Catamo, Morita and Bragança score in a dominant showing

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat GD Estoril Praia 0-3 in the opening game of Matchday 7 of the Liga Portugal season, played at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota. It was the seventh win in as many league fixtures, making it their best start to a campaign this century.

With one eye on a midweek European away trip, coach Rúben Amorim once again changed his starting XI, including bringing in new signing Maxi Araújo. He played alongside Franco Israel, Zeno Debast, Ousmane Diomande, Matheus Reis, Geny Catamo, Hidemasa Morita, Morten Hjulmand, Nuno Santos, Francisco Trincão and Viktor Gyökeres.

Sporting CP encountered a well prepared GD Estoril Praia side, but grew into the game during the opening spell. It was mainly on the left that they created the greatest danger, thanks to Nuno Santos and Maxi Araújo. A pass from the Uruguayan winger in the 18th minute saw Francisco Trincão go centimetres away from scoring, after two previous shots had been sent just over the top.

The home team tried to delay the almost inevitable as much as possible, but in the 25th minute their resistance was finally broken. After a clearance, Matheus Reis passed to Geny Catamo, who, inside the area, had time and space to shoot inside the far post and make it 0-1.

Focused on increasing the advantage, just over five minutes later they took the score to 0-2, this time from the right. Catamo passed to Trincão, the winger went to the line and then cut back, where Hidemasa Morita was ready to tap the ball in.

Before the break, several chances were closed down by the defence and Trincão also hit the woodwork, keeping it 0-2 at halftime.

Gonçalo Inácio started to warm up at the interval and came on close to the hour mark to replace Matheus Reis, with Conrad Harder and Daniel Bragança also introduced in place of Maxi Araújo and Morten Hjulmand. These substitutions were made when Sporting CP were playing at a slower pace and allowing GD Estoril Praia to be more dangerous than in the first half, even though they were unable to test Franco Israel.

The opposition defence did manage to reduce the space available to Viktor Gyökeres, and Amorim took him off in the 75th minute to introduce Geovany Quenda.

A good chance was presented by a cross from Nuno Santos from the left, but Harder was unable to meet it cleanly and Bragança struck into a defender on the rebound.

After the 80th minute, Sporting CP made their last substitution, taking off Zeno Debast and bringing on Eduardo Quaresma, returning from injury.

The team threatened from set pieces, including a free kick met by Geovany Quenda with a shot against the wall, but it continued to be difficult to score another goal.

Finally, Sporting CP made it 0-3 in the first minute of stoppage time, thanks to a Bragança hit from the edge of the area.

Sporting CP will be in action again on Tuesday, away to PSV Eindhoven in the second game of the Champions League. In Liga Portugal, they play next Saturday, hosting Casa Pia AC.