Sporting Take Advantage Over Rio Ave in Taça de Portugal Semifinals
Sporting Clube de Portugal took a commanding 2-0 lead in the 2024/2025 Taça de Portugal semifinals, defeating Rio Ave FC in the first leg on April 3, 2025, at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon.
The scoring began early with Geny Catamo netting the opener in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a precise assist to beat the goalkeeper. Just before halftime, in added time of the first half, Viktor Gyökeres doubled the lead by converting a penalty, further asserting the dominance of the 'Leões'.
Under the guidance of Rui Borges, Sporting CP displayed a solid performance and controlled much of the game, showcasing their status as favorites in the competition. Meanwhile, Rio Ave, managed by Petit, attempted to respond in the second half but was unable to break the Sporting defense or change the scoreline.