Sporting CP 1 Sport Clube União Torreense 2 (AET)

 

Sporting CP v Sport Clube União Torreense
Sunday May 24th, 2026
Taça de Portugal Final
Estádio Nacional, Jamor, Oeiras

The Warm Up

It's always nice to have a new club to learn and write about. It's even nicer when your friend lives in the town and provides you not only with a handy point of reference but a starting point for your next post. 

The lions are off to Jamor once more to defend the Taça de Portugal that they won in extra time last May after extra time in the Dérbi de Lisboa. I say won it. If you live in the red and white half of the city they might say that Sporting robbed it. Either way it's been sat in our trophy cabinet for the past twelve months. They will face Sport Clube União Torreense who at the time of writing sit third in Liga 2 with one game to play and a huge chance that they might well be playing the lions twice next season. It goes without saying that for both clubs Matchday 34 and the final in Jamor represent huge opportunities for both sides. 

Now full admission I couldn't tell you where Torres Vedras was on a map if my life depended on it. But what I have already learned about the town and the football club I already like. Because it transpires that not only does my friend live there, her Dad turned out for the club in his youth to boot and regales stories of how the townspeople would turn out to fill the stadium on matchday in days gone by to specifically support the players that lived in their area. It is by very essence a side with community at its heart. I don't know about you but I'm sold on it already. Especially in a week that has already been dominated by money and will continue to do so by the time the curtain falls on our league season on Saturday night. The lions have confirmed they've broken their transfer record for the second straight season and third time in four years with the signing of the Uruguayan Rodrigo Zalazar for €30m from Sporting Braga. The lions only need to equal Benfica's result on Saturday night to qualify for the Champions League and the millions in revenue that brings with it. So being able to start with a story about a community coming together to support one another for me is a reminder of what the game had at its heart for so many years and with every season that passes is now sadly lost to time. These should be the stories that we grow up telling our children about because in life these are the tales that actually mean the most. Because these are the ones that are truest to life itself. Especially when all around the world there are those who sow seeds of hatred when as we all know life is so much richer when everyone comes together. This for the fans of Torreense will be one of those events where the town itself on the matchday will feel like a ghost town. Everyone will be dreaming of bringing the cup back with them on the night and to unleash celebrations that will last both long into the night and longer into the memories of its townspeople. For their fans and their players this is the game where childhood dreams could be realised and hearts can be broken. For on its day there are fewer crueller places in life than the course of 90 minutes of football. The Jogo Bonito for all its beauty can be a cruel mistress. 

OK I might have been a been giving it a bit of dramatic licence for effect when I wrote that on matchday Torres Vedras will be like a ghost town and it's not as much a town but a municipality, but you can bet your bollocks to a barn dance theres still an air of excitement around the place. I'll figure out one day how Portuguese places work and then maybe I'll work on how Portuguese surnames work. There's more chance of me figuring both of those out than ever learning the language it has to be said. 

There's a wonderful irony that this Saturday the Torreense fans will not only be willing their own team on to beat Vizela but equally they'll be cheering on Sporting too as João Gião's youngsters travel away to second place Academico Viseu and a win for both them and Torreense would see them finish second in the automatic promotion places and AV have to play two further games against the side who finishes third bottom in the Liga. How Torreense must wish that Academico were facing the early season of Sporting B who coincidentally they lost to 1-0 on Matchday 1 and not the version whose form has fallen off the edge of a cliff. Having led the table for large parts their form was so bad through 2026 that with three games to go there was still a possibility they could have been relegated back to Liga 3 but thankfully for them the results of those beneath them went their way. For now we now that Marítimo will be back in the Liga, no doubt to make Sporting's life a misery once more. I'm pretty sure I've actually seen the islanders play twice in person but I'll have to fact check that. I went to a lot of games growing up. Even if Torreense miss out on automatic promotion they cannot be caught by fourth place Vizela who are five points behind. Whilst I wouldn't bet my life on it I'm pretty sure that Vizela were top two with Sporting B at one stage in the season and may have even been top. I'd be willing to take a couple of quid each way on it. But truthfully all they've been left to play for is a bit of mischief and being the pantomime villains if they scupper Torreense’s chances. For the Torreense players it must be a nightmare scenario because for many it might be the only time they get to the Taça de Portugal final and by now normally players are trying to take it easy, certainly in the game before so they don't pick up an injury. Here it starts to read like the Joseph Heller novel Catch 22 because say the young lions do win but Torreense have taken it easy and find they could have had automatic promotion. They'll spend a week kicking themselves and then have to play the game of their lives and leave everything out on the pitch to try beat the current Taça da Portugal holders. Unlike Desportivo de Aves they're not going to have the advantage of attacks on players at Alcochete five days before the game. Jesus I hope not anyway. But if they leave it all out on the pitch and drain the tanks against Vizela and it's all in vain they leave themselves more vulnerable for Sporting. Then if they miss out on beating Sporting and on second place and have drained themselves maybe once, maybe twice, what do they have left for a double legged play off game against Liga opposition? You'd rather be a Sporting player even with the pressure of Champions League qualification at stake on Saturday and the weight of expectation that they'll win at Jamor against Liga 2 opposition. Their destiny at least feels like it's very much in their own hands. They go into this Saturday off the back of two wins scoring 9 times. Their tails are back up after disastrous draws against the leagues bottom two sides which will have I'm sure at that stage given the fans of Torreense some hope they can pull off a miracle at Jamor and lift the trophy. I imagine after the 5-1 over Vitória and 4-1 over Rio Ave not so much. It's always the hope that kills you in the end. 

The clubs origins can be traced back to groups of Englishmen travelling to the country for purposes of oil exploration who brought with them their love of the game. A young group of enthusiasts would then form their own club in 1917 under the umbrella Sport União Torreense. It wasn't uncommon in Portugal around these times for two clubs to share a name and for legal reasons they added the word Clube to their name 1945 so as to distinguish it as it's own entity without confusion. 

