LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Star striker Viktor Gyokeres helped to lead Sporting Lisbon to its second consecutive Portuguese league title after Benfica was held off on the final day of the season on Saturday.
Gyokeres and Pedro Goncalves delivered goals in a 2-0 home win over Vitoria SC to ensure the title stayed with the green and black of Sporting and leave its crosstown rival as runner-up.
Benfica drew at 10-man Braga 1-1. That left Sporting with 82 points and Benfica with 80 after 34 rounds.
Goncalves opened for Sporting in the 53rd and Gyokeres sealed the win in the 82nd when he controlled a loose high ball in the box and dribbled around a defender and the goalkeeper before slotting inside the post. The Sweden striker yanked his shirt over his head and flexed his muscles while shouting out as the home fans celebrated.
His goal took his massive tally to 39 goals in 33 league appearances, to go with another six goals in the Champions League. He is in the running for the European Golden Boot award for top domestic league scorer.
That tally improved on last season's 29 league goals to lead Sporting to the 2024 title. He is considered one the hottest prospects in European soccer for a big money move this offseason. Arsenal has been reported in Portugal to be a front-runner for him.
“It was our goal all season and to finish it off on the last day is incredible,” Gyokeres said, while adding about his future that “you never know what is going to happen.”
It was Sporting’s 21st league title.
Sporting and Benfica arrived to the final round level on points but with the defending champion owning the head-to-head tiebreaker. Sporting needed only to match Benfica’s result, while Benfica needed Sporting to stumble and then to better its result.
The title race went to the last day after Sporting and Benfica drew 1-1 in a derby last weekend when both had a chance to clinch the title.
Sporting’s and Benfica’s games on Saturday were played simultaneously.
Benfica fell behind early at Braga when Rodrigo Zalazar converted a penalty in the 23rd. Vangelis Pavlidis leveled for Benfica in the 63rd after substitute Angel Di Maria set him up shortly after going on.
Braga was reduced to 10 men three minutes later when midfielder João Moutinho got a second yellow card, but Benfica couldn’t get a winner.
The league ended a day before Portugal holds national elections.
Sporting and Benfica will meet again in the Portuguese Cup final next weekend. That could be Gyokeres' last game for Sporting with bigger European clubs eager to get his goals.
“We want to win that game but right now we want to celebrate right,” Gyokeres said about the cup final.
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The Associated Press
