A 3-0 triumph over the Spanish side is spearheaded by Pedro Gonçalves

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat Real Sociedad 3-0 at the Estádio do Algarve in the final friendly of their preseason training camp.

Before the opening whistle, a tribute was made to former Sporting CP and Real Sociedad players Carlos Xavier and Oceano (for professional reasons, Sá Pinto could not be present).

The game was a good test against a side who will play in the Champions League next season. The main interest for Sporting CP was whether Gyokares would play for the first time since signing for the club, and his debut proved that he was strong, fast and instantly on the same wavelength as his teammates. The icing on the cake was the goal that he scored on 20 minutes, after a great move by Sporting CP that started with a ball from Pedro Gonçalves to Ricardo Esgaio, a cross from the right winger and a deflection that was met by Gyokeres in the box to finish.

Sporting CP were playing with three defensive players (Gonçalo Inácio, Coates and Matheus Reis), with the wingers (Esgaio and Nuno Santos) high up the pitch and two central midfielders handling the ball (Morita and Pedro Gonçalves). Marcus Edwards operated on the right side and up front, Gyokeres and Paulinho formed the strike partnership.

Esgaio would come inside on several occasions, and from one of these situations he was perfectly assisted by Pedro Gonçalves to provide a two-goal advantage before half an hour had elapsed.

They would come close to a third goal before the break, as Edwards had a shot in the area intercepted by a Real Sociedad defender, but ended the first half 2-0 to the good.

In the second half, Sporting CP's superiority continued to be well established, and in a great move by Nuno Santos on the left, a shot by Pedro Gonçalves made it 3-0.

A harsh decision by the referee led to Leonado Barroso being sent off, and Real Sociedad tried to use the numerical advantage, but were denied three times by Antonio Adán.

There was no change in the scoreline and Sporting CP's 3-0 victory over Real Sociedad had some magnificent individual and collective lessons to take away. This Sunday they play against Villarreal CF at the Estádio José Alvalade in the Trofeu 5 Violinos.