Sporting beat Boavista, clinch first Portuguese title since 2002

LISBON: Sporting Lisbon were crowned champions of Portugal for the first time in almost two decades on Tuesday.

A 1-0 win over Boavista at their Jose Alvalade Stadium clinched Sporting’s 19th title with the last coming back in 2002.

Paulinho’s 36th minute goal put ‘ the Lions’ out of reach of outgoing champions Porto at a game played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Lisbon side’s celebrations were delayed 24 hours ater Porto kept their chances alive, at least for 24 hours, with a 5-1 rout of lowly Farense on Monday.

They took the title in style, with an eight point cushion over the ‘Dragons’ from the north of the country, and boasting an unbeaten record.

Despite calls by local authorities to respect social distancing restrictions thousands of fans had begun to gather outside Sporting’s Lisbon home well before kick-off.

Celebrations outside the stadium were in full flow even before the final whistle had blown.

At half-time scuffles between supporters and police let several people injured, police reported.

Once the match ended fans flooded the streets of the capital, accompanied by fireworks, car horns blaring and chants of “We are champions”.

Sporting, where Cristiano Ronaldo began his career, rose to the top of the table at the start of November and have remained there ever since.

One of the pivotal points of the season came at the end of last month when Sporting let a tricky assignment at Braga with a 1-0 win whilst Porto, then only four points adrit, had to setle for a 1-1 draw at Moreirense.

Their success ended the duopoly enjoyed by their arch Lisbon rivals Benfica and Porto who between them had won every title since 2003.

Sporting, who sold their best player Bruno Fernandes 18 months ago, have already picked up silverware this season, winning the League Cup with a 1-0 win over Braga in January.

Three years ago Sporting went though the worst crisis in their 100-year history, with fans ransacking the club’s training centre and assaulting players and staff ater they finished third.