The coach reacts positively to the showing against Club Brugge KV

Following the victory for Sporting Clube de Portugal against Club Brugge KV, coach Rui Borges held his post-match press conference.

Three home wins in the UEFA Champions League
"I'm happy for the group, who deserve this for everything they've been able to demonstrate, and for the ambition and quality they've shown throughout the season."

Analysis of the game
"We analysed Club Brugge KV and realised the quality they have. They have a lot of mobility, their midfielders move into spaces that are unexpected. We didn't fall into that trap and we were mature. We weren't able to press as much as we would have liked, but we needed to be more cohesive. At times, we waited for a mistake without giving them the opportunity to come forward.

The first half was evenly balanced and at times we controlled the game with the ball. We had good dynamics and we knew they were looking for references to play off. We looked for space behind them and created danger in that sense. We didn't start so well in the second half and the introduction of Hidemasa Morita was important to balance things. We deservedly made it 3-0 and allowed just the one dangerous situation in the second half. I want to praise the team's maturity."

Points needed for progress
"More than waiting to see if ten points are enough for qualification for the knockout stage, we have to give it our best in the remaining games. Dreaming of the Top 8 doesn't cost anything, but we have to demonstrate that on the pitch. We believe in ourselves a lot and only in this way can we have no limits in the pursuit of being better and better. We will play the difficult games and then we will see how things turn out."

The team's focus
"There is continuity. We have become two-time Liga Portugal champions, we won the Taça da Liga last season, and that shows how focused we were. The whole group are having a very good start to the campaign, and today we were a mature side. Only a great team could get the three points today."

VAR
"It changed the game by showing the truth. It's good that it exists, and long may it continue like this. We all want to make as few mistakes as possible."

The most important games
"Against CF Estrela da Amadora on Sunday is our biggest match. Before SL Benfica and FC Bayern Munich, we have this game -and we want to win it."

João Simões and Hidemasa Morita
"[João Simões] had another great game and went off exhausted. He contributed to the team. He gives us momentum and intensity. Morita came on later, he's growing and was very important. He brought stability, calm and tranquility."

Pedro Gonçalves
"I believe he will be available for the next game."

The quality of the performance
"It was a great, mature performance. Within the young team we have, we treated it like adults and understood the context and the competition. We had a lot of quality up against us, and the games are very difficult. The team knew they had to respect the opposition. The fans, once again, showed affection and gave energy to the team -and that was very important. It was a good performance and I'm happy to see that the team are improving day by day. I felt the team were confident and increasingly focused on what we have to do."

The final incident
"I want to say 'get well soon' to the Club Brugge KV goalkeeper. I hope it's nothing serious and that he be in good health soon. We dedicate this victory to Matheus Reis and his family for the birth of his daughter. I also wish the best of luck to the U-17s National Team tomorrow. We are all rooting for another victory. I believe they will honour our country, as they have done so far."

The team triumph in the Champions League on Matchday 5

Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated Belgian side Club Brugge KV 3-0 at home on Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League, with goals from Geovany Quenda and Luis Suárez in the first half, and Francisco Trincão in the second. They now have ten points in the competition, occupying eighth position with three matchdays remaining in the league stage.

Rui Borges brought players back into the starting lineup after a wholescale rotation for the cup match against AC Marinhense; of the first XI, only Francisco Trincão had started against the lower league opposition. He was joined by Rui Silva, Iván Fresneda, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand, João Simões, Geny Catamo, Geovany Quenda and Luis Suárez.

The first dangerous attack came from Sporting CP, just three minutes in, when Maxi Araújo took an opponent out of the equation with a great piece of skill and set up Geovany Quenda, who shot wide from outside the box.

Passing the ball well in the attacking midfield, Sporting CP played with quality and confidence, but suffered a scare in the 9th minute when Morten Hjulmand was shown a straight red card for a foul on Aleksandar Stanković. After consulting VAR, referee Tobias Stieler changed his decision and only cautioned the captain with a yellow card.

Club Brugge KV finally had a chance in the 14th minute, when Christos Tzolis tried to finish with a shot from the heart of the area, but Ousmane Diomande blocked it out for a corner. The Greek player tried his luck again soon after, but his weak effort went off target.

