In the opening match of the Liga Placard quarter-finals, Torreense hosted Sporting at the Pavilhão Physics de Torres Vedras. Sporting, despite coming off two consecutive defeats in the Champions League, managed to halt their downward streak by defeating Torreense 4-1, putting them just one win away from advancing to the next phase.
Sporting started strong, hitting the woodwork twice in the first ten minutes. However, it was evident from early on that they were not performing at their best. Individual errors and lapses in concentration allowed Torreense to stay competitive.
The match saw two quick goals, one from each team, within a span of two minutes. Nuno Dias’ team seemed more threatening, eventually taking the lead at the 17th minute through Merlin, who capitalized on Taynan’s pass following a tactical break.
Torreense, displaying resilience, responded just before halftime with Rúben Santos scoring a powerful shot from the left flank that eluded Sporting’s goalkeeper, Gonçalo Portugal.
Despite Torreense’s efforts, they couldn’t find a way past Sporting’s defense in extra time. Sporting capitalized on their chances, breaking the deadlock early in the second half with a clever backheel assist from Zicky to Taynan, followed by Wesley extending the lead to 3-1.
Torreense attempted a comeback, narrowing the gap to 5-4 with five minutes remaining, but Sporting effectively defended their lead, preventing any further goals.
The match was sealed in Sporting’s favor with a late goal from Pany Varela, courtesy of Merlin’s assist, securing a 4-1 victory for the reigning champions.