Between the years of their formation and 1926 games were played at Campo da Várzea a space they shared with a cattle market held on Sundays and for this reason the clubs played their games on Mondays. Good job the Englishmen who originally brought the game to the region weren't from Sheffield otherwise you might have ended up with SCU Torreense Segunda-feira. It was in 1926 that they moved to the site of their current stadium the Estádio Manuel Marques. Marques it should be noted was a midfielder for Sporting CP who played between 1935 and 1951. The stadium is located on Rua Cândido dos Reis in the heart of the Torres Vedras. It's capacity was once as high as 12,000 before the introduction of seating which reduced it to 2,431 and it holds a Silver Category status. I'm wondering if that means they might have to possibly play elsewhere in the top flight in the same manner as Casa Pia do currently? Presumably they at least no longer have to compete with local cattle fairs which is something at least a century later. 

Up until 1937 the side were not a league club. It was deemed too far away to play in the Lisbon FA run league despite what now would be considered to be a stones throw away, instead the Leiria FA accepted their registration. It would take them 18 seasons to win promotion to the First National Division having won the second division championship in the 1954/55 season. Something clearly was happening with that side because the next season they reached the Taça de Portugal, so this is not their first time at Jamor for this game. Sadly they lost 2-0 to FC Porto. No one would guess I'm sure it would take another 70 years to return. We'll look at who they beat in the run to the final later in the post. 

Still they finish as runners up in the Taça and in 7th place in the top flight which remains their highest ever league finish. Their stay in the top flight would last four seasons. 

In the 1964/65 season they enjoyed a return to the top flight again. I say enjoyed. The clubs official history page didn't even mention the season. I'll fill you in on the blanks in the head to head section at the end of the post. 

Finally in the 1990/91 season they won promotion again however their stay this time should we politely say was very brief indeed before being relegated again. They would yo yo between the lower leagues before adding the newly formed Liga 3 title to the Liga 2 title they won way back in 1954/55 as their second major honour. It goes without saying that a win against Sporting CP would be their biggest achievement in the clubs 109 year history. If it was against anyone else I'd happily root for them but sadly not today gentlemen. 

One more added story by my new research assistant, the Estádio Manuel Marques is located by the side of a railroad and whenever the train goes by it’s called ‘Hora do Golo’ (goal time) because, apparently, in the days gone by, trains frequently pass coinciding with goals being scored. 

The Route to Jamor

Sporting CP

It's safe to suggest that the lions route to Jamor for the third straight season, hasn't been a straight forward run which you have to imagine could give their opponents hope. The flip side is that they've still overcome all the hurdles in their way, so any hope may be fleeting.

Their run started in round 3 against Paços de Ferreira where they needed extra time to secure victory despite having a staggering 39 attempts on goal against the Liga 2 side. Only the second leg against Bodø/Glimt has seen the lions register more attempts in any other game they've played in all competitions. They fell behind when Lumungo scored on 17 minutes but Gonçalves levelled just 5 minutes later. Victor restored the homes sides lead just 3 minutes after half time but Ioannidis (remember him?) levelled on the hour mark. With the scores level at 2-2 we were off to extra time. Substitute Tiago Ferreira had the misfortune of putting the ball into his own net on 103 minutes and the lions went through rather unconvincingly 3-2.

In round 4 they were drawn at home to Liga 3 side AC Marinhense who have just secured their promotion to Liga 2. The lions made far easier work with a brace from Trincão (28 and 36) and a third from Suárez securing a place in round 5 with a comfortable 3-0 win.

In round 5 they flew away to Santa Clara. Nothing controversial ever happens between the two sides, it'll be fine. Simões put them ahead 11 minutes in, Soares then made it 1-1 on 27. Silva turned the game on its head 5 minutes before the end of the 90 and the islanders are set to qualify. That is before Paulo Victor is shown a straight red card two minutes before the end of the 90 and Santa are down to ten men. Then time froze...and some fourteen minutes later if memory serves me correctly, Sporting were finally awarded a penalty for a foul on Hjulmand which Suárez dispatched to make it 2-2 (note it was never a penalty in a million years). That came 15 minutes into additional time at the end of the 90 and we went to extra time for the second time in 3 games. Ioannidis scored 6 minutes into the first half and that goal enough to take the lions through controversially. 

Bottom side AVS at home in the Quarter Finals. I'm pretty sure at that stage they were still to win a game in the Liga. Guilherme scored his debut goal for the club just before the half hour mark. A Vitor own goal 2 minutes after half time put the lions 2-0 up. Lima pulled one back from the penalty spot to make it interesting on 62 but the lions were all but home and dry come the end of the 90 minutes...until they gave away a second penalty, converted by Nêne on 90+1. Off to extra time we went for a third time. Geny dug them out of danger with a goal 4 minutes from time to avoid penalties and send them through to the semi finals 3-2.

Regular readers will no doubt remember my utter disdain towards the semi-finals being played over two legs. Especially given the gap in time between the two legs. On March 3rd, the lions welcomed league leaders Porto and whilst the game finished 1-0 the final Xg of 2.02 to 0.32 really told the picture as the lions defence held firm to deny them even a single big chance during the game. Suárez who had missed a penalty in the Dragão league game before firing in the rebound earlier in the season, didn't miss when presented with another opportunity on 61 minutes. 