At the other end, Geny Catamo appeared near the penalty area but had a shot go astray, and in the 23rd minute, Sporting CP created their best chance so far: after dribbling past a defender, Luis Suárez forced goalkeeper Nordin Jackers into a good save.

Their persistence translated into a goal shortly after, thanks to a great move that emanated from Rui Silva. The ball went onto the right and Geny Catamo toyed with his marker before shooting, forcing another save from Nordin Jackers. This time, however, Geovany Quenda appeared to turn in the rebound with a half-volley, opening the scoring and grabbing his first goal in this season's UEFA Champions League.

The 18-year-old tried to score his second in the 27th minute, but was unsuccessful.

It was in the 31st minute that Geny Catamo, with phenomenal timing, assisted Luis Suárez with a brilliant half-turn pass that left the Colombian alone through on the goalkeeper. With great class, the striker finished clinically, to a roar from the Estádio José Alvalade.

Sporting CP continued to press, and in the 35th minute Maxi Araújo advanced down the left and shot across goal and wide.

Francisco Trincão, in the 39th minute, concluded a rapid team move with a strike just wide of the post, then went on to cross for Luis Suárez -who headed outside the post.

Despite this response, Sporting CP had an incredible opportunity shortly afterwards when Geovany Quenda set up Luis Suárez. He managed to round Nordin Jackers, but was put off by Hugo Siquet and ended up hitting the post.

The Belgian opposition responded with a header wide from Brandon Mechele and a one-on-one for Nicolo Tresoldi, but did not convert the chances.

Sporting CP scored again, 20 minutes from the end: Maxi Araújo passed to Geovany Quenda, who tried to return the ball to the Uruguayan in the area, but it was Francisco Trincão who snatched it away and shot towards the far post, with the ball ending up in the back of the net. It was his eighth goal of the season and his third in the UEFA Champions League.

Geny Catamo forced a save from Nordin Jackers, before he and Geovany Quenda were taken off and Alisson Santos and Salvador Blopa – making their UEFA Champions League debuts – came on.

The game saw Iván Fresneda have a strike saved and Brugge's Raphael Onyedika attempt a long-range effort that ended up in Rui Silva's hands. Substitute Rodrigo Ribeiro then set up Salvador Blopa, but Nordin Jackers bravely made the save.

The contest concluded 3-0, with Sporting CP securing their third victory in the competition. They play again this Sunday in Liga Portugal, hosting CF Estrela da Amadora, whilst their return to the UEFA Champions League comes on December 9th, with a trip to take on FC Bayern Munich.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Iván Fresneda, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo (Matheus Reis, 85'), Morten Hjulmand [C], João Simões (Hidemasa Morita, 63'), Geny Catamo (Alisson Santos, 75'), Francisco Trincão, Geovany Quenda (Salvador Blopa, 75') and Luis Suárez (Rodrigo Ribeiro, 85').

The defender previews the Champions League showdown

Before the match against Club Brugge KV, Iván Fresneda highlighted the importance of approaching each UEFA Champions League match with the utmost concentration.

The importance of winning against Club Brugge KV
"This game is very important, as were the previous ones in the UEFA Champions League this season. We have to take it game by game and think about tomorrow's fixture first."

Pressure or added responsibility
"UEFA Champions League games are always very tough, with high-level teams, and tomorrow's game has the same degree of difficulty as the ones afterwards and those we have already played. The important thing is to win tomorrow, and then we'll think about the rest of the games."

His staying at Sporting CP and the influence of Rui Borges
"Both the coach and his staff were fundamental to my staying at Sporting CP. They gave me the opportunity to show more of myself as a player; I managed to evolve a lot last season and this season as well. I think I still have much more to offer the club. I want to thank Rui Borges and his team."

Club Brugge and their players
"Club Brugge KV have a very similar strategy to us, but that's not a problem for us. It's something we know.

Regarding [Christos] Tzolis; whether I or [Georgios] Vagiannidis play, we have to be very focused -because they have many good players. It will be a very tough game for us and we have to be very strong."

Differences between playing in a back four or back three
"Playing with a back four, I act as a right-back, and playing with three, I have to play more as a centre back as well. The most important thing is that we can adapt, depending on the game, and as a full-back I have already adapted to this tactical formation of a back three. It's just a matter of adaptation."

