Benfica 1-1 Sporting CP: Akturkoglu takes Primeira Liga title race to the wire

The visitors looked set to gain a cushion in the table after a fine start, but they had no reply to the hosts' equaliser.

Sporting scored with the first shot of the game just four minutes in, with Viktor Gyokeres cutting inside from the left to tee up Trincao, who fired a first-time shot past Anatolii Trubin from just outside the box.

Angel Di Maria sent a long-range curler wide, while Rui Silva stretched out an arm to brilliantly stop Akturkoglu, who tried to round the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation.

Pote was then denied a goal in the 38th minute. Gyokeres' drive was kept out by Trubin, but he fouled his marker trying to keep the ball alive, and Pote's powerful effort into the near post was disallowed.

Akturkoglu got his equaliser in the 63rd minute, turning in from close range after Vangelis Pavlidis had sat down two Sporting defenders as he danced his way to the byline.

Pavlidis then struck the foot of the right post with his first-time strike from inside the box, but neither side were able to clinch a late winner that would tip the title race in their favour.

There was still late drama to be had after the final whistle as the two sides clashed, and Ricardo Esgaio, who was an unused substitute, was shown a straight red card for dissent.

The sides remain level at the top of the table, both on 79 points, and should they both win next weekend, Sporting will take the title due to their head-to-head record over Benfica, after winning the reverse fixture 1-0.

Until the end, Lions!Trincão1-1 // #SLBSCP pic.twitter.com/6VHHPTNFdU

— Sporting CP English (@SportingCP_en) May 10, 2025

The Lisbon derby always provides some heat, but there has never been one with as much on the line as there was on Saturday.

Benfica had lost their last two league matches against Sporting, as many defeats as they had suffered in their previous 16 against them, but only a 2-0 win would have swung the title closer to them.