Sporting beat Guimaraes to retain Primeira Liga title
Sporting pipped rivals Benfica to Portugal's Primeira Liga title after beating Guimaraes 2-0 on the final day of the season.The Lisbon rivals started the day level on points but Sporting held top spot courtesy of a better head-to-head record.Sporting knew a win would seal a second successive title and goals from Pedro Goncalves and Viktor Gyokeres delivered.Benfica trailed at Braga after Rodrigo Martinez scored a penalty but Vangelis Pavlidis levelled in the second half.Braga were reduced to 10 men shortly after conceding when Joao Moutinho was issued a second yellow card but Benfica were unable to find a winner.It is Sporting's 21st league title and the third time they have topped the table in the past five seasons.They began the 2024-25 campaign with 12 successive wins but the departure of manager Ruben Amorim to Manchester United in November disrupted their rhythm.Joao Pereira, who replaced Amorim, lasted just 42 days in the post after winning only one of his four league games at the helm and three of eight fixtures across all competitions.Rui Borges stepped in to steady the ship and guided Sporting to an unbeaten end to the season in the league, winning 13 and drawing six.
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