The second leg came on April 22nd and came off the back of an away trip to Arsenal in the Champions League seven days earlier and a Dérbi de Lisboa on the Sunday, three days previous. Thankfully they at least had the one goal advantage to take with them. Despite Porto's best efforts to not even let the lions players off their coach and into the dressing rooms with officers from the PSP having to intervene (I shit you not) the lions progressed to Jamor after a 0-0 draw which would see Alan Varela given a straight red 2 minutes from time. Captain Hjulmand sustained an horrific injury during the game and hasn't been seen on the pitch since for the lions. It is hoped that he will get the chance to play his final game as a lion against Torreense. We shall see. Even if it's a place on the bench and a chance to say goodbye near the end you'd take it for the captain. It would certainly seem a cruel way to bow out given the challenge that caused the injury went unpunished during the game and is one of those photo images that when you see it you really are left wishing that you hadn't of done.

Sport Clube União Torreense

For Torreense their run started a round earlier. Despite going down to ten men on 40 minutes they were already 2-0 up away to lower league opponents Correlha through a brace from Zohi (8 and 24). Even with ten men they were able to add a third through Ferreira on 65 minutes to secure a 3-0 win and a place in round 3.

Fellow Liga 2 side Oliveirense were drawn at home. Diallo put the visitors ahead after just 4 minutes. The home side looked set to not even make it past round 3 at one stage still trailing 1-0 all the way until 3 minutes past the 90. Simões equalised to take the game into extra time. Idrissa Dioh picked up a second yellow on 120 minutes but it made little difference as the game finished 1-1 and went to penalties. Torreense finally progressed through 5-4.

Lusitania Lourosa away in round 5. Pozo scored straight after the restart with what proved to be the games only goal for a 1-0 win. Azevedo was shown a second yellow on the 90 and for the third straight round one of the sides involved had finished with ten men.

For the first time in the competition they faced opponents from the Liga in the form of Casa Pia. This in fairness could be the relegation play off fixture come the end of the season depending on results on matchday 34 in both the Liga and Liga 2. Jean made it 1-0 to the visitors after 23, Costinha doubled their lead on 63. Whilst Livolant pulled one back from the penalty spot 8 minutes from time it wasn't enough and remarkably the Liga 2 side off the back of a 2-1 win were off to the quarter finals.

Now far be it from me to suggest that they may well have benefited from a somewhat sympathetic draw in every round to date but if the cap fits, wear it. They welcomed fellow Liga 2 side União de Leiria. Zohi amongst the goals again making it 1-0 after just 10 minutes. Fernández equalised 5 minutes before half time. Zohi made it 2-1 3 minutes after half time and Drammeh made it 3-1 on the stroke of 90. Torreense were off to the semi-finals. 

The four clubs that remained were AD Fafe, Torreense and as we know FC Porto and Sporting CP. You know that the league would have been praying for the top 2 to have avoided each other and potentially faced off in the final. The Gods of football decreed no, not today. And so it would be a shootout between Liga 3 v Liga 2 for a place in Jamor. No pressure gentleman, no pressure at all. AD Fafe at home for the first leg, they went ahead after 42 minutes. Disaster for them when Gonçalo was shown a straight red 9 minutes into the second half. Just 4 minutes later Pozo made it 1-1. However they couldn't make the man advantage count and Costinha collected his second yellow two minutes before the end of the 90 and both sides finished with ten men. That game incidentally came on February the 4th. 

April the 23rd and no I'm not making that up, the two sides met again in the second leg. If I'm being polite it was a nervous game. With 7 minutes to go the home side had a man down in the box crestfallen. He looked like he's been taken out by a sniper. Then a second man. He looked like Sergeant Elias at the end of Platoon struggling to get to the helicopters whilst being shot. Bruno however stroked the ball home in the same play and we witnessed the miracle of Torres Vedras. Both men miraculously recovered and jumped to their feet. Praise be to the Lord for in that moment I became a believer. God heels all, or either that or they were feigning injury and just ran to celebrate and hoped no one was watching. I clearly was. I had however lost the feed not long after the 90 so missed Stropira making it 2-0 from the penalty spot 12 minutes into additional time after the 90 to secure a 3-1 aggregate win and a place in Jamor to face the lions. 

So Correlha play in the AF Viana do Castelo 1ª Divisão. (I have no idea sorry.) Then they went Liga 2, Liga 2, Liga 1, Liga 2, Liga 3 then the final against the current Taca de Portugal holders. You could almost forgive any of their fans that think their name is written on the trophy having been handed that run on a plate because even I'm reading that list and thinking Christ it could be their day based on that. Perhaps the Gods of football are willing a win. They willed it for Vitória to beat the lions in the Taça da Liga semi final and for them to go onto win it. You never know peoples. 

Their record prior to the Vizela game stands at played 33, won 17, drawn 5, lost 11, GF 42, GA 33. That total of goals conceded equal as the divisions second best defensive record currently tied with Academico Viseu. Marítimo have conceded just 26 times after 33 rounds played. 

Their top goalscorer in Liga 2 is Musa Drammeh with 7, Pozo has 6, Jean 5, Zohi and Vásquez have 4 a piece. Eight players share the remaining goals scored. 

After 16 rounds at the Manuel Marques their total attendance is 19,657 at an average of 1,229 per game. Compare that with top of the table Marítimo, they have the leagues highest attendance with 123,119 spectators and an average of 7,695. Being based in Madeira and winning promotion certainly to their advantage. Certainly better than Sporting B with 7,427 in total to average 437. They're one of 4 clubs with an average under 1,000. 9 clubs are in the 1,000 - 1,999 range, 3 in the 2,000 to 3,000 range, 1 in the 3,000 to 3,999 and Marítimo as mentioned with double the closest total of União de Leiria. They do however have a much nicer stadium although it's only ever close to capacity when hosting the Taça da Liga semi finals and final. The islanders average if you wanted a relative comparison would give them the fourth highest average in the fourth tier of English football. União would be 18th and only 3 Portuguese clubs in Liga 2 would average higher than the lowest average of Accrington Stanley on 2,259. 

