Catamo and Santos score with second half strikes in the Champions League

Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated French side Olympique de Marseille 2-1 in their third game of the UEFA Champions League season, as substitutes Geny Catamo and Alisson Santos turned the scoreline around in the second half.

The match saw Rui Borges’ men take on one of the form teams in Europe, on a five-game win streak and top of Ligue 1. Sporting CP fielded a lineup with many changes compared to that which was fielded against Paços de Ferreira in the Taça de Portugal, and only Morten Hjulmand, Geovany Quenda, and Pedro Gonçalves remained in the starting XI. Rui Silva, Iván Fresneda, Zeno Debast, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, João Simões, Francisco Trincão, and Luis Suárez were all picked for the game.

Sporting CP started with a high press that saw immediate success. Following a stolen ball near the opposition box, Trincão had an opportunity from a free kick that he sent only slightly over.

Marseille’s response came from winger Igor Paixão. He first tried to surprise an alert Rui Silva with a long-range chip, theen fired a powerful shot wide from the left.

On the third attempt, Paixão got his goal. In a quick transition, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang passed the ball to his teammate, who delivered a curling shot into the net to make it 0-1.

At the other end, despite imprecisions in their attacking combinations that hampered their chances of getting into the opposition area, high pressure continued to be Sporting CP's best weapon, leading to another opportunity: A low shot from Gonçalves went into the side-netting.

From a similar move in Marseille’s favour, Mason Greenwood popped up in the box and shot, but Rui Silva saved.

The first half ended with a flourish for Rui Borges's men, as a fantastic individual effort by Suárez was denied by goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli's block.

Before the halftime whistle, a dramatic turn of events revived the spirits of the fans at the Estádio José Alvalade. In the 44th minute, the referee awarded a penalty to Olympique de Marseille, but after being called by VAR to review the footage, Slovenian referee Rade Obrenovič not only overturned the penalty but also showed Emerson Palmieri a yellow card for simulation. It was the full-back's second booking, and his sending off reduced Marseille to 10 men.

In the second half, Sporting CP tried various ways to break through the French side. After several aerial balls, it was a solo run by Quenda that brought the most danger, with Rulli scrambling to his post to deny an effort from him, followed shortly after by a misplaced cross-shot from Suárez and another from João Simões.

Borges immediately introduced more offensive options from the bench: Fotis Ioannidis and Geny Catamo came on for Simões and Quenda.

In the 70th minute, a quick combination in attack created space to exploit. Gonçalves passed to Catamo, and the Mozambican – celebrating his 100th appearance for Sporting CP – went through on goal and fired in the equaliser.

To continue the comeback, Alisson Santos was the next to be introduced, in place of Fresneda. He was joined by Ousmane Diomande, this time due to Debast being unfit to continue.

Once again, the change could not have had a better effect: Santos revived Sporting CP's momentum with the first ball he was able to receive inside from the left. The Brazilian picked out a shot and, with the help of a deflection off a defender, had his effort spin into the net on 86 minutes. Sporting CP made it 2-1 with Santos’ second goal in three Champions League games.

Just like the first half, the second half ended with emotions running high and VAR intervening. In a move involving Maxi Araújo and Benjamin Pavard, the referee decided to send off the Uruguayan and only caution the Frenchman, but when called to review the incident, he overturned the red card.

Sporting CP went on to secure the 2-1 win, making it six from a possible six at home in the Champions League. They finished the round in 11th place in the table.

The next European fixture is a visit to Italian side Juventus FC on November 4th, but before that they travel to CD Tondela on Sunday in Liga Portugal, then host FC Alverca in consecutive games in the Taça da Liga and domestic league.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GR], Iván Fresneda (Alisson Santos, 80’), Zeno Debast (Ousmane Diomande, 80’), Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo (Matheus Reis, 90+2’), Morten Hjulmand [C], João Simões (Fotis Ioannidis, 64’), Geovany Quenda (Geny Catamo, 64’), Pedro Gonçalves, Francisco Trincão, Luis Suárez