Image: By José Carlos Palma, The Open Chronicle photo taken in Luz Arena
By Open Chronicle with agencies
LISBON — Benfica have been crowned Portuguese roller hockey champions after defeating Sporting 3-1 in the third game of the national championship final playoff series, completing a dominant sweep and securing the club’s 25th league title.
The victory at the Luz Arena sealed a historic achievement for the Eagles, who became the first team to win the Portuguese championship without suffering a single defeat throughout the campaign.
Benfica entered the match holding a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-five series and needed one more victory to lift the trophy. Sporting arrived determined to keep the title race alive, but the hosts proved more clinical when it mattered most.
Vencer o Sporting Clube de Portugal
Foco e ambição. Fechar hoje a conquista do Campeonato Nacional.
Viva o Incomparável, o Sport Lisboa e Benfica! 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/6zuPeuDcyQ
— Tiago Godinho (@tiagojcgodinho) June 20, 2026
The opening half was fiercely contested, with Sporting defending well and creating several dangerous opportunities despite periods of numerical disadvantage. Goalkeeper Conti Acevedo, selected by coach Edu Castro, produced a series of important saves to keep Benfica level.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the closing minutes of the first half. João Rodrigues opened the scoring for Benfica before Viti doubled the lead just seconds before the interval, sending the home crowd into celebration mode and giving the Eagles a commanding 2-0 advantage.
Sporting attempted to respond after the break and came close when Nolito Romero struck the post, but Benfica soon extended their lead. Following a blue card shown to Henrique Magalhães, the hosts were awarded a penalty. Although João Rodrigues initially failed to convert, he scored on the rebound to make it 3-0 and record his 50th goal of the season.
Despite the growing deficit, Sporting continued to push forward and forced Conti Acevedo into several outstanding saves. Tensions also rose on the visitors’ bench, with assistant coach Edo Bosch being sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
The Lions were handed a late opportunity when Viti received a blue card, giving Sporting a two-minute power play. However, Benfica’s defense remained solid and preserved their three goal cushion.
Nolito Romero eventually pulled one back from a direct free hit with less than five minutes remaining, but it was too little, too late for Sporting.
As the final seconds ticked away, Benfica supporters rose to celebrate another national title. The triumph marks the club’s return to the top of Portuguese roller hockey for the first time in three years and further strengthens Benfica’s position as one of the sport’s most successful institutions.
Club president Rui Costa joined the celebrations as Benfica completed a memorable season and lifted the championship trophy in front of their home fans.