Rio Ave 0-4 Sporting CP: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings

How Sporting CP won it

Flávio Gonçalves put Sporting CP ahead in the 5th minute, set up by Issa Doumbia. Geny Catamo made it 0-2 to Sporting CP in the 19th minute, set up by Flávio Gonçalves. Luis Suárez made it 0-3 to Sporting CP in the 26th minute. Luis Suárez made it 0-4 to Sporting CP in the 37th minute, set up by Maxi Araújo.

It was 0-4 at half-time, and nothing changed after the break.

Luis Suárez scored twice.

The referee, B. Ribeiro Pires Costa, showed 2 yellow cards: 1 to Rio Ave and 1 to Sporting CP.

Rio Ave: S. Silaidopoulos, 4-2-3-1 · Sporting CP: R. Gomes Borges, 4-2-3-1.

Moneyball's prediction against the result

Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.

Why it went this way

On the day the expected goals were 1.36 for Rio Ave and 0.53 for Sporting CP.

Rio Ave scored about 1.4 fewer than their chances were worth: poor finishing, or a goalkeeper at his best.

Sporting CP made more of their chances than the xG suggests, by about 3.5 goals.

Rio Ave created the better chances, 1.36 xG to 0.53, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.

Rio Ave had 0 shots on target, Sporting CP 7.

Sporting CP had 61% of the ball and turned it into the win.

Where the two sides stood before this match

Rio Ave came into it with 8 Liga Portugal matches played, scoring 1.0 and conceding 2.1 a match, with 0.77 expected goals for and 1.86 against, and had won 25% of their matches.

Sporting CP came into it with 8 Liga Portugal matches played, scoring 2.5 and conceding 1.1 a match, with 1.73 expected goals for and 0.88 against, and had won 63% of their matches.

Rio Ave vs Sporting CP: the match in numbers

Team statistics from Sportmonks.

Player ratings and man of the match

Man of the match: Luis Suárez (Sporting CP), rated 8.2 by Sportmonks, with 2 goals.

Rio Ave

• Malik Sellouki 6.9
• Jalen Blesa 6.8
• Dario Spikic 6.7
• Tamble Monteiro 6.6
• Marios Vrousai 6.6

Sporting CP

• Luis Suárez 8.2 2 goals
• Flávio Gonçalves 7.9 1 goal, 1 assist
• Issa Doumbia 7.4 1 assist
• Sergi Altimira 7.3
• Geny Catamo 7.2 1 goal

The lowest-rated starter was Gustavo Mancha at 6.1. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.

What comes next

• Rio Ave: Rio Ave vs Famalicão Sunday 25 October 2026 · Liga Portugal
• Sporting CP: Sporting CP vs Academico Viseu Sunday 25 October 2026 · Liga Portugal

Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.

Questions about Rio Ave vs Sporting CP

What was the score in Rio Ave vs Sporting CP?

Rio Ave 0-4 Sporting CP (half-time 0-4), Liga Portugal, Friday 28 August 2026.

Who scored in Rio Ave vs Sporting CP?

Flávio Gonçalves 5', Geny Catamo 19', Luis Suárez 26', Luis Suárez 37'.

Did Moneyball predict Rio Ave vs Sporting CP correctly?

Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.

Who was man of the match in Rio Ave vs Sporting CP?

Luis Suárez, rated 8.2 by Sportmonks.

Who refereed Rio Ave vs Sporting CP?

B. Ribeiro Pires Costa.