The lions lowest attendance in any competition coming at home to Alverca - 31,833. Their highest was against FC Porto - 50,946. It would take Torreense based on their current average gate approximately 50 games to fill the equivalent of the Estádio José Alvalade once. Be under no illusions between the gap in size between the two clubs. They might be 3rd in the Liga 2, they might even be a Primeira Liga side next season, but this truly is a battle of David v Goliath. 

They're commonly referred to as SCUT and as a genuine guess based on other Portuguese clubs I reckon they'd also be known as - Os vermelhos e azuis. I could be very wrong on that but personally I think they should be called Os meninos da Segunda-feira and if anyone from the club happens to be reading this randomly and quite likes that nickname you can have it on me for free. Just send me a T shirt with it on. 

Message from my new research assistant - they’re actually called Azul-grená. I did say I could be very wrong. She's got the job! 

This will be the lions 32nd Taça de Portugal final having previously won it 18 times and finished runners up 13 times. At Torreense's current rate of attending finals it will be the year 4126 by the time Os meninos da Segunda-feira match that record. 

Liga 2 results 

Sporting CP B (H) 0-1
Farense (H) 3-0
Académico Viseu (H) 2-1
União de Leiria (H) 0-1
Paços de Ferreira (H) 0-0
Benfica B (A) 3-3
FC Porto B (A) 2-3
UD Oliveirense (H) 3-2
Portimonense (A) 0-1
FC Felgueiras (H) 2-0
Leixões SC (A) 1-0
Chaves (H) 0-2
CS Marítimo (A) 2-0
CD Feirense (H) 2-3
Penafiel (A) 1-0
Lusitânia de Lourosa (H) 0-1
Vizela (A) 0-1
Sporting CP B (A) 1-2
SC Farense (H) 2-1
Académico Viseu (A) 1-0
União de Leiria (H) 3-1
Paços de Ferreira (A) 0-0
SL Benfica B (H) 1-0
FC Porto B (H) 0-3
UD Oliveirense (A) 0-3
Portimonense SC (H) 1-0
FC Felgueiras (A) 0-3
Leixões SC (H) 1-1
GD Chaves (A) 2-0
CS Marítimo (H) 1-0
CD Feirense (A) 0-0
FC Penafiel (H) 3-2
Lusitânia de Lourosa (A) 2-1
FC Vizela (H) 4-0

Saturday update - Torreense won their last game in some style as they beat Vizela 4-0 with goals from Hernandez on 39, Zohi 63, Costina 73 and Drammeh on 89. All eyes therefore on Sporting B as they took on Academico Viseu having kicked off at the same time. However heartbreak for Torreense as the young lions could only draw 0-0 which meant they finished third level on points. 

Head to Head

In the 1955/56 season Torreense recorded a historic first ever win against the lions winning 1-0 on September 25th, 1955 at the old José Alvalade. They also secured a 0-0 at home. On April 29th, 1956 Torreense won 1-0 at home in the Taça de Portugal round of 16 en route to Jamor. 

In the 1956/57 season The lions won 3-1 at home and they shared a 0-0 draw away.

In the 1957/58 season Sporting won 3-0 away and 6-1 at home. In the Taça de Portugal quarter finals they drew 1-1 at the José Alvalade and Sporting won the replay 1-0. 

I'm wondering how bad the weather had to have been for the game in February of 1959 to have been abandoned after 37 minutes with the score at 1-1. Sporting won the rescheduled match 2-0. That saw them complete the double that year having won 4-0 on Matchday 6. 

In the 1964/65 season Torreense would be relegated having finished 14th winning 3, drawing 1 and losing 22 times. On December 13th, 1964 they defeated the lions 3-0 at home although lost the away game 4-0. I'd suggest in context with the draws against AVS and CD Tondela this season that maybe they don't seem so bad. Well there you go one of just three teams they managed to defeat in a clearly diabolical season. 

The last time they met in the league was April 24th,1992. Sporting won 4-0 as Jorge Cadete scored his 23rd, 24th and 25th goal of the season. Ivaylo Yordanov scored the game's third. Amongst the lions forwards that day a Luís Figo. I wonder what happened to him? This following a 2-1 win on December 12th, 1991. Rosario had given SCUT the lead a minute after half time but Figo scored his first of the season and Cadete his sixth. Sporting finished 3rd, Torreense in 16th of 18th and as previously hinted to earlier were subsequently relegated just one season after their return to the top flight. Note that was in fact Luís Figo’s first ever senior goal. Actually we do know what happened to Figo - A world record transfer fee was paid from Real to Barca for his services. The Barca fans threw an actual pigs head on the pitch in protest at the move. He won the Balloon d’Or in 2000. Finished his career at Inter and scored 93 goals in total and will be remembered as one of Portugals generational talents. There you go Torreense, you basically kick started it all off. That's not a bad claim to fame. 

So to the best of my knowledge their head to head record reads played 15 times, 12 in the league and three times in the Taça de Portugal. 9 wins for Sporting, 3 for SC Torreense, 3 draws. 30 goals across all competitions for Sporting and 9 for Sc Torreense. 

Swansong appearances

The final will mark the last appearances for some of the lions in the green and white though for whom we don't know for definite. Two we do know will be Hidemasa Morita whose contract expires in the summer. Four seasons of service for a fee of around €3.5m is a remarkable bit of business for the Japanese midfielder and can arguably be one of the best bits of business € for € that the club have made. He'll be sorely missed. Geovany Quenda will make his move to Chelsea though I'll genuinely be surprised if he's not in a Strasbourg shirt come August. He's a long way of being of Premier League standard in my opinion. Morten Hjulmand's situation will rival that of Gyökeres last summer where an agreement was put in place that he can leave. Exits are planned for both Kochorashvili and Faye after joining only last summer and winter respectively. Geny, Araujo, Fresneda, Gonçalves and Diomande subjects of speculation to a possible exit. Mangas another likely to be moved on after a disappointing season. Talk of Trincão leaving seems just that, talk, given he only just put pen to paper on his new contract. I imagine with Zalazar coming in that Gonçalves more likely to make way but that's opinion not based on anything concrete. 

