Sporting Lisbon Face Torreense in Sunday’s Taca de Portugal Final
sporting lisbon go into Sunday’s Taca de Portugal final against Torreense with a chance to add another domestic trophy at the Estadio Nacional. They reached the final after a goalless draw with Porto in the second leg of the semi-final, and they will again be judged on whether they can finish the job after a season that has already swung sharply.
Rui Borges and Porto
Rui Borges got Sporting through the tie by protecting a 1-0 first-leg lead from early March and then taking a 0-0 draw away to Porto. That route was tighter than the scoreline suggests. Sporting needed extra time to get past Pacos de Ferreira, Santa Clara and AVS in earlier rounds, while they beat Marinhense comfortably in this season’s competition.
The final also arrives with recent form pointing in opposite directions. Sporting won two of their eight matches across all competitions in April, a month that also ended their Champions League run and their Primeira Liga title chase. They finished second in the league, then closed with three straight wins, scoring 12 goals and conceding two.
Torreense and Luis Tralhao
Torreense arrive with a different kind of pressure. Luis Tralhao’s side are only in their second-ever Taca de Portugal final, with the last one coming in 1956 when they lost to Porto. Their path has included wins over Correlha, Lusitania, Casa Pia, Leiria and Oliveirense, plus a 3-1 aggregate semi-final success against Fafe.
They drew 1-1 in the first leg of that semi-final in the Braga district, then beat Fafe 2-0 at Estadio Manuel Marques. David Bruno scored late in that second leg and Stopira added a stoppage-time penalty. Torreense are unbeaten in seven matches, with five wins and two draws in that run, and they have kept clean sheets in five of those seven games.
Diomande Returns
Sporting’s selection picture is mixed. Ousmane Diomande is available again after a one-match suspension for accumulation of bookings, but Ivan Fresneda, Joao Simoes, Fotis Ioannidis and Nuno Santos are expected to be out. Zeno Debast is a major doubt because of a femur injury.
For Sporting, the final is a chance to keep hold of a trophy they won for the 18th time last season after beating Benfica in extra time. For Torreense, it is a shot at a first Taca de Portugal title and a return to the same final they have not reached since 1956. The gap between the clubs is obvious on paper, but Sunday’s match will decide whether Sporting add another cup to the cabinet or Torreense turn their rare final appearance into something far bigger.
