Casa Pia AC 0 Sporting CP 2

 

Casa Pia AC v Sporting CP 

Friday August 8th, 2025

Estádio Municipal de Rio Maior 

Matchday 1 

The warm up 

The 2025/26 season is finally upon us all. Preparations for the reigning back to back Portuguese league champions have been less than ideal. On the pitch the lions started with a 2-0 loss to Celtic, followed up by somewhat lacklustre wins against Sunderland and Villarreal which both finished 1-0. Then on Thursday night The mister Rui Borges suffered his first domestic defeat as Sporting coach when they lost 1-0 in the Supertaça at the hands of rivals Benfica. 

Off the field the headlines were of course dominated by the departure of Viktor Gyökeres to Arsenal which ended up in a soap opera lasting just shy of three weeks. As fans we've had a year to say goodbye so it didn't come as a shock, but the nature of the departure has tarnished his legacy and burnt any good will he would have left with after two incredible seasons with the lion on his chest. Having gone on record several times to say how dignified and respectful he was towards the club and the fans towards the end of last season his decision to not turn up to pre-season was to put it politely a poor judgement call on his part. Last summer I penned an emotional piece to Sebastián Coates and Gyökeres should have had a similar piece written expressing my gratitude to him in addition but I'm frankly loath to write it. No player is bigger than this fine institution. Even Coates made it back to Portugal this summer to join up with members of the squad and he's no longer on the roster. Still in the end he got the move he wanted, Varandas got the deal he wanted and we all move on. I'm sure the sour taste it left in my mouth will pass in time. The near three week delay to complete the deal meant that the club's signing of new record transfer Luis Suárez was only completed this week meaning he's not had the opportunity to play and form an understanding with his new teammates though he did make his debut from the substitutes bench in the Supertaça loss. We'll see how much of an impact that will have in the opening weeks of the season. 

The opening game of last season came off the back of the Supertaça defeat to FC Porto a game which the lions led 3-0 only to capitulate 4-3 after extra time. If alarm bells were ringing back then, they didn't ring for long. The lions won their first 8 games in all competitions, a run which ended with the 1-1 draw away to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. They won their first 11 league games of the campaign, a run which coincided with the departure of the then coach Ruben Amorim to Manchester United. In domestic competitions they won their first 14 games. All told in their first 18 games in all competitions domestic and European their record read won 17, drawn 1, lost 0. A run that included the infamous 4-1 win at the José Alvalade against Manchester City in the Champions League. Remember, remember the 5th of November, Gyökeres, Trincão and Pote as I believe the famous expression goes. So in short a loss in the Portuguese equivalent of the Charity Shield isn't the end of the world if last seasons success is anything to go by. 

One positive from the Benfica defeat was their performance. After the Villarreal game especially which was an incredibly hard watch on the eye, Sporting were surprisingly good. Had Harder not been ruled offside when Gonçalves first half opener was disallowed you could argue that Sporting would have gone on to win the game. However I must caveat both statements by pointing out if the goal had stood it would have more than likely resulted in Sporting being the side on the back foot defending deep and probably the real reason we looked better than expected was simply because they had to try score the equaliser which would ultimately prove illusive. Like any good fan I'll lie to myself and discount the facts until I no doubt re-read this next summer when I'm bored and think oh yeah I'd forgotten all about that clearly. 

Cards on the table I am not expecting us to win a third straight league title. I'd be more than happy with a top two finish and if we finish third then so be it. I never expected us to win the first title under Amorim so to have seen three title wins has exceeded all my wildest dreams and expectations. If we don't win another title for ten years you can't take those away from me and all the associated memories. It doesn't take a genius to work out that replacing the top scorer in Portuguese football of the past two seasons isn't going to be an easy task. But Gyökeres wasn't just the top goalscorer, he was the best player in the league. Football fans who clearly never watch Portuguese league matches just assume that the level of defending is awful and that the top scorer in the league is always banging in close to 40 goals a season which they most certainly aren't. What the Swede achieved in his time in Portugal is phenomenal. He was good first season but last season he was to put it mildly, outstanding. However Arsenal fans expecting him to be the solution against a low block may be disappointed. Contrary to belief by those who don't ever watch Portuguese football, there are teams which are incredibly capable at defending and causing even the seemingly unstoppable lions forward line from scoring as was the case in the 1-0 home defeat to Santa Clara. Their defence took them to a place in Europe if proof was ever needed. Don't be fooled by looking at the record of Boavista and thinking that's indicative of Portuguese football in general. For that you need context and their season was played against the backdrop of players wages going unpaid for months. My mantra this season whatever happens will be that it could be worse, you could be a Boavista fan. Heartbreaking what's happened to their club during the summer following their relegation last season. Just as a sidebar it's probably worth noting that the 2009/10 season was the last time the final top two league placings were not made up of one of Os Três Grandes when Braga finished runners up. 