The coach speaks before the meeting with Club Brugge KV

Ahead of the match against Club Brugge KV in the UEFA Champions League, coach Rui Borges stressed that Sporting CP are prepared to prevail at home and continue accumulating points in the competition.

Pressure to win
"The pressure is something that is there on a daily basis. We are at a big club and the players are accustomed to this pressure. They all have enormous ambition and a great desire to win, regardless of the opposition. In this specific case, and in this competition, any game is difficult for both sides. As Iván [Fresneda] said, we just have to focus on tomorrow's game, because everything else will be a consequence of what we do against Club Brugge KV, of our ability to overcome a great team and earn the three points."

The presence of Francisco Trincão
"Francisco Trincão knows very well the confidence he has from the coaching staff and his coach. He has grown a lot, he's having a great season -perhaps his best yet-, and I'm happy about that. We believe we deserve some credit in that regard, but I feel he's focused every day, regardless of any contract renewal, which I believe will come to fruition. In the coming years, he will continue to provide magic at Portuguese and foreign grounds, thankfully."

The game
"Taking victory is important. It would get us to ten points, but I don't know if it will be enough or not: last season we reached the playoffs with 11. It's subjective. We'll focus on what we control and then we'll see: we have three more games to play, in which the team will be motivated to face great sides. We will play beautiful games, I have no doubt about that, and we will collect even more points. At the end of the league phase, we will see what we have been able to do to pursue our objective."

A key game for the European campaign
"It's not a decisive game. There are four fixtures left. It's an important game because it's at home, but Club Brugge KV are a great team -no less great than Paris Saint-Germain or FC Bayern Munich- and last year Sporting CP couldn't beat them.

They have a sporting image similar to Sporting CP, always looking for young players to develop, so they're a team with a lot of individual and collective value. They have very good attacking players who can create havoc at any moment with an individual burst of speed, like Christos Tzolis, [Carlos] Forbs, or [Hans] Vanaken. They are very dynamic in the offensive process. We might tend to identify them as a fast-attacking team, but in their league, they have more than 60% possession, and that speaks volumes about the team's quality.

Them facing FC Barcelona playing on the counterattack further demonstrates their collective ability to be engaged in all phases of the game. They are not only good at possession, at more organised play, but also at transitions. They are a team with quality in both phases. The midfielders are also very technically gifted, and in their process, they are a very dynamic team, with a lot of variability, and they make life difficult for the opposition in their attempts to neutralise their strengths. They are a great team, national champions six times in the last ten years, and they are in the UEFA Champions League on merit."

Trying to keep a clean sheet in the UEFA Champions League
"It's something we have to analyse. We have to look at how we concede goals, how we score them, and try to be the Sporting CP we always are: dominant, balanced, with possession and quality. We have demonstrated this in the UEFA Champions League, even away from home, but we are in a competition where we have to make fewer mistakes, where we have to be more focused for longer, and the team have shown this growth and awareness. These small errors are part of our growth and adaptation to the demands of the Champions League. Above all, we must value what the team have been able to demonstrate in these four Champions League games."

Hidemasa Morita's current form
"From what we can see, he's happy, he's grown a lot, he's realised what he needs to improve on physically and he's increasingly prepared to respond. He's a player I admire a lot. He's the player who surprised me the most when I coached teams against him, and I've always said that since I arrived here. He's someone I admire a lot as a player and as a person, he has his own culture, great personality and character. I have no doubt that he will be very important throughout the season."

The team will play away as part of their cup defence

Sporting Clube de Portugal will play away in the Azores against CD Santa Clara, in the Round of 16 of the Taça de Portugal.

If they win, the current cup holders will face the winners of the game between Vitória SC vs. AFS.

The draw was held this Tuesday at the Cidade de Futebol

The CD Santa Clara vs. Sporting CP match -and the other Round of 16 games- will take place between December 16th and 18th, with the quarter-finals held between January 11th and 15th, 2026.

The coach hails a professional display against AC Marinhense

After Sporting CP made it through to the Round of 16 of the Taça de Portugal, Rui Borges gave an analysis of the 3-0 victory against AC Marinhense.

The game
"I give a very positive assessment of the team, for the seriousness, humility, commitment, and composure we showed. It was a more intense first half, with more possession, and a slower second half in which we were serious in our transitions. These games end up being dangerous because you can allow the opposing team to hit you on the counterattack, but we always remained serious and demanding of each other until the end.