Wednesday update - Aston Villa win the Europa League and the lions are now one game away from qualifying for the Champions League automatically. They need the Villains to finish fourth in the Premier League with the last round of fixtures on Sunday overlapping the Taça de Portugal final. Should Liverpool leapfrog them into fourth the lions will go into the qualifiers.

Torreense played their first leg of the promotion / relegation play off against Casa Pia. Despite Pedro Silva Rosa being shown a straight red card with 15 minutes to play for a horrendous late tackle which will surely see him sit out a minimum three game ban, the Liga side left with a 0-0 draw and home advantage for the second leg which will be played next Thursday. Apologies for some reason I had assumed above both games would fall after the final. Final Xg 0.71 to 0.63. The visitors missed both their big chances, Torreense missed their only one. Livramento missed a gilt edged opportunity for Os Gansos in the 71st minute. 

In the markets 

Sporting CP 1/7

Draw 13/2

SC Torreense 12/1

Team News 

Starting XI 

Silva, Vagiannidis, Quaresma, Inácio, Araújo, Hjulmand, Morita, Geny, Trincão, Gonçalves and Suárez 

Substitutes 

Virgínia, Diomande, Mangas, Kochorashvili, Bragança, Quenda, Guilherme, Faye and Nel

Nice quick one today although it would been even quicker if they could confirm Starting XI's for cup games an hour before kick off. No changes from the win over Gil Vicente. Diomande returns from suspension to make the bench. Blopa and Felicíssimo both miss out. 

Torreense Starting XI 

1 Paes 

22 Bruno 

93 Diadie

2 Stopira

23 Vásquez 

6 Azevedo

65 Liberato

7 Jean

10 Costinha

29 Quintero

9 Zohi

Two changes from the 0-0 draw at home to Casa Pia in midweek. Alfaro and their top scorer Drammeh miss out. Costinha and Zohi start. 

First half 

The lions in their traditional green and white horizontal stripes. It's a ridiculously hot day in England so I can only imagine what the players are facing having to play in this heat. My phone has already switched itself on strike from overheating. Antonio Nobre the man in the middle. Sporting have three wins and a draw when he's taken charge of them this season. Torreense get us underway and as always we're late kicking off in the final. Sporting attack left to right. 

1 Lot of players sporting a wire hair band including our very own Maxi Araújo. Not as bad a look at the karate kid one sported by St Juste towards the end of last season. 

2 First shot comes for the SCUT as Quaresma blocks a shot from 8 yards for a corner near side 

3 GOAL Sporting CP 0 Torreense 1. That wasn't in the script. Sporting failed to pick up Zohi at the back post and he headed home from three yards. 

7 Geny left in a heap on the right wing. Free kick a few yards outside the area 

9 I wouldn't like to say that Araújo hasn't dyed his beard to match his hair but I've had appalling coverage on the first ten minutes 

10 Suárez with a cheeky back heel from 6 yards out goes out for a goal kick. There wasn't much he could have done there in fairness to him with his back to goal 

13 Corner near side to the lions. Torreense partially cleared and Suárez shot is blocked on the far side of the area

14 Trincão shot from the D is blocked 

14 Yellow shown to Inácio. He's very fortunate Quaresma was alongside him there otherwise he was off 

16 Wild shot from Costinha 31 yards out heads towards the running tracks 

18 I've managed to sort my picture out and can confirm that Araújo has dyed his chin to match his hair 

19 Trincão can only find Paes from 20 yards 

19 Awful miss from Gonçalves. Brilliant work from Morita's to hold off two defenders inside the box and find Gonçalves clear and wide open and he blasts over from 8 yards. That's an incredible miss and should have been 1-1

22 Fair play to Torreense they've not been overawed by the occasion. Neither side is going to be enjoying the heat out there. Whether come the 70 minute mark that starts to make a difference with the fitness levels we'll have to wait and see 

23 Not for the first time the lions pass through the Liga 2 sides defence with relative ease but the final pass not good enough 

24 Araújo hangs a cross from close to the goal line, claimed by Paes

26 Again another poor final ball as Inácio plays it through to Paes. He's having plenty of touches. None of them to pick the ball out of the net though sadly 

27 Torreense have a man down play acting holding his ear after the slightest of touches from Hjulmand. Fuck me what is it with footballers nowadays? 

28 Torreense play out from the back. No pressure, time and space. Sums up the lions attitude perfectly. They assume they'll just have the quality and not have to work for it 

29 Gonçalves cross wide left headed behind for a corner far side. 

30 Quaresma header appeared to deflect off the head of Suárez last for another corner nearside 

30 Referee blows for an infringement against Sporting in the area and the chance goes begging

31 Jean goes down in the box. Referee waves no penalty. To be fair to him he just got up 

33 Gonçalves hits the post from 10 yards. It just deflected off the leg of the defender en route and off the right hand post. 