It seems only fitting given the departure of our Swedish superstar that we kick off the season against the beloved side of the Swedish quartet that is ABBA. Yes, that's right it's a little known fact that Casa Pia were the groups favourite football team and the inspiration for their famous song Mama Mia, the lyrics to which were originally Casa Pia, here we go again, my my just how much we missed you, written after a summer break before the start of the 1975/76 season. OK so that's clearly a lie but next time you're down the pub see if you can tell that story with a straight face and get at least one person to believe you. I cannot now hear the name Casa Pia without singing it so if I've now infected you with the same disease then just know that I'm sorry not sorry. You wait until we play Estrela and I roll out the annual Rihanna joke. 

Last season Sporting completed the double over Casa Pia. In this corresponding fixture they won 3-1 with a Gyökeres brace and the opener from Inácio. Despite finding the net their goal came from a Ricardo Esgaio own goal. At the José Alvalade a 2-0 win with goals from Bragança and Gyökeres. Apologies but we're not going to escape the Swedes name for another ten months at least. Both results certainly an improvement on the 8-0 tonking the lions administered on the geese during the previous campaign. 

Casa Pia would finish the season a highly credible 9th place under 33 year old coach João Pereira (no not that one, or that one) and he was one of a handful of coaches not to have lost their job during the season. 14 clubs out of the 18 in the Portuguese top flight made changes, some clubs had three coaches which yes, included that João Pereira. 12 wins, 9 draws and 13 losses. Goals for 39, goals against 43. At home their record played 17, won 8, drawn 4 and losing just 5 times. A positive goal difference as they scored 22, conceded 19. Top scorer Cassiano with 10, 4 by way of penalty's. Nuno Moreira next best with 5 goals to his name. If finding the net was a problem, keeping the ball out was equally an issue keeping just 7 clean sheets all season, a feet matched by the two relegated sides of Boavista and Farense. They conceded the third most penalties in the league with 8, 7 of which were converted and only behind Nacional on 11 and Arouca on 9. 

Amongst their ranks for the season two names which may or may not be familiar to Sportinguistas; Andre Geraldes and João Goulart. They made five combined appearances for the lions so I'll forgive you if the names mean nothing to you. 

Departures 

Andrian Kraev to Hapoel Tel Aviv

Tiago Dias to Lusitânia FC Lourosa

Ruben Kluivert to Lyon

Leonardo Lelo to Braga. 

Incoming 

Seba Pérez CB from Boavista 

Kaique Rocha CB Internacional 

Ivan Mandic ? Vukovar 91

Yassin Oukili DM RKC Waalwijk 

Kelian Wa Saka LW Hertha BSC

Award yourself a point for each signing you've heard of before and an additional half point for knowing the club. Maximum score 7.5. Just totalling mine … 1 point. Oh dear. Well you don't read this for my in depth knowledge of Casa Pia signings I'm sure. I say in depth…

With these posts rolling into a third season there is of course a huge danger of repeating myself as I've demonstrated with the ABBA joke above although as always that's got a new spin on it at least. Casa Pia are a club I have developed somewhat of a soft spot for and have written extensively about in previous warm ups. So if you'd like to discover more about how they were formed, the links to the Casa Pia charity and orphanage, what links them to the Supertaça, A Bola and the British secret service you can read more here; 

https://outsideofthepride.blogspot.com/2025/03/casa-pia-v-sporting-cp.html

Since this post first went up allegations have come to light in regards to the conduct of new signing Luis Suárez in relation to his ex-wife. As a father of three daughters it's something that sits uneasy with me. However when someone has already said something on the subject far more eloquently than you could I find it best to defer to them so please if you haven't already read it check out the Carmen Garcia opinion piece which ran in A Bola.

https://www.abola.pt/noticias/asencio-hakimi-e-suarez-antes-de-tudo-sou-mulher-2025080419053826700

Gustavo Correia has been confirmed as the match official. Tickets just €15 for away fans. For new readers for reference I am slightly obsessed by how low ticket prices are in Portugal compared to the eye watering amounts some Premier League clubs charge by way of comparison. 

