There was no hangover from Sporting after their Champions League heroics against Bodø/Glimt in midweek.
The short trip north of Lisbon to take on Alverca resulted in a routine 4-1 win to reclaim second place in the standings and keep Sporting’s faint hopes of a third straight Primeira Liga title alive.
Pedro Gonçalves was the star of the show, opening the scoring with a typically precise shot midway through the first half.
Luis Suárez smashed in a second goal shortly after the break, and Geny Catamo made the game safe by rifling a firm shot low into the corner of the net in the 68th minute.
Alverca pulled a goal back through Marezi late on, but Pote had the last word, scoring his second and Sporting’s fourth goal of the game direct from a free-kick.
It was not all good news for Sporting however, as Nuno Santos, who has only recently returned after almost one and a half years out injured, left the pitch in tears in the first half after picking up what appeared a muscle tear.
