Sporting CP won this Sunday the fifth championship and 37th national title of its history when they beat GD Toledos 3-0 in the 2nd leg of the final held at the High Performance Center of Vila Nova de Gaia having already recorded a 3-0 victory in the first leg.
The team dominated the National Championship having finished the regular phase with 18 wins in 18 games and by losing only five sets. The “lions” reached 70 points 22 more than GD Toledos second place.
Diogo Carvalho Sporting CP player said: “We managed to win another title for Sporting which was our goal. The match with Énio was very tactical because we know each other well we played together for six years in Spain so we know each other’s game.”
Aruna Quadri Sporting CP player stated: “It was a very difficult game Diogo Silva is a player with a lot of talent. We played together for four years and it is always difficult to play against him. After ten years in Portugal it was time to leave for a championship with another level. I was very happy here Portugal for me is almost the same as Nigeria and I will continue to live in Portugal because I have a family here. I will train a few times at Sporting for the year.”
Bode Abiodun Sporting CP player said: “It was a very difficult game but I am very satisfied with the victory and with another title which was the main objective of the season.”
Chen CP Shao Sporting CP coach explained: “This Championship final was complicated with a long stop and now without public at the stands. The players managed to show some quality despite having been out for four months. ”
Pedro Miguel Moura president of the Federation underlined: “This was a very special moment for the Portuguese Table Tennis Federation I hope it is very special for the whole community. Although this is the end of the season we start with the starting point of what will be the next months of table tennis in Portugal with this new reality. It was a learning process to continue doing what we like which is to practice table tennis. Train and compete within the rules of protection with health. We will have been the first sport to compete in this phase of deflation so it is a very special moment for us. I would also like to leave a word to the club presidents because they have offered to come here to dispute this final phase and to the Federation staff who have been tireless in these last two weeks. ”
GD Toledos 0 – Sporting CP 3
Venue: Centro de Alto Rendimento de Vila Nova de Gaia
Umpires: Francisco Rocha / Serafim Mendes (Oporto)
Énio Mendes 1 – Diogo Carvalho 3 (3-11 3-11 11-5 5-11)
Diogo Silva 1 – Aruna Quadri 3 (11-5 6-11 7-11 3-11)
Boboye Oyenyan 0 – Bode Abiodun 3 (8-11 5-11 8-11)
GD Toledos coach: Diogo Silva
Sporting CP coach: Chen Chi Shao
