The team beat FC Famalicão 0-3 to remain leaders

Sporting Clube de Portugal earned a 0-3 away win against FC Famalicão, for their ninth win in as many games in Liga Portugal. The goals were scored in the second half, by Viktor Gyökeres, Geovany Quenda and Gonçalo Inácio.

Coach Rúben Amorim made four changes to the starting lineup, rotating out Ricardo Esgaio, Geny Catamo, Morten Hjulmand and Maxi Araújo and bringing in Ousmane Diomande, Geovany Quenda, Hidemasa Morita and Pedro Gonçalves. At a practically full Estádio Municipal de Famalicão, the conditions were misty and with a chill in the air.

Sporting CP began to create danger after just six minutes: Following a throw-in by Geovany Quenda, the ball fell to Daniel Bragança and he shot against an opposition defender. Shortly afterwards, Quenda himself appeared in the area but was unable to setup a teammate.

In the 11th minute, Gonçalves had the ball in the net off an assist from Viktor Gyökeres, but it was disallowed for offside after a VAR review.

FC Famalicão reacted and started to try their luck with shots from Zaydou Youssouf and a disallowed goal for Aranda. At the other end, strikes from Gyökeres and Daniel Bragança were also unable to find the net.

Bragança, captaining the side with Hjulmand on the bench, put opposition goalkeeper Ivan Zlobin to the test in the 30th minute, when he appeared at the far post off a corner. Francisco Trincão then sent a shot just wide.

Ivan Zlobin went on to make more stops from Pedro Gonçalves and Trincão, with Enea Mihaj also having to head away from almost on the goal line.

For the second half, Geny Catamo replaced the injured Nuno Santos. Sporting CP kept pressing and forcing Ivan Zlobin into action. After 48 minutes, the goalkeeper denied Daniel Bragança with a tremendous intervention.

He also saved shots from Gonçalves and Trincão after the restart, before Sporting CP finally made it 0-1: In the 57th minute, Quenda found Morita with a phenomenal pass, and he in turn gave the ball to Gyökeres to score.

FC Famalicão's defense became more exposed and Sporting CP took advantage to double the lead shortly afterwards, when Trincão forced Zlobin into a save and, on the rebound,  Quenda was in the right place to grab his first goal in Liga Portugal.

In the 64th minute, Amorim replaced Gonçalves with Hjulmand. FC Famalicão began to move up the field in an attempt to change the game. Mirko Topić was the first to demonstrate this intention with a long shot, but Franco Israel saved well.

Jeremiah St. Juste and Maxi Araújo were brought on for Diomande and Quenda for Sporting CP, as the substitutions continued to freshen up the side.

Otso Liimatta had a huge chance to reduce the gap, but ended up kicking the ball against a teammate.

Conrad Harder came in for Morita for the final ten minutes, and Sporting CP once again created danger in the opposite area. Both Catamo and Trincão threatened before, in the 86th minute, Inácio got ahead of Zlobin and finished successfully to make it 0-3.

Outright leaders of Liga Portugal, Sporting CP will host CD Nacional on Tuesday (at 8:15 pm) in the quarter-finals of the Taça da Liga. They then host CF Estrela da Amadora in the league on Friday.

Sporting CP: Franco Israel [GK], Zeno Debast, Ousmane Diomane (Jeremiah St. Juste, 70'), Gonçalo Inácio, Geovany Quenda (Maxi Araújo, 70'), Hidemasa Morita (Conrad Harder, 82'), Daniel Bragança [ C], Nuno Santos (Geny Catamo, 46'), Francisco Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves (Morten Hjulmand, 64') and Viktor Gyökeres.