Honestly, I was happy with everyone's performance. There are individual details where the players, who are in the process of improvement, are aware of the strengths they need to work on. I was very happy with the whole team; everyone remained switched on and serious. I'm only sad because Rodrigo [Ribeiro] didn't score. He had a wonderful game, and I was sorry he wasn't lucky enough to score -because he deserved to get off the mark in that aspect too."

Rodrigo Ribeiro's growth
"He's a kid who has grown tremendously, and I think he can play both as a striker and behind the striker. He's skillful, technically gifted, and makes good and varied decisions.

He's very focused, and that's why he played up front, whilst in the B team he's been playing in another position – the one in which he trains with us. That was the conversation we had with him at the beginning of the season: sometimes, young players want to take a step forward. Rodrigo emerged very early. The Second Division will give him more skills, as it demands other things.

I usually say that I only control 20% of the team's performance, because the rest is made up of individual and collective decisions. After him coming into the top flight and playing 200 minutes, he needed to understand that when you’re a Sporting CP player, it's better to play 2000 minutes for the B team, score goals, and grow. This natural, continuous growth will give you things that training doesn't.

The young players have to realise this, he realised it, and next year he’ll possibly come back up. He is viewed differently, both internally and externally. That's why I said I was sad that he didn't score: he has shown an enormous capacity to learn, to read the game, and that makes me happy."

The recovery of injured players
"Zeno [Debast] is within the expected recovery timeframe. It may still take some time, and I don't believe he will be available for the next few games. I believe and hope that João [Simões] will be ready for the game against Club Brugge KV. He was left out mainly as a precaution."

The AC Marinhense coach
"The only thing I told Renato Sousa is to make the most of his chance. Sometimes, it's in these moments that we create our opportunities. Chase your dream, like Rui Borges did in the past. Many coaches are looking for this opening of an opportunity, and he had it. His team were very committed and very organised, thanks to him. I hope he has a lot of luck. Luck takes work, and that's what will dictate your future."

Francisco Trincão
"He was rested by the national team, so it didn't make sense for him not to be an option. He was in good shape, was fresh, wanted to play and he was serious. It was a solution, and it's good that we had him. He scored two goals that he richly deserved, he's been having great games, and he's just been lacking that consistent playing time.

Obviously, I respect the national team coach's decision; I'll always support him 100%, because I'm Portuguese. I won't interfere in his decisions because fairness is very relative. The Portugal national team have great players, all playing for big clubs; it's difficult to choose 11 men and leave out another 11, who are all starters at their clubs and with above-average quality. I'm happy to see him in the national team, as well as Pedro Gonçalves, Rui Silva, Geovany Quenda and João Simões -even [Ricardo] Mangas, who I believe can get there and be a solution. We work to get more and more players into our national team."

Relying on younger players
"If I didn't believe they were capable of responding at any time, I wouldn't even put them in these games. I see a lot of quality in all of them; they've given a very good response with the B team and have given us that confidence individually. Salvador Blopa provided another assist today; in the Taça da Liga, they all gave a good response as well. Blopa had another very good demonstration of his ability against a low-block side, delivering many high-quality crosses, so he met expectations, as did everyone else. Flávio [Gonçalves] is exceptional, and we will rely on them, in time, not only in the cups but in other competitions as well.

These are players we look at with a positive future perspective and in whom we have great faith. When they need to deliver for the first team, they will, and when they don't, they'll be in their natural habitat, which is the B team. They know they can't neglect their work, and perhaps that's why they've been called up more often."

Personal goals
"I'm living my dream. I'm where I want to be. If I were to stay here for ten years, I would be the happiest coach in the world, and I will continue fighting to win trophies. That's what this great club demand. We are the ones who create our dreams, and we will chase them. I still want to win the Taça da Liga and the Supertaça, which I haven't won yet. These are trophies I will strive to win, so that we can grow as a coaching staff. I am the leader, but those behind me work very hard and are very important. If I’m here, it is because I owe it to them, and we still have much to achieve."

Sporting CP defeat AC Marinhense 3-0, with a Trincão and Luis Suárez on the scoresheet

Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated AC Marinhense 3-0 to secure their place in the Round of 16 of the Taça de Portugal. Coach Rui Borges gave opportunities to young players, but a mature display saw his side go through without significant problems.

