Benfica was crowned champion of the Portuguese League Cup after defeating Sporting Lisbon 7-6 in the penalty shootout, after a 1-1 draw in the 90 regulation minutes. The match was played at the Magallanes Pessoa Stadium, in Leiria, and the Argentines Nicolas Otamendi and Angel Di Maria They played the entire game and scored their respective penalties in the definition.
The scoring opened 29 minutes into the first half with a goal from the Norwegian Andreas Schjelderup for Benfica, but the Swede Viktor Gyökeres, the world’s top scorer in 2024, equalized with a penalty in the 43rd minute after an infringement committed on the Mexican Maxi Araújo . The balance was maintained in a closely contested duel, leading the final to penalties.
In the shootout, goalkeepers Anatoli Trubin (Benfica) and Franco Israel (Sporting) played a prominent role, but the definition was tilted when Florentino Luís converted for Benfica and Trincao, former Barcelona, missed his penalty when he ran into a great save from Trubin.
In this way, captain Nicolás Otamendi lifted the trophy, returning the glory of the League Cup to the club, which had not obtained it since 2016.
With this title, Benfica adds its eighth trophy in this competition, consolidating itself as the top winner of the competition. In addition, Ángel Di María, who had been a figure with a double in the semifinals, was one of the team leaders in this victory.
This achievement marks the return of the “Águilas” to the path of success after a difficult end to the year in the Primeira Liga. Now, Benfica will look to maintain momentum in the championship, where they sit third in the table behind Sporting and Porto. For its part, Sporting Lisbon, which arrived as favorites after eliminating Porto in the semifinals, will have to recover from this defeat to continue remaining firm in the leadership of the local league.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
