Academica won its second Portuguese Cup by beating Sporting Lisbon 1-0 thanks to forward Mario ''Marinho'' Correia's early goal on Sunday.
Marinho headed in Diogo Valente's cross to the far post after three minutes for what proved to be the winner.
Sporting coach Ricardo Sa Pinto sent on three substitutes to live up his attack after halftime, but goalkeeper Ricardo Novo protected Academica's slimmest of leads until the end.
''Above everything you have to have a winning spirit,'' said Academica coach Pedro Emanuel, whose team had knocked out holder FC Porto in an earlier round. ''This is a great group of players that has been through some tough times this season. It was a great game, and an honor for all those who played.''
Academica hadn't lifted the cup since the 1938-39 season, when it won the competition's first ever edition. It had lost three finals since.
The team just avoided relegation from the first division this season, while Sporting finished a disappointing fourth after exiting the Europa League in the semifinals.
''Conceding a goal so early on, especially in a final that we wanted to dominate, didn't make it easier,'' Sa Pinto said. ''We played aggressively, but we were lacking in our defense against their headers in the area.
''The team showed signs that it wanted to get back in the game. Unfortunately we couldn't get the equalizer.''