Before the opening whistle, the 35,002 Sportinguistas present paid a heartfelt tribute to Júlio Rendeiro, with applause preceding and concluding the minute of silence in memory of the former hockey player and sporting director.

Celebrating his legacy, there was new blood on the pitch: Rodrigo Ribeiro and Salvador Blopa came in for starting roles, and João Virgínia, Matheus Reis, Eduardo Quaresma, Ricardo Mangas, Georgios Vagiannidis, Giorgi Kochorashvili, Hidemasa Morita and Alisson Santos were also brought into the first XI.  Of those who started the match against CD Santa Clara, only Francisco Trincão kept his spot.

The game started slowly, with the ball mostly moved around in midfield. Sporting CP enjoyed a first chance in the sixth minute, after a quick run by Alisson Santos down the left. His cross was not converted by Rodrigo Ribeiro, in a let-off for the visitors. Moments later, Trincão cut in from the right, but his powerful shot went over the crossbar.

On 12 minutes, the Portuguese international repeated the move, this time forcing the opposition goalkeeper into a save. When nobody collected the rebound, AC Marinhense player João Vieira took advantage of the space to shoot from a long way out, without any danger, towards goal.

Sporting CP began to apply pressure, and opportunities followed. On 16 minutes, Rodrigo Ribeiro was fed after a good run by Hidemasa Morita, producing a good save from Ohoulo Framelin. From the resulting corner, Georgios Vagiannidis headed the ball over the crossbar. On 19 minutes, Alisson Santos and Giorgi Kochorashvili also tried their luck, but the ball got lost in a tangle of legs in the AC Marinhense defence. A minute later, it was Ribeiro again, leaving two opponents in his wake with a feint, then shooting straight at the opposition goalkeeper.

Unable to overcome the low defensive block set up by their opponents, Sporting CP circulated the ball patiently, and on 29 minutes they were rewarded. Kochorashvili found Blopa on the right and delivered to the young winger, who went up to the byline and crossed for Francisco Trincão. The midfielder, with a run into the area, headed the ball into the back of the net and broke the deadlock.

Eight minutes later, Trincão scored a second goal, borne out of pure inspiration and talent. Facing the goal, he received a pass from Eduardo Quaresma, unleashed a powerful shot, and made it 2-0 with a piledriver into the top right corner.

The visitors tried to react in the 39th minute, with Filipe Oliveira surging through the middle and shooting harmlessly wide, but Sporting CP imposed their dominance and came close to increasing the scoreline to 3-0 on several occasions: Ribeiro attempted a backheel flick, Alisson Santos hit the crossbar in the 42nd minute, and on the rebound, Blopa also shot wide. Near halftime, Ribeiro had the ball in the net but the striker's goal was disallowed for offside.

In the first minute of added time, João Virgínia was called upon to save from Ricardo Matias, and at the other end Ohoulo Framelin also stretched to deny Ribeiro. Kochorashvili rounded off the first half action with a shot just wide.

To start the second half, Sporting CP could have quickly increased the lead, were it not for another excellent intervention by Ohoulo Framelin to keep out Alisson Santos’s effort.

Playing at a less intense pace, Sporting CP controlled possession without creating any clear-cut chances. AC Marinhense, however, quickly capitalised on a defensive error to test João Virgínia's reflexes: Rayan Santos recovered the ball and shot towards the bottom left corner, and the Portuguese goalkeeper made the stop.

In the 59th minute, Ohoulo Framelin came out of his area and tried to clear the ball, but Ribeiro stretched out his foot and the rebound went just millimetres wide of goal.

With 25 minutes to go, coach Rui Borges made the first changes, taking off Alisson Santos, Francisco Trincão and Rodrigo Ribeiro and bringing on Geovany Quenda, Flávio Gonçalves and Luis Suárez. Sporting CP continued to run the show, but without creating many clear chances to increase their lead: In the 74th minute, Matheus Reis and Hidemasa Morita both had good opportunities, but their shots went wide.

Luis Suárez took his chance, however, scoring his ninth goal of the season and his first in the competition: In the 81st minute, the Colombian cleverly appeared right in front of goal, and only needed to tap the ball in to make it 3-0 after a clinical pass from Quenda on the left wing.

