Sporting are officially the new national champions, after the (surprising) defeat suffered earlier this Sunday evening by Benfica at the Estádio Municipal de Famalicão, by 2-0, which definitively settles the accounts for the 2023/24 season of the main tier of Portuguese football.

Puma Rodríguez and Zaydou Youssouf scored the goals that made the difference, and which left the reds eight points behind the leaders, at a time when there are only two matchdays left to play, which means that, whatever happens from now on, there is no longer any possible overtaking.

‘Madness’ postponed by centimetres

The match was potentially decisive for the outcome of the national championship, and did not disappoint, with a frenetic start. So frenetic that, nine minutes after the initial whistle, the refereeing team led by João Gonçalves had already disallowed two goals, one for each side.

The first ‘victim’ was Ángel di María, who deflected the ball into the back of the opponent's goal after good work by Marcos Leonardo, but was nine centimetres offside. The second was Jhonder Cádiz, whose celebration was halted by 41 centimetres. The tone was thus set for what was to come.

Next, it was the turn of both goalkeepers to shine. Marcos Leonardo headed for a great save by Luiz Júnior in the 18th minute, and, in response, Zaidou Youssouf ‘fired’ into the hands of Anatoliy Trubin. In the 27th minute, the post of the reds' goal came into action, denying Puma Rodríguez a goal.

The ‘madness’ was installed, but, little by little, Roger Schmidt's men managed to put some ‘ice’ on the game. With more serenity, they even had another opportunity to break the deadlock, but Luíz Júnior once again said ‘present’, deflecting Ángel di María's shot.

Puma ‘hunted’, lion celebrated

The draw at half-time definitively ruled Benfica out of the fight for the title of national champion, so Roger Schmidt did not hesitate to make three changes at once, bringing in Florentino Luís, Rafa Silva and Arthur Cabral to replace Orkun Kokçu, David Neres and Marcos Leonardo.

Rafa Silva came in particularly ‘possessed’, and, in the 53rd minute, he came close to scoring, but the ball hit the hands of Luíz Júnior. Five minutes later, it was Ángel di María who came close to ‘untying the knot’, but, with everything to score, he hit the post. The warning had been given.

In trouble, Armando Evangelista ‘counterattacked’, bringing in Sorriso to replace Chiquinho. A change that gave another clarity to the Minho attack, bringing it closer to the opponent's goal. It was then that, in the 71st minute, the deadlock was finally broken, thanks to a precise shot by Puma Rodríguez, assisted by Gustavo Sá.

All seemed lost for the eagles… but the scenario still had a way to get worse. In the 81st minute, it was Zaidou Youssouf who sentenced the game, after a false start by the opponents, at a time when they were trying everything to avoid defeat. Something that, however, was not possible.

With this result, Benfica remain in second place, with 76 points, now eight points behind the leaders, when, at best, they can score six more, so they can no longer catch Sporting. Famalicão, on the other hand, is eighth in the standings, with 39 points won after 39 matchdays.

Moment of the game: In the best cloth, the stain falls. Precisely at the time when Benfica presented their most incisive version, Puma Rodríguez received the ball and ‘fired’ it into the back of the net guarded by Anatoliy Trubin, opening the way to a result that sealed the accounts of the national championship.

Lineups

Famalicão: Luíz Júnior; Martín Aguirregabiria, Enea Mihaj, Justin de Haas, Francisco Moura; Zaydou Youssouf, Mirko Topic, Gustavo Sá; Chiquinho, Puma Rodríguez and Jhonder Cádiz.

Benfica: Anatoliy Trubin; Fredrik Aursnes, António Silva, Nicolás Otamendi, Álvaro Carreras; João Neves, Orkun Kokçu, João Mário; Ángel Di María, David Neres and Marcos Leonardo.

Preview

Benfica visit Famalicão this Sunday, in the closing match of the 32nd round of the I Liga, knowing in advance that any result other than a victory will automatically make Sporting the new national champion.

The reds occupy the second position in the table, with 76 points, eight less than the leader, their eternal rival, at a time when they have only three more games ahead of them, so an eventual 'slip' will leave them mathematically unable to overtake them.

Ahead of them, the team coached by Roger Schmidt will face a Famalicão that, on the one hand, has already secured its permanence, and, on the other hand, no longer has ambitions to reach the European places, after a sequence of four consecutive games without a win.

Famalicão-Benfica will take place at the Estádio Municipal de Famalicão, will be refereed by João Gonçalves, a judge from the Porto Football Association, and you can follow it live, from 8:30 pm (mainland Portugal time), on Desporto ao Minuto.

Leia Também: Famalicão-Benfica: Deslize das águias motivará festa... em Lisboa (Portuguese version)