Transfer News

Sporting now hold 90% of Geny's rights having sorted the deal for €2.25m for a further 65%. I would suggest that's as good a bit of business as any that the club have done all summer to date. 

The deal for Ricardo Mangas has been concluded with Spartak Moscow. The 27 year old full back had been waiting on the last piece of paperwork to complete the transfer having arrived in Lisboa last week. He previously played under Rui Borges at Vitória. You have to imagine he's more than glad to be back on Portuguese soil once more. Whilst appearing in the last four games prior to that over the course of 20 games; 11 as an unused substitute and in the other 9 he clocked a grand total of 90 minutes. The fee €300K plus bonuses for objectives. 

The Georgios Vagiannidis signing announcement was delayed out of respect to Porto following the passing of club legend Jorge Costa. He has been registered with the league however and attended training in addition.* 

Reports that for now it'll be a case of one in and one out for any further summer signings which begs the question of there is any weight to the rumours about Jota Silva at all and if so who's the most likely player out the door. Speculation continues about St Juste, Reis and Esgaio leaving but for now that's all it is. 

*Wednesday night update the Greek fullback has now been presented as a lion. The 23 year old becomes the third Greek to play for the lions. Can't do any worse than the first two to be fair. The fee €12m. Finally Sporting get their man from Panathinaikos in the summer window. Interesting they didn't return for Ioannidis this summer who's season last time out never recovered at all from the move that never was to Lisboa.

In the markets

Casa Pia 9/1

Draw 15/4

Sporting CP 1/3

Team News 

Starting XI

Silva, Fresneda, Diomande, Inácio, Araújo, Hjulmand, Morita, Geny, Trincão, Gonçalves and Suárez 

Substitutes 

Virgínia, Debast, Quenda, Harder, Vagiannidis, Kochorashvili, Allison, Quaresma and Mangas 

One change to the starting XI from the Supertaça as Suárez makes his full league debut with Harder dropping to the bench. Vagiannidis and Mangas amongst the substitutes following their arrivals mid week. No room in the matchday squad for Simões, Esgaio or St Juste. I never did ascertain if he was red carded in the Benfica game or not. Reis still serving out his five game suspension post Taça de Portugal punishment. Bragança and Nuno Santos still not fit. 

Casa Pia 

1 Sequeira 

4 Goulart

6 Fonte

2 Tchamba 

72 Larrazabal 

20 Oukili 

8 Brito 

12 Benaissa-Yahia

29 Livolant 

90 Casasiano

7 Saka

First Half

Fonte 41 years young stood with Hjulmand for the coin toss as EMF - Unbelievable blasts out over the Tannoy. Both me and José were young men when this was in the charts. Both sets of players join the centre circle to pay tribute to Jorge Costa. Impeccably observed. 

Sporting in the traditional green and white horizontal stripes. The wait is over for the new season to start as Casa Pia kick off. The lions attack right to left. 

26°C still despite it being 20.15. 

1 Free kick Sporting as Cassiano goes through the back of Fresneda 

2 Beautiful use of the feet from Morita as he looks for something to open up in midfield 

3 Yellow Goulart. Suárez was away on the left and the defender tugs his shirt and conceded the free kick 

4 Gonçalves over the ball. Cross in from the left flicked on but headed clear 

5 Gonçalves with a really clever pass picked out the run of Trincão into the box who had overlapped from the left wing. His ball into the corridor or uncertainty jumped on by Sequeira in goal. 

8 Hjulmand fires a shot low from 20 yards against the left hand post. Rebound fell to Suárez but the keeper smothers from 4 yards 

11 Game back underway following treatment to the Casa Pia keeper

11 Yellow Cassiano. He protests his innocence to the referee. His hand connected with the face of Araújo who made a meal of it 

12 Corner from far side for the lions. Keeper looked like he punched Suárez clean off his feet. Clearly not as nothing given. 

