Sporting Lisbon wins Portugese title- Ayew Scores

LISBON, May 14 (Reuters)(DS) - Sporting Lisbon, one of the traditional "big three" of Portuguese soccer, won the Portuguese championship on Sunday for the first time since 1982. Sporting, who went into the final match of the season with a one-point lead over last year's champions Porto, clinched the trophy in style with a convincing 4-0 win over Salgueiros.

Porto, who were going for a record sixth successive championship, were beaten 2-1 by northern rivals Gil Vicente and finished four points adrift of Sporting who ended with 77. Benfica, who were already guaranteed third place, ended their season with a 2-1 win over Maritimo. Benfica, Porto and Sporting have dominated Portuguese soccer for decades. Sporting's title was their 17th, one fewer than Porto and well behind Benfica, who have lifted the trophy 30 times.

It was the most dramatic finish to a Portuguese season for years, with Porto having wrapped up most of their five consecutive titles ahead of the final game. But although it proved easy for Sporting in the end, it was Salgueiros who had the better chances at the start and it was not until news came through that Gil Vicente had scored against Porto that Sporting began to settle.

All their goals came in the second half, with Brazilian central defender Andre Cruz getting the first in the 48th minute with a sweetly struck free-kick from just outside the box that curled over the Salgueiros defensive wall.

Ayew Kwame added a second five minutes later and from then on there seemed little doubt that Sporting's 18-year wait for the championship was over. Argentine midfielder Aldo Duscher, who is reportedly wanted by a number of Italian clubs, added a third with Cruz getting a second shortly before the end, again from a free-kick. "We worked hard for this. We were worthy winners," said Sporting coach Antonio Inacio. Sporting and Porto still have one more battle to fight before the end of the season, with the teams meeting in next Sunday's Portuguese Cup final. If history is any guide, Sporting could yet win the double because they also achieved the feat the last time they won the league when they were coached by Britain's Malcolm Allison. Sporting go into next season's European Champions League directly but Porto, who reached the quarter-finals this year, will have to play the qualifying competition.