Benfica defeats Sporting to win rink hockey Super Cup

Benfica secured its tenth rink hockey Super Cup title this Saturday by defeating rival Sporting 3-2 in a thrilling derby held at the Municipal Sports Pavilion of Santo Tirso. The victory marks a significant milestone for the reigning national champions, who currently hold the second-highest number of Super Cup trophies in history, trailing behind the record holder FC Porto.

Sporting entered the match strong and managed to take the lead before halftime thanks to a goal by Nolito in the 13th minute. However, Benfica shifted the momentum in the second half with tactical adjustments that paid off. João Rodrigues leveled the score in the 28th minute, Zé Miranda added a second goal in the 35th minute, and Gonçalo Pinto extended the lead to 3-1 in the 48th minute. Rafael Bessa managed to score a late goal for Sporting in the final minute, but Benfica held on for the win.

Following the match, Benfica coach Eduard Castro expressed satisfaction with his team's performance and resilience after bouncing back from a tough week. "It was an important victory, because we came from a week in which we lost to Óquei de Barcelos for the Elite Cup, and we were very focused for today, with the objective of doing the best possible," Castro stated.

Castro praised Sporting's high pressure and physical readiness during the first half while highlighting his own team's tactical adaptability. "What we worked on during the week went very well, and I think we played a very complete game over the 50 minutes. In the second half, we made tactical changes and were intelligent," he added.

Reflecting on the competitive nature of the sport, Castro emphasized that the team deserved the triumph based on their second-half efforts. "In sport, victories are always fair. Today, we are satisfied, but already focused on playing a better game next against FC Porto for the Portuguese League, which is the best in the world," the coach concluded.

Despite trailing FC Porto's all-time record of 23 Super Cups, Benfica's latest triumph solidifies its dominant position in national rink hockey. Meanwhile, Sporting remains with three Super Cup titles, sitting behind Óquei de Barcelos and ahead of Valongo in the historical standings.