13 Good dribble into the box by Gonçalves but his final touch was too heavy 

14 Morita shot blocked from 20 yards 

15 Sporting playing with a back 2 who are both six yards inside the Casa Pia half to give you an idea of how one sided this game currently is 

16 Diomande forces corner on the far side for the lions. Woeful delivery from Trincão as the ball exits about three yards from the flag on the far side 

17 Trincão plays in Gonçalves who curls a shot from 17 yards towards the far post from the left of the area. Superb save at full stretch to keep the score at 0-0

19 Howler at the back as Sequeira fails to trap a back pass and concedes a corner as it bounces under his foot and out. He can see the funny side at least 

20 Lions hit the woodwork again as a flicked header from Araújo from the corner dropped onto the bar and out to safety 

22 Fonte puffing in the centre. Not surprised at his age and in this heat

23 Trincão fires a yard over the bar from 20 yards 

24 Yellow Brito as he catches the foot of Hjulmand 

25 Geny fires high and wide from half a yard inside the area

26 Casa Pia to still register a single attack on the lion's goal. Someone should check Silva is still awake 

27 Gonçalves back in centre midfield to break up and attack 

30 Rui Silva catches a cross. Mentioned only because he has at least touched the ball after a half hour played

31 Well timed tackle inside the box from Fonte conceded the corner. 

32 Suárez down again as he takes another punch following a clearance by the keeper. The Colombian is going to garner a reputation for the boy who cried wolf. He was down seconds before when Fonte put the ball out and made contact in the follow through 

34 Suárez cuts to his right to make space for his first real chance on goal. Bends the ball towards the far post from 16 yards but comfortably dealt with by the keeper 

36 Be interested to see who the designated penalty taker is between Hjulmand, Gonçalves and Suárez if they're actually awarded one 

37 Gonçalves spots Geny in acres of space. He holds his run for Fresneda to overlap but Sequeira cuts out the pass once more. He's had a good half in goal. Certainly a busy one 

40 How is it not 1-0? Suárez fires straight at the keeper from eight yards and then knocks the rebound wide of the left post. That came from the keeper clearing the ball, hitting Trincão I think and cannoning back into the path of the Colombian 

41 GOAL Casa Pia 0 Sporting CP 1. Trincão finally breaks the deadlock for the lions. Sweeps home from 16 yards low into the bottom right hand corner. Gonçalves had three men around him and that allows the space for Trincão and all the time in the world to fire home following the pass on the left of the area from Pote

43 Corner Casa Pia near side. Headed clear by Diomande. 

Plus two shown 

Half time

Casa Pia 0 Sporting CP 1 

Great opening 45 for the reigning champions, the only complaint is that they go in only one goal to the good. Regular readers may need to sit down when I write that Gonçalves has had a hugely impressive half for the lions. If Sporting are to make a fist of trying to win a third straight title much will rest on the shoulders of him and Trincão and they've linked up constantly to great effect so far. The visitors have registered the one blocked shot a minute into additional time from 20 yards and have rarely managed to get across the half way line. 

Much has been made of Borges swapping to a back four but we've not seen any evidence such has been their dominance with Inácio and Diomande sat as a two and much of the time inside the opposition half. Hjulmand the key link once more in the central area that connects everything and could have opened the scoring with his effort which struck the post. Suárez has been heavily involved but I can't say I'm overly impressed by him constantly going down under any contact. The Geese with an uphill struggle to get anything out of the game. 

Second half 

The moon now in the sky as Sporting get us back underway. 18 attempts from the lions 6 on target. That's more than over the course of 90 minutes in the last two games away to Casa Pia. 17 attempts, 6 on target in March 24 and 17 attempts, 5 on target in August 23. There were 20 attempts, 12 on target in April 23.

47 No changes from either side as the lions start as they finished the first half in total possession of the ball 

48 Corner far side doesn't beat the first man and Cassiano heads clear for a throw 

49 Araújo down on the far side receiving treatment. Mangas sent to warm up 

50 Araújo makes his way around the far side of the pitch with the medical staff, his night is done 

51 Lions down to ten men for now. 

51 Yellow Gonçalves for something he said to the referee. Trincão flicks the ball up to try beat a man who handballs it. Presumably Pote keen to point out the infringement and looks dumfounded he gets booked instead 

52 ➡️⬅️ Change finally made with the break in play as Mangas fulfils his life's ambition to play for his boyhood club. Araújo of course already on his way back to the bench 

53 Good defending by Fresneda on near side clears for Sporting 

54 Stoppage in play as Diomande down holding his hamstring lying flat on his back. I imagine that's his night done as well. Debast warming up