33 Corner far side. Ends up in the hands of Paes 

34 Corner near side to the lions. Geny was away and the visitors were left chasing shadows but his final ball not the best 

34 Gonçalves with another blocked shot far side of the area 

35 Araújo sent flying 20 yards out. He won the ball back on the far side and was off to the races. Better commitment from Sporting 

35 Gonçalves beats the 4 man wall … and the bar and the ball goes out for a goal kick. Slow motion replay of a woman in the stands with her hands up around her face in horror. Yes it was that bad an effort. Not sure dungarees and a sporting shirt is a good choice of clothing in that weather 

38 Geny gets on the end of a superb Araújo cross with his head four yards out but can't send it goalwards. Suspicions of an arm into his back which caught him off balance 

40 Suárez sees his shot saved by Paes. Didn't look much from the side but the reverse angle suggests that's a great stop from their keeper to deny the Colombian from 10 yards 

41 Gonçalves tries from 26 yards and brings a diving save from Paes to push the ball out for a corner. Should have left it as it was going wide 

42 Suárez header so bad unmarked from 8 yards that it ended all the way back on the far side with Gonçalves who put the original cross in 

43 Corner near side to the visitors 

44 Header from 8 yards hits the back of a defenders head and the lions clear 

44 Jean with a launched effort high into the sky. I don't think it was a shot but it drops down from a great height and Rui Silva watches it over just in case. Wouldn't have had snow on it in this weather but it was that high.

Plus two shown 

45 Another corner far side, another corner wasted as Gonçalves puts it into the arms of Paes. He's probably had more touches than any Torreense player 

+1 Corner near side to Sporting. 

+1 Final ball once more ends up in the hands of Paes. Stopira down holding his head. Quaresma just checking all his teeth having both challenged for the ball 

Half time 

Sporting CP 0 SCU Torreense 1 

Well sometimes you get what you deserve. For the Liga 2 side that's the lead. For the lions it's absolutely nothing. The lions have had enough chances but in truth they've not been at the races. Gonçalves has had Sporting's best two chances first blasting over with the goal at his mercy and then hitting the post. In truth Torreense have had one good chance, importantly for them they took it. Borges with a job to do at half time. Yes it's hot out there but it's not like it's only affecting them. 16 attempts to 5. 8 corners to 2. Torreense happy with a 1 goal lead to sit back and soak up the pressure. The one time they hit on the counter had Sporting not had two players back we'd have not for the first time in a final been down to ten. A lesson in why you leave at least two men back. As it stands what happens is anyone's guess. The lions need to pull their socks up. 

Second Half

Sporting back out first presumably with a rocket up their arse. The lions need to go through the gears second half. We'll see what they can do. They get us back underway. As it stands it's going to be a disappointing end for many of their careers with the lions. 

46 Sporting have started with purpose which is more than they showed at times in the opening 45 but still a lack of any real quality 

46 Whistles from the lions as Jean calls for the trainer. That's play acting and gamesmanship and we're not even two minutes into the half. Going to be a long 45

48 Play resumes. Watch him sprint back on at any moment 

48 Torreense defend with a high line of 5, 18 yards from the half way line

48 Geny turns his marker inside the box but with three shirts still in front of him sees a blocked shot deflect and the keeper come to claim 

49 Head in hands from Trincão as he tries to be clever with a flick outside the box and lost possession 

50 Trincão threads a pass through to Gonçalves but he's not got the legs to get onto it inside the area 

50 Suárez unselfishly squares the ball back and Torreense clear for a corner near side. Probably should have shot even from a narrow angle. 

51 Sporting have showed more in six minutes than they did in 45. Torreense hanging on 

52 Morita dispossessed on the edge of the box and Quintero sent away down the right. Araújo clears the danger 

52 An equaliser is coming but not like that as Trincão lifts the ball into the hands of Paes

53 GOAL Sporting CP 1 Torreense 1. Said it was coming you felt it in the air. Morita found Araújo down the left. He lost the ball but didn't give up on it. The defenders clearance hit the Uruguayan and flew back into the box straight to the Colombian. Brilliant turn and finish low from 11 yards into the bottom left hand corner 

55 Corner far side. Stopira was convinced it hit Vagiannidis last 

56 Hjulmand heads over unmarked from 6 yards and shakes his head 

56 ➡️⬅️ Worlds slowest double change. Jean for Syedi and Zohi for Drommeh

57 Sportinguista's turned up the volume to loud and the hairs on my arms are standing to attention 

58 A rare foray into the Sporting half by SCUT ends up with Trincão making a charge but he's dispossessed before he reaches the halfway line

58 Liberato body checks Trincão but escapes with a free kick inside the Sporting half 

59 Half the Sportinguista's are singing one song and another are doing the thunderclaps.

60 Inácio down needing treatment. Didn't look a lot in that either 

62 We're treated to an old man topless with bingo wings and a gut that needs 15 inches taken off of it. Thanks TV editor. I say treated 

63 Geny has the ball in the net from 3 yards but flag up correctly on the far side. Still 1-1 

64 Brilliant from Geny as he still finds the pass to Trincão with three men around him. He's woken up 

65 Hjulmand fouled wide right. Free kick in a dangerous position virtually level with the 18 yard line far right. 

65 Trincão almost found Hjulmand's run but it ends in the hands of a relieved Paes

66 Torreense fans have woken up. Third sub incoming for them 

67 Lot of tired limbs out on the pitch and we've still got 23 to play. The World cup is going to be next level if this heat is bad

68 ➡️⬅️ Quintero off for Alfaro 

69 ➡️ ⬅️ Morita and Vagiannidis off. The Japanese midfielder gets a standing ovation. Guilherme and Diomande on 

70 Araújo goes down in the box but the referee waves away his appeals 

72 The visitors haven't created a single opportunity in the second 45. They've got another cup final to come against Casa Pia and won't want extra time 

72 Trincão down needing treatment. 

73 Geny was 61cms offside. Not sure why you needed a VAR check for the one 

74 Morita shares a smile on the bench . We're back underway 

74 Torreense now have a back six and having been as high as 18 yards from the halfway line at the start of the half are now 16 yards from their goal line in a low block 