Shortly after, Borges replaced Vagiannidis and Blopa, giving playing time to Iván Fresneda and Geny Catamo. Sporting CP also faced the final moments of the match with a numerical advantage: AC Marinhense, having used up all of their permitted substitutions, defended with ten men after Brahima Diallo went off injured.

In the last move of the game, Geny Catamo cut inside from the right and sent a looping effort just wide of the post. The score remained 3-0 and Sporting CP advanced in the Taça de Portugal, with their next opponents to be decided in a draw on Tuesday, November 25th, at 2:30pm.

Sporting CP: João Virgínia [GK], Matheus Reis [C], Hidemasa Morita, Georgios Vagiannidis (Iván Fresneda, 83’), Giorgi Kochorashvili, Francisco Trincão (Flávio Gonçalves, 67’), Alisson Santos (Geovany Quenda, 66’), Rodrigo Ribeiro (Luis Suárez, 67’), Salvador Blopa (Geny Catamo, 83’), Eduardo Quaresma and Ricardo Mangas.

The coach previews the cup encounter

The international break over, Sporting CP return to action in the Taça de Portugal this Saturday, playing AC Marinhense at home.

Ahead of the match, coach Rui Borges attended a press conference at the Academia Cristiano Ronaldo to preview the meeting with the side from the Campeonato de Portugal -the fourth division.

The approach to the match against a lower-level opponent
“I am approaching the game with respect, despite their internal problems [a series of disciplinary issues and the dismissal of coach Rui Sacramento] and sporting issues [going four games without a win], because cup games are always different. I've been on the other side of the equation, at lower-tier clubs, and I know how motivating it is to face a big club, especially when it’s the champions. AC Marinhense will be committed to trying to make things difficult for us, but we must demand maximum commitment from ourselves, as well as concentration and a serious approach. We have to focus on what we can control, start strong and not let up, because that is the greatest respect we can have for the opposition.”

Places for Salvador Blopa and the returning internationals
“I never announce the starting XI ahead of time, and I won’t break that rule, but Blopa and Luis [Suárez] are in the squad for the game. Maxi Araújo isn’t, due to his suspension [he was sent off against CD Santa Clara]. With some limitations for one or two players, we’ll use the strongest side available.”

Focus on the upcoming games and not the next transfer window
“Very honestly, I’m not really thinking about the January transfer window, but rather the very intense month of games we have ahead of us. That’s my focus. We have important Champions League games that could determine our continuation in the competition, and important league games we want to come out of top of the table. Sporting CP have a very large and strong structure, so I’m very calm. I’m sure we’ll be prepared for the January transfer window. I’m happy with the squad we have and the response they have given.”

Injured players 'Pote', Ioannidis, and João Simões
“I think 'Pote's' recovery time is shorter; he could be fit in the next few days. Ioannidis' comeback could take longer, but I can't be precise about that. Simões is out of tomorrow's game.”

Alisson Santos being ready to take over from 'Pote'
“Pedro Gonçalves has had, perhaps, his best start to the season, and I hope he returns quickly. Alisson is prepared, as are others like Quenda, Geny, and Rodrigo [Ribeiro], who have been training in those positions. They are players who are prepared to respond. Since I arrived, we played with Quenda and Geny and we were crowned champions. This year we have Alisson, with different characteristics; he is still developing and has given a tremendous response. He may have his opportunity at some point.”

Rumours about Hidemasa Morita's departure
“He is a great player and is coming to the end of his contract, so it's natural that people talk about him in many places. I look at him and see that he has grown and is very happy on a day-to-day level. He is a player I admire a lot and I think he will help us a lot until the end of the season.”

Being careful with Morten Hjulmand’s minutes
“Tomorrow he won’t be playing, so we need to manage his situation. He’s a very important player and has had fantastic growth. He’s in very good form, and that’s evident in the team’s growth in recent games. Given his performances with the national team, we have opted to be a bit cautious with him, because there’s a very demanding month and a half of games coming up, and we need him at his best. He’s sad that he didn’t qualify directly for the World Cup with his national team, but he’s already focused on the demands of Sporting CP and then, at the right time, on the play-offs to be at the World Cup. He has a very positive and mature mentality, hence why he’s a captain despite being so young.”