55 Signal to the bench to make the change. Bad three minutes for the lions with two of the back four picking up injuries 

55 Quenda also stripped and ready. Diomande can at least stand and waves away the stretcher. 

56 ➡️⬅️ Changes for the home side first as Nhaga and Geraldes 74 on. Goulart and Brito off. Geny for Quenda and Debast for Diomande 

57 After a long delay we restart

60 Good passing move switches play for Sporting from right to left. Morita passes to Mangas wide open inside the area but he overcooked his pass and it goes out for a goal kick 

61 Mangas fouled half way inside the Casa Pia half. Trincão with the free kick. GOAL Casa Pia 0 Sporting CP 2. The scorer turns provider. Hjulmand with a clear path on goal stretches his leg and sent the ball goalwards from 7 yards. Keeper got part of his body to it but couldn't stop it going into the net. That looked way too simple a routine for it to have actually worked. Not sure why Hjulmand was looking behind him because there was no danger of offside 

64 Suárez concedes a free kick. He looks cooked 

64 Mangas takes no chances and clears for a corner. Home side unable to produce anything of note and final header goes behind for a goal kick 

66 Gonçalves draws a save low to the keepers left from 20 yards. Quenda picked up the ball inside the half and drove forward and picked Pote out in space 

67 Suárez fires well wide from 12 yards out on the left hand side of the area. Beat his marker but took himself too wide to ever have gotten a decent shot away 

68 Another stop in play. That looked painful. The Casa Pia player stretches for the ball and got his boot stuck on top and his hamstring stretches out with the forward movement. Felt that. We're going to be looking at seven or eight minutes additional time. That's the end of Saka’s night. 

70 ➡️⬅️ Saka takes the offer of the stretcher. Allows for time for the substitute to come on. Not that Araújo going off cost Sporting but he could have stayed down on the pitch longer. Osundia on.

72 Suárez fires into the side netting from 14 yards. Quenda with the perfectly weighted through ball. That deserved a goal for the assist alone

74 Good defending again from Fresneda as he clears to safety 

74 Oukili makes the most of contact from Hjulmand and referee gives the foul 36 yards out. Game of head tennis in the centre, Morita with the perfectly timed tackle inside the box. Sporting clear once more 

75 Yellow Nhaga who cleared Hjulmand out as Sporting looked to break 

76 Sporting taken the pace out of the game now just happy to pass the ball around and see what develops 

77 Mangas fires in a shot from the edge of the six yard box but was a yard offside in the buildup at least so wouldn't have counted 

78 Quenda has misplaced his last two passes, first a short range to Fresneda and now trying to go long

80 Casa Pia defending with 9 outfield players inside the area as lions try to find space. Like trying to park your car in London. 

81 Harder stripped off and ready 

82 Best chance of the night blasted wide from the edge of the six yard box by the home side. Tchamba it was who misses though in fairness he's still have had a lot to do to beat Silva from that angle  

82 ➡️ ⬅️ Svensson and Sousa on. Larrazabal and Benaissa-Yahia off

83 ➡️⬅️ Gonçalves and Morita replaced by Harder and Kochorashvili 

84 20 yard effort straight at Silva from Svensson

85 Nhaga fires into the stand behind the goal from 19 yards 

86 Trincão effort saved from just inside area. Seconds later Sporting came close again far side. Kochorashvili sends the ball goalwards. How was that not a penalty as it clearly hits the outstretched arm? Presumably infringement before in the buildup that was night and day or are we not doing VAR this season with the second hand ball not given this half 

Plus six shown 

+1 Svensson fires well wide from 20 yards 

+1 Trincão and Harder get in each others way inside the box. The Dane fires in a shot from a narrow angle 

+2 Svensson wide open fires a diving header into the arms of Silva from eight yards. Quenda the man who left him open. 

+3 Fresneda tidies up again at the back 

+4 Suárez fires low with a snap shot from 15 yards but keeper down quickly to save. Harder with the strength to resist the attention of his marker and lay the ball off 

+5 Fonte clears for a corner far side with second left on the clock 

+6 Shot sent in from 20 yards by Trincão who slipped as he hit it

Full time 

Casa Pia 0 Sporting CP 2

The final word

I'm sitting smug as in a rare twist of fate I had us down to win 2-0 in the pre game predictions. Watch me not get another one right all season. I will caveat that statement by saying if pressed I'd have said an opener around the 77th minute and the second in additional time. 

