Sporting CP bow out of the Europa League despite a 1-1 draw with Juventus

A 1-1 draw at the Estádio José Alvalade was not quite enough for Sporting Clube de Portugal to progress to the UEFA Europa League semifinals, as they were eliminated 1-2 on aggregate by Juventus. An early goal conceded on the night, followed by a Marcus Edwards penalty, kept the tie intense until the final whistle.

Coach Rúben Amorim made four changes in relation from the previous weekend's game against Arouca FC: Gonçalo Inácio, Ricardo Esgaio, Hidemasa Morita and Edwards (returning from a virus) were starters in the places of Matheus Reis, Héctor Bellerín, Arthur Gomes and Youssef Chermiti. Compared to the first leg there were only two changes: Diomande replacing the injured Jeremiah St. Juste and Chermiti moving to the bench to make way for an attacking trio consisting of Pedro Gonçalves, Edwards and Trincão.

Spurred on by a full house at the stadium, it was Sporting CP who took the initiative. Their first attack came from a corner, from which Sebastián Coates headed over, but Juventus responded in kind and with more success: In the ninth minute, Adrien Rabiot finished off the visitors' first opportunity inside the area to make it 0-1 on the night.

The reaction was almost immediate. After a sprint by Edwards that ended with a shot hitting the post, Manuel Ugarte was fouled in the penalty area on the rebound. Edwards stepped up to take the penalty and took the score back all square, converting from the spot.

Shortly afterwards, on a counter-attack, Ugarte shot over the bar, before a series of corners that included Diomande heading off target.

The match was back and forth, but it was Sporting CP who had the last chance of the first half. Nuno Santos' low cross was intercepted at the last minute, somehow without any deflection towards Wojciech Szczęsny's goal.

After the interval there was a more daring and dangerous Juventus trying to kill off the tie. Striker Dušan Vlahović was unable to finish off an opportunity from close range for the Italian side, then Diomande appeared in the right place to block a shot.

Gonçalves had an effort from outside the area and Esgaio broke into the box and shot over, as the intensity increased and the tide turned in Sporting CP's favour. At the start of the last ten minutes, Amorim brought on Matheus Reis and Chermiti, followed by Arthur Gomes, in a final roll of the dice.

Several balls into the area found Coates in a position to strike, but without success. Sporting CP were reduced to ten men before the end, when Edwards received a second booking for simulation, but nothing would change on the scoreboard and, despite a valiant performance, the team's European journey came to an end.

Next up, on Monday at 8:15pm local time, Sporting CP travel to Vitória SC in Liga Portugal.
 
Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Ricardo Esgaio, Ousmane Diomande, Sebastián Coates [C], Gonçalo Inácio (Matheus Reis, 81’), Nuno Santos (Arthur Gomes, 87’), Manuel Ugarte, Hidemasa Morita, Marcus Edwards, Pedro Gonçalves and Francisco Trincão (Youssef Chermiti, 81’).