Japan midfielder Hidemasa Morita won his first overseas title Sunday as Sporting Lisbon clinched the Portuguese Primeira Liga with two games to spare.
Ruben Amorim-led Sporting beat Portimonense 3-0 at home on Saturday to move up to 84 points, eight clear at the top of the table. Second-placed Benfica's 2-0 loss at Famalicao on Sunday meant Sporting cannot be overtaken by their city rivals.
Morita, who won two J-League titles with Kawasaki Frontale, joined Santa Clara in January 2021 before landing a move to Sporting in the summer of 2022.
The 28-year-old has been a mainstay since his move to the Portuguese capital, scoring two goals along with four assists this season. Sporting have gone unbeaten in the last 19 league games while registering 27 wins, three draws and two losses overall to claim the title for the first time since the 2020-2021 season.
Also in Portugal, Yuki Soma scored his fifth goal of the season as Casa Pia lost 4-3 away to Braga on Sunday.
In the Dutch Eredivisie, Japan forward Ayase Ueda scored for the second straight game for his fourth goal of the season before missing a penalty as his second-placed Feyenoord hammered Zwolle 5-0 at home.
After scoring the 33rd-minute opener on the turn, Ueda won a penalty early in the second half but missed the chance to net his side's third as his spot-kick was saved.
The win meant little, however, as PSV Eindhoven secured the league title after winning 4-2 at home against Sparta Rotterdam. PSV moved up to 87 points, nine points clear of Feyenoord with two games to go.
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