The lions come away with their best figures in an attacking sense from the last four away visits with 27 attempts and 12 shots on target even if they only resulted in the 2 goals. They finish with an XG of 3.03 compared to 0.52 for Casa Pia. 

Silva won't have many easier minutes over the course of the season and a clean sheet is always a bonus. The loss of Diomande and Araújo with injury the only disappointments from three points well deserved. Casa Pia on that form are going to be in for a long season. I said that about Farense this time last year and that was the kiss of death for them. I hope I don't apply it two seasons on the spin early doors. 

Really quiet night from Geny. He probably offered less than Silva which is saying something. Correct call to bring on Quenda in his place who started really brightly. Two superb runs on the right wing which fashioned attempts and he could have claimed an assist. Followed by two sloppy passes and not picking Svensson up for the chance which was headed straight at Silva in additional time. Exhilarating and infuriating in equal measure but at least I'm writing the first part about his performance because it's been a while. 

Morita looked back to his best. Incredible to contrast his summer with that of someone else who left the club. Year left on his contract, hasn't signed an extension and yet you've heard no fuss from him. Turns up and puts in a sterling performance and is the model professional. Life as the mister would be a doddle with ten of him outfield I imagine. Hjulmand capped another great performance with a goal. We're going to have to spread them around this season but you only need to score one more than the opposition come the final whistle. 

Mangas final pass left something to be desired at points but if you've dreamt of this your entire life you can forgive him if he was a combination of nerves and excitement. He got thrown in with Araújo’s injury so not like he had anytime to take in his first moments as a lion. We'll get to judge him next time out from the start you imagine with the injury to Araújo. 

Suárez had a couple of good openings but for all the hustle and bustle only really came close to scoring once with the effort that went into the side netting. He should have done better with his last chance from the lay off by Harder. The Dane is so eager to prove that he should be playing that he didn't notice Trincão in the same area and was exasperated at the end when a cross from the left didn't find him. I like the kid a lot and I think he's got a big future ahead of him. Inácio never really had much to do from a defensive point of view and in truth spent most of the first half in the centre of the pitch with Diomande. Impressed by Fresneda defensively and nothing got past him all night and Vagiannidis will have to show he's worthy of taking the Spaniards place. Debast and Kochorashvili not with a great deal to do having both come on as substitutes. Araújo had the chance which hit the bar. I've seen him look more effective attacking wise in other games but I wasn't convinced he was fully fit before he came off with the injury having picked up a knock in the Supertaça. 

I've been going for four choices of man of the match this season and those observant of you will notice I've missed out two names in Trincão and Gonçalves as the pair ran the show for Sporting and I'm trying not to repeat myself. Hjulmand is on this form going to make it into my four every week it seems. His performance capped with a goal to put the icing on the cake for him. I'm going to call Morita in as my final choice for the reasons already stated above. In truth though it is purely a choice between Francisco and Pote. I was so impressed with the latter tonight. I'd go as far as to say that's his best performance in 18 months or more as a lion. His buildup play was spot on, the interlinking with Trincão was superb and if he plays like that every week you won't read another word of complaint from me. Any other game and I think he'd have had my man of the match. However you do of course have the other player who combined so well with Pote in the final third. He benefited from the quality of the pass for the opener but also the fact that with three defenders around his teammate he was wide open as he makes it 1-0. That's amazing play considering how many men Casa Pia had in the box at various points over the 90 minutes. His free kick for the assist probably won't get the credit it deserved. That's one off the training ground. You would expect a high ball on to attack with the head, not to find Hjulmand unmarked at the near post to slot it home. So with the goal and assist and his overall contribution to the game Trincão is my man of the match. He gets the chance to shine this season, regular readers will know I'm a broken record in saying he should come from deep because he looks so much more effective and tonight proves that maybe I know more than I let on. 

Overall a really pleasing performance. 3 points is 3 points. We don't need to score 3 or 4 every game though we created way more chances than we have done against the same side in previous games against them. The opening weeks are key with Benfica and Porto having had shorter lead in times into the season. We need to capitalise on those and for now at least Sporting Clube de Portugal are back at the top of the Primeira Liga. The trophy was on the pitch as the two teams came out before the game. Will we see it again come May in the José Alvalade? You won't get any commitment from me on that question 90 minutes into the new season. I'm daft but I'm not that daft.