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Liga Portugal Betclic 2026/27 | Matchday 3
22 August 2026 | Final
Sporting CP 3, 1 FC Alverca
By Open Chronicle Sports
Sporting CP continued their unbeaten start to the Liga Portugal Betclic season with a convincing 3, 1 victory over FC Alverca at a packed Estádio José Alvalade.
Maxi Araújo gave the hosts a dream start after only two minutes before second half goals from Geny Catamo and Luis Suárez established a commanding advantage. Captain Figueiredo scored a late consolation for Alverca.
The result moved Sporting onto seven points from their opening three league matches, while Alverca remained on one.
🎥 Revê os 3️⃣ golos dos Leões na vitória frente ao FC Alverca ⚔️ #SCPFCA pic.twitter.com/N1C8sYZdzb
— Sporting CP (@SportingCP) August 23, 2026
Sporting Make the Perfect Start
Sporting could hardly have asked for a better opening.
Only two minutes had been played when Maxi Araújo collected possession outside the penalty area and fired a left footed effort into the bottom corner, immediately putting Rui Borges’ side in control.
The early breakthrough allowed Sporting to dictate the rhythm of the match while forcing Alverca to reconsider a game plan that had been disrupted almost immediately.
Despite the early setback, the visitors remained competitive enough to prevent Sporting from extending their advantage before half time.
The teams therefore entered the interval with the champions holding a narrow 1, 0 lead.
☑ RESUMO
I Liga (#3) | Sporting 3-1 Alverca#LigaPortugalBetclic #VSPORTSLPBETCLIC #EPOCA2627 #JORNADA3 #SCPALV #SCP #ALV
Todos os vídeos 👉 https://t.co/HFh6ntYTjv pic.twitter.com/vl5qWqtaIe— VSPORTS ARCHIVE (@VsportsArchive) August 22, 2026
Sporting Break the Game Open
The decisive period arrived early in the second half.
Geny Catamo doubled Sporting’s advantage in the 55th minute. His delivery from inside the area ended in the Alverca net after taking a touch from the visiting goalkeeper.
Only five minutes later, Sporting struck again.
Luis Suárez broke forward, beat the goalkeeper and finished into the exposed net to make it 3, 0 in the 60th minute.
Two goals in five minutes effectively settled the contest and rewarded Sporting for increasing the intensity after the interval.
Alverca Find a Late Goal
Alverca continued searching for a response despite the three goal deficit.
Their persistence was rewarded in the 88th minute when captain Figueiredo produced a powerful finish to reduce the deficit.
It arrived too late to threaten Sporting’s victory, but gave the visitors something to take from a difficult evening in Lisbon.
Sporting comfortably managed the remaining minutes to complete a 3, 1 victory.
Goals
2′ | 1, 0 | Maxi Araújo, Sporting CP
A left footed strike from outside the penalty area gave Sporting an immediate advantage.
55′ | 2, 0 | Geny Catamo, Sporting CP
Catamo’s dangerous delivery ended in the Alverca goal after contact with the visiting goalkeeper.
60′ | 3, 0 | Luis Suárez, Sporting CP
Suárez attacked on the counter, rounded the goalkeeper and finished to give Sporting complete control.
88′ | 3, 1 | Figueiredo, FC Alverca
The Alverca captain scored with a powerful late effort.
Match Snapshot
Competition: Liga Portugal Betclic
Season: 2026/27
Matchday: 3
Date: 22 August 2026
Venue: Estádio José Alvalade
Final Score: Sporting CP 3, 1 FC Alverca
Attendance: 50,507
Stadium Occupancy: 96%
Liga Portugal Man of the Match: Maxi Araújo
Match Analysis
Sporting’s victory was built around two decisive phases.
The first came almost immediately. Araújo’s second minute goal removed any possibility of Alverca settling comfortably into the match and gave Sporting control of the scoreboard from the beginning.
The second came between the 55th and 60th minutes. Catamo and Suárez scored within five minutes of each other, transforming a potentially delicate 1, 0 advantage into a commanding three goal lead.
Alverca deserve credit for continuing to compete and eventually finding a goal through Figueiredo, but Sporting had already done the decisive work.
Perhaps most significantly for Rui Borges, three different Sporting players scored. Araújo provided the early breakthrough, Catamo increased the advantage and Suárez supplied the decisive third.
League Impact
Sporting CP move to seven points from three matches, following the 2, 2 draw against Estrela Amadora and the 3, 2 victory over Vitória SC.
FC Alverca remain on one point, having taken their first point of the campaign in the 2, 2 draw with Estrela Amadora on Matchday 2.
For Sporting, the evening at Alvalade provided another positive step in the opening weeks of the 2026/27 title race.
Final: Sporting CP 3, 1 FC Alverca
Scorers: Maxi Araújo 2′, Geny Catamo 55′, Luis Suárez 60′; Figueiredo 88′.