Sporting CP and Braga battled to a 1-1 draw in a tense Liga Portugal encounter on Monday, with late drama altering the title race landscape. Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring for the hosts with a stunning 15th-minute free kick, but Braga’s Alonso Cruz Patrao silenced the Lisbon crowd with an 87th-minute header to secure a dramatic equalizer.
The match was marked by fiery moments on and off the pitch. Play halted for 10 minutes in the second half due to smoke from fan-lit flares, adding to the match’s intensity. Sporting’s Joao Moutinho received a late red card, compounding the home side’s frustrations as they slipped to second place behind Benfica.
Braga, unbeaten in four matches, solidified their hold on third place and remain contenders for European qualification. The result leaves Liga Portugal’s title race wide open, with Benfica now two points clear at the top following their 4-1 victory over Porto.
