Braga win the Portuguese league

Sporting de Braga have retained the Campeonato Elite title. In a reedition of last season’s final, the “Guerreiros do Minho” defeated Casa do Benfica de Loures three goals to two.

The defending champions had eliminated ACD “O Sótão” in the semi-finals with a five-two result, while Casa do Benfica de Loures had cruised past Sporting CP with a seven-nil win.

At the Estádio do Viveiro Jordan dos Santos, Braga took an early lead through Bê Martins. Four minutes into the second period Léo Martins doubled the lead and less than one minute later Filipe Silva made it three-nil for Bruno Torres’s team.
In the third period Casa do Benfica de Loures cut the distance through Batalha and on the last second of the match Chiky Ardil scored again for the “Encarnados” but it was already too late to prevent Braga of winning their eighth Portuguese title.

In the third-place play-off game, Sporting had to take it to extra-time against “O Sótão”. The team from Nazaré turned the result around after being two goals down but Coimbra equalised and the regular time finished with a three-goal draw. In extra-time João Mota and Belchior scored to secure Sporting a five-goals-to-three win.

RESULTS
Semi-finals, 6 August
SC Braga 5-2 ACD “O Sótão”
CB Loures 7-0 Sporting CP

Final, 7 August
SC Braga 3-2 CB Loures

Third-place play-off
Sporting CP *5-3 ACD “O Sótão”
*A.E.T.

FINAL STANDINGS
1st – SC Braga
2nd – CB Loures
3rd – Sporting CP
4th – ACD “O Sótão”

In the Campeonato Nacional, the second tier of Portuguese beach soccer, GD Chaves won six-three in the final against CF “Os Belenenses” and both teams were promoted to next season’s Campeonato Elite.