75 Two thirds of the pitch now in shade. Only those on the far side still playing in the sun 

75 Bruno with a well timed challenge uses his weight to push Araújo off the ball inside his area. No appeal from the Uruguayan in fairness to him 

77 Cross from the left drops onto Silva's net. That probably the first time he's touched the ball this half for the goal kick 

78 Quaresma pleads his innocence to the referee as the opposition player made the most of minimal contact it's fair to say 

79 Gonçalves with a clearance in his own box. That might be his sole contribution to the game second half. I'm genuinely surprised he's still on 

80 Torreense take an eternity with their throw in. Cross goes out for a goal kick 

80 ➡️ ⬅️ Simões on for Liberato

82 Eight minutes of normal time for someone to be a hero from either side. We don't need another half hour in this heat

82 Stopira leaves Trincão in a heap. Felt that 

84 Geny penalised for a foul off the ball. 

84 We've not had anyone go down with cramp yet. I imagine that will be next and come from a Torreense player 

85 A winner this late on would feel cruel to either side but if Sporting find it I'd not be complaining 

86 Hjulmand stings the hands of Paes from 30 yards. Corner near side

86 Geny shot from 18 yards blocked for a corner far side. Torreense clear 

87 Another corner won by Quaresma far side 

87 Poor from Gonçalves who lost the ball in the box and Torreense were away. Suárez with an arm into the back of Simões to stop play. Free kick awarded

88 We're edging closer to extra time. Paços, AVS, Santa Clara… if the lions are going to be champions they've done it the hard way in every round but one 

89 Shitting hell. Diomande with an attempted pass out hit Simões and the ball shot back into the side netting from maybe 8 yards. I think my heart stopped

90 Fresneda encourages his teammates. Ioannidis has a moustache …

Plus six shown 

91 Now or never gentlemen. 

+1 ➡️⬅️ Gonçalves and Geny for Quenda and Bragança 

+2 Brilliant from Stopira to clear for a throw with a well timed challenge inside the box. Not sure he'll come back from the World Cup as a Torreense player on that showing today. Someone will pick him up for a few bob

+3 Araújo fires over from the D. Chested down and hit a volley first time out for a goal kick 

+4 Can Sporting make one more chance. Can they score it more importantly?

+4 Quenda wins a corner far side.

+5 Inácio heads over from 4 yards 

Full time 

Sporting CP 1 Torreense 1

Suárez having to shove Araújo away. Players take on some much needed fluids and instructions from each mister. 

First half Extra time 

Fresneda signs a young fans shirt as Torreense get us back underway. Sporting attack right to left

90 ➡️⬅️ Costinha for Pité

91 Sporting 1/5 to left the trophy. Torreense 10/3. I don't remember them having any effort apart from the deflection from Diomande's poor pass near the end in the entire second half. In fact that wasn't counted on the stats so they didn't record a shot in the second half

93 Just as I write that they've got the ball in the net. Ball swept home from 10 yards. Shot deflected past the lions defence and the last man was offside when he scored. As you were. Azevedo with the effort from 18 yards originally 

96 Shot of the directors all still sat in their suits. Jesus wept gentlemen it's not a members club 

96 Vásquez goes down like he's been shot. 

97 Yellow to Mangas as he rolled the player back off the pitch after he rolled on. He's followed in the fine Sporting tradition having players booked not on the field of play 

98 Diomande, Hjulmand, Quaresma all surround the referee. No idea what's happening here. He's awarded the free kick for the Quaresma challenge 

99 Hjulmand heads clear and justice done

99 Yellow to Alfaro for a foul on Quenda. B for blatant. No idea why he's moaning to the referee 

99 ➡️⬅️ Nel for Quaresma 

100 Bragança fouled. I can't remember him doing anything since he came on 

100 Trincão shot from 14 yards straight into the arms of Paes. Before that a cross from the left. Looks like Suárez just made contact but his effort blocked from ten yards 

102 Suárez with a poor pass dispossessed in the final third. 

103 ➡️⬅️ Whistles as Vásquez takes his shin pads out and slowly trundles off. Ferreira on

104 Corner far side to the lions 

Plus two shown 

105 Corner headed clear

105 As a sign of how bad they've been from set pieces Torreense happy to concede another 

105 Trincão tries to pass the ball into the net from 22 yards into a crowd of defenders  

106 Suárez fires straight at Paes from 8 yards 

Half time 

Sporting CP 1 Torreense 1

Second half 

105 Sporting get us back underway 

106 Corner near side to the lions. Inácio shot blocked from 8 yards 

107 Araújo down close to the edge of the area expecting a foul. Not given 

108 Penalty awarded to Torreense. Araújo shown a red card. I thought that was offside but maybe not. Seydi the man brought down. That looked soft to me. VAR with a lot to sort out there 

109 A pensive looking Morita on the bench.

110 VAR check ongoing. Ioaniddis and Debast can only watch on from the far side. 

110 Referee is pointing to the side so presumably yes it's a penalty and Sporting down to ten men 

111 He was played on side by a toe nail 

111 GOAL Sporting CP 1 Torreense 2. Stropia makes no mistakes. What he week he's having. Off to the world cup and a potential winning goal. I'm not sure how Silva doesn't save that. He went down the middle. Silva didn't move 

113 Soft penalty it's fair to say when all is said and done. He made the most of the most of minimal contact 

114 I'm assuming he got booked for taking his shirt off so we will say yellow to Stropia

115 Five minutes of normal time and at least five after that with the VAR and celebrations 

115 ➡️⬅️  I think that looked like Faye wide left. Not sure when he came on or who for... Inácio 114 

117 Corner near side headed over by Diomande from 8 yards 

118 What a difference a year makes. Last year it was Gyökeres running across the running track in celebration ...

119 Wild effort from Trincão goes out from 22 yards

119 Pité booked for kicking the ball away

120 Awful cross from Quenda goes all the way out the other side 

Plus five shown 

120 Not a bad guess from me then on time added on 

+2 Sporting need a miracle. Guilherme sticks it into the hands of the keeper from 16 yards. That wasn't the miracle 

+3 Faye wins a corner near side 

+3 Rui Silva had gone up for the corner... Headed out... Counter is on... Torreense miss an open goal 

+4 corner far side 

+4 Shot blocked from 18 yards 

+5 Yellow shown to Suarez. Free kick awarded to Torreense 

Full time 

Sporting CP 1 SCU Torreense 2 (AET)

The final word 

Tears from the Torreense players and fans. Take nothing away from them. They've made history. Seventy years ago they beat the lions en route to the their last final. They're winners this time around. What a disappointing end to a long season that was. 

