Sporting CP vanquish FC Famalicão on Matchday 30

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat FC Famalicão 2-1 on Matchday 30 of the Liga Portugal season, returning to winning ways at home with goals for Hidemasa Morita and Ricardo Esgaio.

Their opponents arrived in Alvalade after three consecutive victories in the league and in seventh place, chasing a place in the Top 6.

Sporting CP coach Rúben Amorim made only two changes from the win over Vitória SC in Guimarães, bringing in Gonçalo Inácio and Francisco Trincão in place of Matheus Reis and Youssef Chermiti. The opposition coach João Pedro Sousa, meanwhile, made eight adjustments -having played in the semi-final of the Portuguese Cup against FC Porto in midweek.

Nuno Santos created the first attacks against an FC Famalicão side that used a high defensive line and competed for possession.

A move by Marcus Edwards was finished off by Hidemasa Morita in the 18th minute, opening the scoring early on. The English winger entered the area and set up the midfielder, who was quick and accurate to score his sixth goal of the season.

After half an hour, FC Famalicão responded with a cross and low shot by Colombatto, which was saved by Antonio Adán. Sporting CP kept the match under control and also produced rapid transitions and dead ball situations, only lacking in finishing -such as when Pedro Gonçalves was unable to convert a one-on-one with the goalkeeper in stoppage time.

Upon the restart, Nuno Santos again initiated the attacks, and this time it was goalkeeper Luiz Júnior who prevented his cross from finding Morita.

Matheus Reis and Youssef Chermiti came on in the 55th minute as replacements for Ousmane Diomande and Gonçalves. Shortly after, Nuno Santos poked a ball just off target as Sporting CP continued to pursue a second goal.

They made it 2-0 off a well-crafted attack and a cross-shot by Edwards, blocked by Luiz Júnior but finished off on the rebound by Ricardo Esgaio. It was the right winger's first time for the first team, and extended the advantage to a more comfortable one.

Trincão dummied two opposition players and allowed Edwards to strike off target, and on the following move he set up Chermiti, who failed to reach the pass, in two good attacks.

FC Famalicão became more ambitious and took the score to 2-1, benefiting from an interception from Sebastián Coates that, unfortunately, ended up in an own goal.

At the start of the last 15 minutes, Mateo Tanlongo came on for Manuel Ugarte. The game became lively with a chance for Chermiti and then, in the 77th minute, Cádiz forcing a huge save from Adán.

Héctor Bellerín -introduced late on- forced a save from Luiz Júnior and Nuno Santos also tried his luck, but the score remained 2-1 and Sporting CP took a home victory.

Next up, they visit FC Paços de Ferreira on Matchday 31.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Ricardo Esgaio (Héctor Bellerín, 82’), Ousmane Diomande (Matheus Reis, 55’), Sebastián Coates [C], Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Santos, Manuel Ugarte (Mateo Tanlongo, 73’), Hidemasa Morita, Marcus Edwards, Pedro Gonçalves (Youssef Chermiti, 55’) and Francisco Trincão (Arthur Gomes, 82’).