The squad work during the international break

Sporting Clube de Portugal played a training match against CF "Os Belenenses" on Saturday morning at the Academia Cristiano Ronaldo, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Coach Rui Borges fielded João Virgínia, Matheus Reis, Hidemasa Morita, Alisson Santos, Bruno Ramos, Rayan Lucas, Samuel Justo, Eduardo Quaresma, Lucas Anjos, Rafael Nel and Ricardo Mangas in the starting lineup.

Anjos and Mangas scored the goals for Sporting CP.

The squad will train again on Wednesday morning.

Sporting CP strike in stoppage time in the Azores

Sporting CP travelled to the Azores for Liga Portugal Matchday 11, defeating CD Santa Clara 2-1 thanks to a 94th minute header from Morten Hjulmand. Pedro Gonçalves had previously scored an equaliser for the team.

They faced the traditionally demanding Azorean team, who entered the match in 11th place (on 11 points). Rui Borges made three changes to the starting XI from three days prior against Juventus FC: Iván Fresneda, Geny Catamo, and Luis Suárez returned, replacing Georgios Vagiannidis, Geovany Quenda, and Fotis Ioannidis.

The start of the match could hardly have been more punishing for Sporting CP, who conceded after just five minutes. Off a long ball, a defensive slip by Ousmane Diomande allowed Wendel Silva to approach the area, and with a well-measured cross he found Vinícius Lopes, CD Santa Clara's top scorer, who struck to make it 1-0.

Vasco Matos' team, who hadn't scored in two games and had the third worst attack in the league, started with maximum effectiveness.

Sporting CP, however, have the division’s most prolific attack, and from the quarter-hour mark they began to increase their chances. A header from Suárez, following a cross from Maxi Araújo, went just wide of the near post. Shortly after, to finish off a play through the middle, Pedro Gonçalves shot from outside the area, forcing a save from Gabriel Batista.

Maxi Araújo also rose in the area to nod the ball over the bar, and 'Pote', after a perfect break towards the area, couldn't finish another chance. However, Gonçalves did find the equaliser eventually, heading in a cross from Geny to make it 1-1. He has now scored nine goals this season, with eight in the league, where he is the joint top marksman.

Sporting CP could have taken the lead almost immediately after. Defender Sidney Lima cleared Suárez's shot off the line, after he had already taken the goalkeeper out of the equation, and then the Colombian international came close to making it 1-2 again, before his cross-shot was saved by Gabriel Batista.

For the second half, Rui Borges took off the booked João Simões and brought on another striker, Fotis Ioannidis. He was forced into another switch shortly after, as Hidemasa Morita replaced the injured Gonçalves, and Quenda came on for Geny to boost the energy on the right side of the pitch.

Among the main attempts to score again were a blocked shot by Suárez and another that went completely off-target, then Quenda cutting inside from the right and shooting low and wide.

In the last 15 minutes, Rui Borges switched things up with the introduction of Alisson Santos for Fresneda.

Suárez again couldn’t keep an opportunity on target when Gabriel Batista was caught out of position, and the goalkeeper shone minutes later by denying a persistent Ioannidis a goal with an impressive instinctive save.

The Greek striker – in an excellent position in the area – had the clearest chance to find the net in regular time, but also failed to finish.

It was then that chaos took over. CD Santa Clara’s Brenner Lucas, after threatening on a counter-attack, was fouled as he prepared to go through on Rui Silva, and Maxi Araújo was shown a straight red card.

Saving the day was captain Morten Hjulmand, who had the composure to turn things around and grab victory in the Azores at the last minute. From a corner on the right, the Dane met the ball at the near post, and with a powerful header finally made it 1-2 in the 94th minute.

Before the final whistle, the home team had Adriano sent off for protesting and Sidney Lima for a foul on Matheus Reis.

Sporting CP left with three points, continuing a perfect away record in the league before the international break – six wins in six games.

Sporting CP next play on November 22nd in the Taça de Portugal against AC Marinhense – the first of three consecutive home games to close out the month of November.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Iván Fresneda (Alisson Santos, 76’), Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand [C], João Simões (Fotis Ioannidis, 46’), Geny Catamo (Geovany Quenda, 57’), Pedro Gonçalves (Hidemasa Morita, 57’), Francisco Trincão (Matheus Reis, 90+4’), Luis Suárez.