Sporting CP play CS Marítimo, Rio Ave FC and SC Farense in Group B

Sporting Clube de Portugal will face CS Marítimo, Rio Ave FC and SC Farense in Group B of the 2022/2023 Taça da Liga.

The first phase of the competition is scheduled for the period between November 18th and December 17th, with the quarter-finals - involving the top finishers in each group - set for December 20th to 23rd. The final four will be held in Leiria, between January 21st and 28th, 2023.

Sporting CP have won the Taça da Liga for the last two seasons, and a total of four times in their history.

GROUP STAGE GAMES
Matchday 1 – Sporting CP vs. SC Farense
Matchday 2 – Rio Ave FC vs. Sporting CP
Matchday 3 – Sporting CP vs. CS Marítimo

A late penalty sees the game end 2-1

On their return to Liga Portugal action, Sporting Clube de Portugal lost 2-1 away to Boavista FC on Matchday 7. A late penalty kick by the home team put an end to the reaction from Rúben Amorim's side, who came away empty handed from the game.

Up against a side who began the weekend in fourth place and off two consecutive victories in the league, Amorim repeated the same starting XI that had beaten Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League in midweek.

Sporting CP dominated the first ten minutes, and a first warning was fired wide by Nuno Santos, as well as Pedro Gonçalves having two attempts blocked by opposition defenders.

Shortly after, Boavista also threatened, but forward Bozeník's shot was sent away by Antonio Adán.

Mobility and talent in the frontline provided chances for Sporting CP, as well as Santos' runs up the left flank. Os Leões had the ball in the net, through Gonçalves, but it would be disallowed by VAR for an offside by Marcus Edwards.

The match levelled out before the interval, as Boavista FC enjoyed another chance for Bozeník, who hit the post in the 29th minute. Francisco Trincao responded, with his shot clanging against the crossbar.

Just when it seemed that the game would go into halftime 0-0, Bruno Lourenço gave Boavista the lead, as Sporting CP conceded for the first time in five games.

Sporting CP were forced to react, and that was the case from the first minute of the second half. Nuno Santos was again very active and dangerous, especially with his crosses. On the other flank, Pedro Porro also got into the opposition area and shot hard, but not even a slight deflection could catch out goalkeeper César.

The equaliser arrived ten minutes after the restart, as Santos crossed perfectly for a well-placed header from Edwards – the Englishman's third goal in the league this term.

In the 70th minute, however, the team suffered another setback, with Amorim forced to replace Coates with Ricardo Esgaio due to an injury. The home side became more solid defensively, while Sporting CP accumulated mistakes in attack. Their coach decided to refresh the frontline: Paulinho and Arthur Gomes came in to replace Trincão and Nuno Santos.

However, off one of Boavista's  rare attacks in the second half, Martim Tavares fell in the area and Bruno Lourenço converted the penalty to make it 2-1. The 83rd minute goal, against the run of play, ended Sporting CP's response and condemned them to defeat.

After the international break, Sporting CP host Gil Vicente FC at the Estádio José Alvalade.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GR], Pedro Porro, Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates [C] (Ricardo Esgaio 71'), Matheus Reis, Nuno Santos (Arthur Gomes 75'), Manuel Ugarte, Hidemasa Morita (Rochinha 87'), Francisco Trincao (Paulinho 75'), Pedro Gonçalves and Marcus Edwards.

Two stoppage time goals earn a 2-0 win in the Champions League

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat Tottenham Hotspur FC 2-0 in their second game of the UEFA Champions League group stage. Paulinho and Arthur Gomes scored the goals, both of which came towards the end of the match.

Coach Rúben Amorim made three changes to his starting XI, bringing in Matheus Reis, Pedro Porro and Manuel Ugarte in place of Luís Neto, Ricardo Esgaio and Rochinha.

The first opportunity fell to Sporting CP in the seventh minute, as a counterattack saw Marcus Edwards beat the Spurs defence for pace and set up Pedro Gonçalves, whose shot with his left foot was saved by Hugo Lloris.

Os Leões were comfortable on the ball, withstanding Tottenham Hotspur's high press. However, the visitors came closer to scoring in the 25th minute, when Richarlison headed straight at Antonio Adán.

The Brazilian striker also had a goal ruled out for offside, but it was Sporting CP who had the best chance of the first half. Off a spectacular move, Edwards stormed through the opposition defence before exchanging passes with Francisco Trincao and shooting, but Lloris made a save to keep the score 0-0 at the interval.

Tottenham Hotspur changed plans for the second half, pushing hard. This desire was clearly visible in attacks by Emerson and Harry Kane, who forced Adán into saves, and Richarlison -who shot wide.

In the 67th minute, Gonçalves combined again with Marcus Edwards, on the counterattack, and a spectacular shot resulted in another save by Lloris.

Amorim started to switch things up with 20 minutes left, introducing Sotiris Alexandropoulos for Hidemasa Morita and, shortly after, Paulinho for Trincao.

Just before the 90 minutes were up, Pedro Porro's arching drive pulled a huge save from Lloriz, and it seemed as if the game was going to end goalless. However, whilst the goals were late in coming, they finally arrived in stoppage time: In the corner kick that followed Porro's chance, Gonçalves put the ball into the area and Paulinho headed into the net.

Shortly after, Nuno Santos and Marcus Edwards made way for Ricardo Esgaio and Arthur Gomes, who made his debut for Sporting CP in magnificent style: In the 93rd minute, he danced through the opposition defence and finished past Lloris.