Suárez looks like he's sobbing sat with his shirt covering his face. 

20:17 hours and I've just braved looking at the Aston Villa score. They at least won 2-1 so runners up and automatic qualification for the Champions League. The lions go up to receive their runners up medals. This club we all love always finding new ways to disappoint. It should have been 3-1. How the lad missed the open goal at the end is anyone's guess. Lot of faces that won't be here next season and with good reason. Far too many didn't turn up today. I'd like to be the better man and tell you about the Torreense celebrations but I've turned it off. I've been at it for three hours now. I've got nothing left in the tank at the end of a long season. 

So after all that the lions finish the season trophy less. I'm not sure there's any way to defend that really. I'm not being unkind to Torreense but they barely put up a fight offensively and yet still came away as winners. Poor defending from the first corner. I'm not convinced it was a penalty or a sending off but it matters none. Penalties come with an Xg of 0.79, their opening goal was 0.32, overall it was 1.30. So from minute 3 to minute 112 they had six attempts for an Xg of 0.19. Says it all really but they had 2 big chances and scored both. Sporting had 3 big chances and missed them all. 33 attempts in the end to the lions to 8 from their opponents. Fourth time this campaign it has gone into additional time. We shouldn't have had the penalty against Santa Clara. We shouldn't have even been in the final. It wasn't pretty from Torreense but they won't care. Their fans are going to party late into the night. Parabéns. It would hurt more if we'd lost to Benfica last season it's safe to say and we don't have to play in either the Champions League qualifiers or the Supertaça. Me, clutching at straws? How very dare you. You might be right though. 

At the end of it all we've too many players who think they just have to turn up to win these games. Whereas Torreense left it out on the pitch. I've no idea how Silva lets the penalty go past him from that close range. Cheques probably in the post with that one. If they go up you'll probably see the lions stick six past them when there's not as much riding on it. Such is football I'm afraid. 

So goodbye to Morita. It's been an honour and a pleasure Sir. Presumably goodbye to Hjulmand. Two players who've embraced the club and the culture. You can't ask for more from two foreign players, a sterling example to all. Farewell to Quenda. Don't let the door hit you on the way out son and tell Chelsea there's no refunds. The worst thing that happened to your career was the goal on your debut in the Supertaça. Your development was fast forwarded past a level of your talent. You should still be knocking about for Sporting B. Instead you're off to the Premier League. At least you'll have Essugo to keep you company. I've a feeling you'll need him to keep your spirits up. 

I'm assuming it's goodbye to Faye and Kochorashvili. Two players that we never really knew at all. Gonçalves looks likely to be going too. Not a moment too soon. The injuries finally catching up with him. He's been a yard off the pace for far too much of the season but he at least leaves a greater legacy than most. Rumours that Bragança and Nuno Santos will both be shown the door which makes sense to me. Well done to both for battling back but we can't carry players, especially those with injury records like they have. Find sides who play 34 games a season and go make an impact elsewhere.

Wow what a way to go into the summer on a downer. I genuinely don't begrudge Torreense their win by the way. I was pleased for Vitória to have gone on and won the Taça da Liga. Give me a couple of days to disconnect Sporting losing and I'll admit it's good for Portuguese football which it is in fairness. Much better than how Porto winning the title left the reputation of the league in tatters. This is the Cinderella story. Seventy years in the making. 

Somehow I've got to find four votes for man of the match. Jesus wept. Hmmm. Despite Araújo being sent off and giving away the penalty he was the single most committed player in a green and white shirt. Which might tell you also how he ended up being the one to give away the penalty. But he'd still make my four despite that. All five substitutes did the combined total of fuck and all. Diomande's attempted pass out could have won it for Torreense without them even trying in the second half. Silva had two things to do over 120 minutes, pick the ball out the net twice. Gonçalves was so wasteful it's frankly embarrassing. Didn't think much of Inácio. Vagiannidis looks like he's got feet that are three foot long but two foot of them are invisible. Painful to watch again. 

Let's go with Trincão. Been a long season for the man. Clearly the tank was drained but he still kept plugging away until the end. Sadly a poor performance from Morita as well. Not the way he'd have wanted to have bowed out. Which leaves what - Hjulmand, Quaresma, Suárez and Geny. Well Suárez got the goal so make him vote three. We had a cameo of about ten minutes from Geny. Wasn't overly impressed with Quaresma so Hjulmand with the fourth vote. Fuck it I don't care. I'm giving it to Maxi even with the sending off and penalty because frankly he was one of two or three players who actually looked like they gave a shit. And I don't mean at full time when everyone was pulling sad faces. I mean during the 120 minutes. 

So parabéns Torreense. Enjoy your party. Bonne chance for the Casa Pia game but given I've a soft spot for them when I say I hope you lose it's not because we lost today. I'll see you all in August for a new season. Thank you everyone for reading and supporting these posts. It means a lot. 

Be warned however I'm not going away in June or July. I'm back with a monster series on Bruno de Carvalho and the attacks on Alcochete.