Image: from 78 X @setentaeoito_
By Open Chronicle Sports
8 August 2026 | Liga Portugal Betclic 2026/27 | Matchday 1
Estrela da Amadora produced a remarkable second-half comeback to hold Sporting CP to a 2,2 draw at the Estádio José Gomes, recovering from two goals down to deny the Lions an opening-day victory in the Liga Portugal Betclic 2026/27 season.
Sporting appeared to be heading towards three points after Rodrigo Zalazar and Fotis Ioannidis established a 2,0 advantage early in the second half. Estrela, however, refused to surrender and responded through Leandro Antonetti before Beni completed the comeback six minutes from time.
It was a dramatic opening to the league campaign for both clubs and an early reminder of the unpredictability of Portuguese football.
🇵🇹 ESTRELA SHOCKED EVERYONE AND CAME BACK FROM 2 GOALS DOWN TO DRAW LEVEL WITH SPORTING CP 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/xSMLq1RG8d
— Accurate Football (@Accurate_Foot23) August 8, 2026
A Goalless First Half in Amadora
The opening 45 minutes ended without a goal as Sporting attempted to impose themselves against an Estrela side determined to make life difficult for their visitors.
Sporting had entered the new campaign expecting to begin with a victory, but Estrela remained competitive and prevented the Lions from establishing the advantage they wanted before the interval.
Neither side found the breakthrough.
Half Time: Estrela da Amadora 0,0 Sporting CP
The match changed almost immediately after the restart.
Zalazar Breaks the Deadlock
Sporting needed only a minute of the second half to move in front.
Rodrigo Zalazar struck in the 46th minute, giving the visitors the breakthrough they had been searching for.
Estrela da Amadora 0,1 Sporting CP
The goal appeared to release Sporting, who began the second half with considerably greater authority.
Thirteen minutes later, the Lions struck again.
Ioannidis Makes It 2,0
Fotis Ioannidis doubled Sporting’s advantage in the 59th minute.
At 2,0, the contest appeared to be moving decisively in Sporting’s direction. The visitors had established a two-goal cushion, and Estrela now faced a major challenge simply to find a route back into the game.
Instead of collapsing, however, the home side produced the defining response of the evening.
Antonetti Gives Estrela Hope
Estrela’s comeback began in the 72nd minute.
Leandro Antonetti pulled one back for the hosts, cutting Sporting’s advantage in half and transforming the atmosphere at the Estádio José Gomes.
Estrela da Amadora 1,2 Sporting CP
Suddenly the match was alive again.
Sporting were no longer protecting a comfortable advantage. Estrela had momentum, the home crowd had reason to believe and the final stages developed into a very different contest.
Twelve minutes later, the comeback was complete.
Beni Completes the Comeback
In the 84th minute, Beni scored Estrela’s second goal to make it 2,2.
From two goals behind, Estrela had recovered to level the match.
Estrela da Amadora 2,2 Sporting CP
Sporting had seen what appeared to be a commanding advantage disappear in the space of 25 minutes.
The Lions attempted to respond before the final whistle, but Estrela protected the point they had fought so hard to recover.
A Point That Feels Very Different for Each Team
The final whistle produced contrasting emotions.
For Estrela da Amadora, the result represented an impressive demonstration of resilience. Recovering from 2,0 down against Sporting on the opening weekend provides an immediate source of confidence for the new campaign.
For Sporting, it was a significant missed opportunity.
After establishing a two-goal lead through Zalazar and Ioannidis, the Lions were in a strong position to leave Amadora with all three points. Instead, their inability to control the final phase of the match allowed Estrela to return.
Dropping two points after holding such an advantage will inevitably make the manner of the result particularly frustrating for Sporting.
Match Summary
Liga Portugal Betclic 2026/27
Matchday 1
Estrela da Amadora 2,2 Sporting CP
Goals:
Sporting CP
Rodrigo Zalazar 46′
Fotis Ioannidis 59′
Estrela da Amadora
Leandro Antonetti 72′
Beni 84′
Half Time: 0,0
Full Time: 2,2
Date: 8 August 2026
Venue: Estádio José Gomes, Amadora
Turning Point
Antonetti’s goal in the 72nd minute changed the contest.
Until that moment, Sporting appeared to have established control with their two-goal advantage. Once Estrela reduced the deficit, however, the balance of the match shifted.
The hosts found belief, Sporting came under increasing pressure, and Beni eventually completed the recovery.
What looked like a comfortable Sporting victory became one of the first dramatic stories of the 2026/27 Liga Portugal season.
What It Means
Both teams begin their league campaigns with one point.
For Estrela, the draw will feel closer to a victory given the circumstances. Coming back from two goals down against one of Portugal’s leading clubs gives the Amadora side an encouraging start to the season.
Sporting leave the Estádio José Gomes knowing they allowed a winning position to escape.
There are 34 matchdays in a Liga Portugal season, and conclusions cannot be drawn from one evening. But in a championship where dropped points can eventually prove decisive, surrendering a 2,0 advantage on Matchday 1 is an early setback the Lions will want to correct quickly.
For Estrela, it was exactly the opposite.
Two goals down. Eighteen minutes remaining.
And still, a point.