Benfica defeated crosstown rivals Sporting 74-67 on Wednesday, re-establishing a historic women’s basketball derby that had been dormant for 10 years and reinforcing its third-place standing in the Liga Betclic feminina.
The match was a delayed fixture from the sixth round of the Portuguese women’s league. This encounter marked the first time the Lisbon clubs had met in women’s basketball in a decade.
The last derby took place on January 24, 2016, with Benfica also securing a victory by a score of 76-67. That season was Sporting’s final appearance in the top league before their recent return.
Benfica’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Letícia Soares was instrumental in the win, tallying 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Inês Faustino, a former Sporting player now representing Benfica, contributed 15 points against her old team.
For Sporting, who currently hold fourth place in the league, Dayna Rouse led the scoring effort with 19 points, alongside 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
After eight rounds, Quinta dos Lombos leads the league undefeated with 16 points. Imortal is second with 15 points, followed by Benfica with 14 points and Sporting with 13 points.