The air in Odivelas crackled with tension this Sunday afternoon. Sporting’s Under-17 women’s team claimed the fourth Union Women’s Cup – Carla Couto Tournament. They faced rivals Benfica in a thrilling final at the Campus do Jogador. After eighty minutes of regular play, neither team managed to score. The trophy came down to a penalty shootout, that cruel mistress of football. Sporting held their nerve, winning 4-3 from the spot kicks.
Sporting’s captain, Maria Inês Santos, beamed after lifting the coveted trophy. “We are so very happy,” she shared, her voice full of pride. “We worked incredibly hard for this moment. It truly feels like a deserved victory.” She pointed out how the team stuck together, even with younger players on the squad. “It really shows the strong youth development work at Sporting,” she added.
Before the big final on the main grass pitch, other teams were battling for their spots. Early in the day, Estoril and Leões de Porto Salvo clashed for third place. The Estoril side, known as “the Canaries,” managed to secure a narrow 1-0 win against their neighbors. This earned them the final spot on the podium.
While the Estoril team celebrated their bronze, other matches were unfolding. On the nearby synthetic pitches, teams competed for ranks five through eight. Torreense put on a dominant display against Futebol Benfica for the fifth and sixth positions. They stormed to a massive 14-0 victory, showing incredible power. In the contest for seventh and eighth place, Amora proved stronger. They beat AD Pastéis with a clean 2-0 scoreline.
This competition is specifically for the Under-17 women’s category. The Players’ Union organizes it as a knockout tournament held over one weekend. Its main goal is to promote sports activity for young women. It gives these youth teams a crucial chance to compete and gain visibility. Eight teams from the Lisbon and Setúbal districts took part this year.
Carla Couto, the tournament’s namesake and patron, spoke with great satisfaction afterward. She called the overall outcome “very positive.” “The most important thing is giving these young women a chance to compete during pre-season,” she emphasized. “It doesn’t matter who wins or loses in the end.” Her focus, and that of the Players’ Union, is clear. “We try every year to provide these moments for everyone to connect and share experiences,” she said. “Football is also about that.” She added, “Above all, we just want to see happy smiles on their faces.”
Carla Couto even shared with Record that the tournament “has what it needs to keep going strong into the future.” She noted how successful the event has become. “We’re already in our fourth edition, and we are committed to making this tournament last,” she stated. “It has been a real success in my opinion.” She mentioned growing interest, too. “This year, we even had requests from other teams to join, but we just couldn’t make it happen.” Carla Couto feels proud that the event is now a benchmark for these players and clubs. “I can only thank them for participating every year and for accepting my invitation to be here,” she concluded.