Super Cup· Season 2026
Sporting CP beat Benfica 31-24 to win a record fourth consecutive Portuguese Super Cup in Santo Tirso, with Mohamed Aly the hero in goal.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Sporting struck first inside 60 seconds. Mohamed Aly saved Ander Izquierdo's opening shot, and the Leões broke immediately to open the scoring. Mikita Vailupau equalised from the seven-metre line for Benfica (1-1), but that was as close as the Eagles would get.
By the 10-minute mark Sporting led 6-2, with Aly a near-impenetrable wall. William Bogojevic cut the deficit to 8-3 after 14 minutes, and a quick double from Joaquim Nazaré and Bernardo Pêgas brought Benfica back to 9-5. But Kiko Costa was already in devastating form for Sporting, and the hosts closed the half with a 15-6 advantage — their biggest first-half lead in any Super Cup meeting between the two.
Kiko Costa scored his seventh goal of the match before the 38th minute (20-9), and Sporting's advantage peaked at 13 goals — 22-9 after a brace from Filipe Monteiro. Goalkeeper Mohamed Aly even scored himself in the 37th minute, lobbing into an empty Benfica net from distance after Tobias Thulin had pushed forward for a 7×6 attacking system.
Benfica improved in the final quarter. Gonçalo Meireles and João Bandeira found some rhythm, and Thulin made several saves to keep the scoreline respectable. But Ricardo Costa's timeout at 52 minutes, after Benfica had trimmed the gap to eight (26-18), steadied Sporting and they cruised to a 31-24 victory.
The Turning Point
The first 15 minutes decided everything. Benfica's new-look side — 11 new players under new Swedish coach Anders Hallberg — could not cope with Sporting's defensive intensity and Aly's goalkeeping. Trailing 6-2 after 10 minutes, Benfica never got within five goals for the rest of the match. The psychological damage of that start was irreversible.
Key Performers
Kiko Costa (Sporting) — The Sporting right-back scored at least seven goals, punishing Benfica from distance and on the wing. His shooting efficiency in the first half broke the game open.
Mohamed Aly (Sporting) — The goalkeeper was the match's defining figure. His early saves set the tone, and his long-range empty-net goal was a moment of pure confidence. Record described him as "a true wall" in the first half.
Salvador Salvador (Sporting) — The captain led by example, scoring crucial goals in transition including a quick response after Benfica briefly threatened in the second half. He had warned pre-match that Benfica's closed-door preparations made them unpredictable; his team proved they needed no such mystery.
Gonçalo Meireles (Benfica) — One of the few bright spots for the Eagles, the Portuguese back scored several second-half goals with clever movement from the left flank.
Player of the Match: Mohamed Aly — Seven saves in the first half alone and a goal. Decisive.
By the Numbers
The 15-6 half-time scoreline — a nine-goal lead — was the widest first-half margin in any Sporting-Benfica Super Cup match. Sporting's dominance in the fixture continues: they are now unbeaten in nine consecutive meetings across all competitions, and have won 36 of 50 all-time encounters against Benfica.
Sporting's fourth straight Super Cup breaks the previous national record of three, set by ABC between 1991 and 1993. Only FC Porto (8), Benfica and ABC (7 each) have more overall Super Cup titles than Sporting's new tally of 7.
Benfica conceded 22 goals in the first 38 minutes and finished with 24 — nearly identical to the 24 they scored in the 2024 Super Cup defeat (37-21). The defensive improvement Hallberg sought in pre-season did not materialise against a Sporting attack that scored freely.
What It Means
Sporting lift their seventh Super Cup and fourth in a row — a historic achievement that reinforces their status as Portuguese handball's dominant force after three consecutive domestic trebles. For Benfica, it is a sobering start to the Hallberg era. The Swede brought in 11 new players and overhauled the squad, but this performance suggests integration will take time.
Both sides now turn to the Andebol 1 league season. The fixture list and dates for the new campaign are expected to be confirmed shortly.
Verdict
Sporting were sharper, fitter and tactically superior from the first whistle — a team at their peak against one still finding its shape. The 31-24 scoreline reflected a gulf in preparation and cohesion rather than quality. Benfica will improve under Hallberg, but this was Sporting's night, and they earned a slice of history.
Sporting and Benfica have met 50 times — Sporting won 36, Benfica won 9, with 5 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2012. Sporting leads the head-to-head with 36 victories from 50 meetings. A combined 2965 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 59.30 per match (1574 for the home side, 1391 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 50 matches (100%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 50 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. Sporting are currently unbeaten in the last 8 meetings. The highest-scoring encounter finished 39–41 in 2026.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 2 Sept 2026