The team accomplish their mission against SC Farense

Sporting Clube de Portugal continued their winning league run with a 3-1 victory at home to SC Farense on Matchday 20, as Iván Fresneda, Ousmane Diomande and Conrad Harder all found the net.

For this meeting between first and 17th in the table, coach Rui Borges made just one change from the team's Champions League commitment the previous week, bringing Rui Silva in instead of Franco Israel.

The lineup was completed by Iván Fresneda, Gonçalo Inácio, Ousmane Diomande, Maxi Araújo, Geny Catamo, Morten Hjulmand, Daniel Bragança, Geovany Quenda, Francisco Trincão and Conrad Harder.

Sporting CP started with a forceful press and imposed themselves on the game, with Trincão enjoying the first chance when his header went over, just five minutes in.

Next up was Harder, trying to open the scoring with a mid-range cross shot, but opposition goalkeeper Ricardo Velho was alert and held the ball.

Harder turned provider for the first goal of the game, when he crossed into the heart of the area and Fresneda finished off to open his account for the club.

Playing with an advantage in a game that was expected to involve 'patience', due to SC Farense's low block, as Rui Borges had said, Sporting CP became more comfortable. Trincão had another shot that went wide of goal.

SC Farense tried to take advantage of some of Sporting CP's mistakes high up the pitch, but off their best chance, from the feet of former Sporting CP player Miguel Menino, Hjulmand got across to intervene.

Catamo went off injured in the 23rd minute, having to be replaced by João Simões.

Sporting CP managed to make it 2-0, as Trincão took a corner from the right and Diomande found space in the middle of the area to head home.

Ricardo Velho once again denied Trincão, as Sporting CP chased a third goal, and it was SC Farense who scored before the interval: A cross from the left was headed in by Lucas Áfrico to make it 2-1.

From the restart, SC Farense came close to an equaliser but, after Rui Silva's save, Elves Baldé was ruled offside anyway.

Sporting CP controlled possession and SC Farense tried to surprise on the counterattack, becoming more offensive at the beginning of the second half.

Velho again denied Trincão from a first-time shot off Harder's ball inside, then plucked a cross from Quenda out of the air later on.

After receiving the ball from Maxi Araújo inside the area, Inácio shot wide, as the chances continued.

At the start of the last 15 minutes, another substitution was made with the departure of Daniel Bragança and the entry of Matheus Reis.

Quenda, with a low shot, called Velho back into action, then Harder tried again, but his shot went wide.

The Danish striker managed to get the final goal close to the 90th minute: Reis crossed from the left and Harder finished with his chest, as Velho stood rooted to the spot.

With their 3-1 win, league leaders Sporting CP play again on Friday, at 8:15 pm, away at FC Porto.