Newly promoted Académico de Viseu win at Alvalade. Sporting are now nine points behind Porto
João Guilherme scored on 24 and 74 minutes, Luis Suárez equalised on 62. It was Sporting's first league defeat, days after losing at home to LASK in the Champions League, and Académico's fifth league win in a row.
Académico de Viseu only came back up to the top flight this season. On matchday nine they went to Alvalade and won. Sporting lost 2-1 on Sunday night, their first league defeat of the campaign, and now trail FC Porto by nine points.
One man, two goals
The night belonged to João Guilherme. He scored on 24 minutes and, after Luis Suárez levelled on 62, scored again on 74. Sporting had more than a quarter of an hour to answer and could not find one.
At the final whistle there were boos and white handkerchiefs in the stands, the second time this season after September’s 2-2 with Arouca. It capped a bad week: in midweek Sporting had also lost at home to Austria’s LASK in the Champions League.
The table
FC Porto won at Gil Vicente on Saturday and have nine wins from nine for 27 points. Sporting are on 18 having played a game more than two of their closest rivals. Benfica (19) and Santa Clara (18) meet in the Azores on Monday, so Sporting’s third place could slip further. The up-to-date standings are on the official Liga Portugal table.
A promoted side in form
For Académico this was no one-off. It was their fifth straight league win, the previous one away at Braga, and it takes them to 17 points, level with Arouca and one behind Sporting. For a side that has just come up, it is a start few would have predicted in August.
By Vasco Almada
Chart: Tugadaily, data from Liga Portugal