopes for the championship also assured the team’s determination.

Match Highlights:

• Sporting maintained a controlled possession game over the whole match, having more than 65% of the ball.
• The midfield was the area where the strongest players were, as it was the midfield that successfully blocked Rio Ave’s attacking.
• The offensive Sporting showed every feature of an attack, and thus three good goals came out of the game.
• The defense’s robustness was a guarantee for the clean sheet, and their goalkeeper had a great hand when he was required to make important saves.

The rival team, Rio Ave, did not pose much of a threat through their attempts to score. Their low ball possession together with their incapacity to take advantages of favorable situations gradually became an irritation for the team during the whole game.

Rui Borges after the match praised the performance of the players and remarked, “We executed our strategy from the outset and over the whole match. The players were obedient, alert, and seized every opportunity. This victory is important not just for the points but also for the team’s spirit.”

With this triumph, Sporting now has its eyes set on the upcoming matches filled with confidence and its goal is to keep the wagon rolling while still going for the number one spot in the Primeira Liga.