Sporting Outguns Benfica, Seizes Fifth Portuguese Volleyball Super Cup

Lisbon’s green-and-white half begins the indoor season with a spring in its step. By subduing eternal rivals Benfica and lifting a fifth Volleyball Super Cup, Sporting Clube de Portugal did more than claim an early trophy – it sent a pointed reminder that last year’s domestic sweep was no accident, and that the battle for 2025/26 silverware will once again be a capital affair.

A night coloured green in Santo Tirso

Played on neutral ground at the Pavilhão Municipal de Santo Tirso, the contest never felt neutral. A lively crowd drawn from both Lisbon camps produced a decibel level rarely heard outside football derbies. When the dust settled after four breath-taking sets, the scoreboard read 3-1 in Sporting’s favour, the 1 800-seat venue echoing to chants of “Leões, Leões”. Benfica, who had edged the last two meetings between the sides, found themselves chasing the score from the opening serve and never quite bridged the gap.

Key moments that swung the needle

The turning point arrived midway through the second set. With Sporting trailing 16-18, veteran setter Miguel Maia – still orchestrating at 54 – delivered a disguised second-touch dump that stunned Benfica’s block and ignited a 9-2 scoring burst. From that momentum shift onward, João Coelho’s men dictated tempo. In the fourth and final set, a pair of stinging service aces by Brazilian recruit Lucas Borges pushed Sporting from 20-20 to 23-20, effectively snuffing out Benfica’s last surge.

Players who made the difference

While volleyball is a collective art, individual brilliance often decides finals. Sporting’s Cuban opposite Yadrian Escobar powered a match-high 22 points, blending brute force with canny shot selection down the line. Captain Salvador Gomes stabilised reception, posting an 82% positive pass rate that gave Maia the platform to vary his offence. On the other side of the net, Benfica’s outside hitter Hugo Gaspar responded with 19 points, but the Encarnados struggled to contain Sporting’s high block, giving away 11 stuffs over the four sets.

Why this fifth crown matters

Until Sunday night the Super Cup honours board read Benfica 8, Sporting 4, Fonte do Bastardo 2. Closing that gap to 8-5 keeps the hunt for historical supremacy alive and raises the stakes for the coming league campaign. The trophy also locks in a psychological advantage: since 2018, every Portuguese side that won the season-opening Super Cup went on to claim at least one additional domestic title that same year.

The coaches speak – contrasting tones

Sporting boss João Coelho praised his team’s composure under pressure, emphasising that “service aggression balanced with patient block-defence” was the tactical key. Standing a few metres away, Benfica counterpart Marcel Matz conceded the better side won yet argued that integrating three off-season signings had inevitably disrupted rhythm. Both tacticians, however, agreed on one point: the margin between Portugal’s two heavyweight programmes remains wafer-thin.

What comes next for Portuguese volleyball fans

Inside two weeks both clubs will begin their European campaigns, Sporting in the CEV Challenge Cup and Benfica in the CEV Cup qualifiers. Domestically, the opening jornada of the national league pits Sporting against Vitória de Guimarães, while Benfica host AJ Fonte Bastardo in what already feels like a must-win. For supporters planning away-day trips, the Portuguese Volleyball Federation confirmed that discounted combo tickets for league and European matches go on sale Thursday at 10:00.

Bottom line for anyone following the sport in Portugal

The Super Cup rarely decides a season, but it can set the tone. By hoisting that silver platter under the bright lights of Santo Tirso, Sporting have planted an early flag and, in the process, re-energised a rivalry that continues to define Portuguese volleyball. If Sunday was any indication, packed pavilions and heart-rate-raising rallies will be the norm all winter long.