The 2-0 result leaves Sporting CP top of Group D, with six points from two games. Next up for them is a visit to Boavista in Liga Portugal on Saturday.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates [C], Matheus Reis, Pedro Porro, Manuel Ugarte, Hidemasa Morita (Sotiris Alexandropoulos, 71'), Nuno Santos (Ricardo Esgaio, 90+2'), Francisco Trincão (Paulinho, 75'), Pedro Gonçalves and Marcus Edwards (Arthur Gomes, 90+2').

A proud Sporting CP coach comments on the showing against Tottenham

After the 2-0 victory for Sporting Clube de Portugal over Tottenham Hotspur FC, Rúben Amorim analysed the match in his post-match press conference.

"What made the difference was the individual quality of our players. We believed until the end. Even against a great team, we were more cautious than we normally are. We couldn't afford to break up the game all the time and the players were fantastic. In the first half, we were more cautious, and in the second we had more difficulty in keeping the ball. The game was evenly matched, with two teams having the ball but wary of the transitions from the opposition. In the end, we were the happier side. We had several opportunities to score and we were happy in the end," he began by saying.

For the coach, Tottenham Hotspur FC remain the favourites in Group D, not least because "there are still many games to play."

"Last year we had two defeats to start the group stage, and we went through to the knockout stages. This year it could be the other way around," he added.

"Out there were two mature teams who knew that, off a transition, they could win or lose the game. Congratulations to the players because, with the fatigue and short preparation time they had, and against outstanding players, they were very mature. They were heroes."

"The win was down to the players, who believed until the end and played a very mature game," he continued, before noting that the strategy at Sporting CP has remained the same since the defeat at home to GD Chaves.

"We always believe. When we lost against GD Chaves, we looked at our team, our project and path with the same clarity as today. We just had to manage things differently," he considered.

"We have grown in the way we approach games and we are more used to these moments. We have a lot to do. We lost balls in the buildup, and we had difficulty bringing the ball out to play. We ended up happy, but we deserved it."

About Arthur Gomes, who made an immediate impact on his debut for Sporting CP with a goal shortly after coming on, Amorim explained that the Brazilian "is very strong and aggressive in one-on-one situations. That's what we looked for from him. He's already paid for himself, which always comes in handy!"

The player talks in the post-match mixed zone

In the mixed zone after Sporting Clube de Portugal's 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur FC, Nuno Santos spoke to journalists.

"All victories in the UEFA Champions League are very important. We have six points now, but we have to keep calm because there is still a lot to do and at the weekend we have a very important game at Bessa. If we don't win that, then it cancels everything that we have done and we take a step backwards. The fans want victories and we are going to be strong at Bessa. This victory gives us confidence," he began by saying.

"We are confident and today was proof of that. In a game against a very strong team, we gave an incredible response, with a spirit of enormous sacrifice, and were focused until the end. The goals came from the 85th minute onwards. We believed until the end."

The player previews the UEFA Champions League game

In the press conference ahead of the match between Sporting Clube de Portugal and Tottenham Hotspur, scheduled for Tuesday at 5:45 at the Estádio José Alvalade, player Francisco Trincao spoke on behalf of the club.

The winger started by talking about his own recent form, which has included an impressive series of recent displays.

"I've done the same as always: Given my best and helped the team, whether with goals or playing well. I always want to help the team win," he said.

Asked about a possible increased level of confidence after his goal in Germany against Eintracht Frankfurt, Trincao explained that it is his daily work that motivates him.

"What gives me confidence is what I do during the week, all my preparation. The goal is something natural in football. We knew what we had to do, we worked well during the week and did what the coach asked us to do. We won the game and that was what mattered," he commented, before analysing opponents Tottenham.

"They are a very strong team. We know their strengths and weaknesses and we have studied them well. They are a team that, perhaps, will let us have the ball, but we have to be prepared for when they have it."

On whether he has his sights set on a call-up for the Portuguese national team, Trincao  guaranteed that his full concentration is on Sporting CP.

"I try to do my job and it's up to the coach whether he calls me up or not. The focus is on what I control. I'm here to help Sporting CP to be the best possible. I'm just another person looking to contribute," he concluded.

The coach eyes up another European victory against Tottenham Hotspur

Sporting Clube de Portugal host Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday (5:45pm local time), on the second matchday of the UEFA Champions League group stage

On the eve of the game, coach Rúben Amorim spoke in a pre-match press conference, and was not hiding the fact that victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany had given his side confidence for the European competition.

" I wouldn't change a thing. The important thing is to keep our identity. That's what we did, even when we suffered defeats, and the way we turned the situation around was very much by being confident in what we do," he said.  

"We can't always control the results, but what we were seeing in games was that we were dominant and that we could play well."

"The most important thing is that we've changed the way we look at ourselves. We know it's possible to win in Europe, that we're growing. Even with us having lost players, it's clear that we're a more mature team and prepared for these games. It doesn't really matter how people look at us; I'm sure most people in Europe see us as the weakest team in the group, and we like that. We believe it's possible, we want to win and our objective for tomorrow is to win the game."

He went on to analyse Tottenham Hotspur FC, a team he considers to be "very strong, with a coach who wins wherever he goes".

"They are very strong in transitions, on set pieces and even when the ball is with their goalkeeper, Lloris. All of his goal kicks are very dangerous. They are a complete team with quality players. We tried to study Tottenham Hotspur as much as possible, but we focused more on ourselves, on our weaknesses and on what we have to try to hide in our movements to take advantage of our abilities. We are a team who like to have the ball and we want to keep that identity and way of playing. We want to be competitive in every one of our games. The responsibility is clearly on Tottenham Hotspur's shoulders, but we are a big club in Portugal and we have to play to win."

Amorim did not want to focus on the shorter recovery and preparation time that Sporting CP have for this match due to the cancellation of Spurs' Premier League game against Manchester City, acknowledging that "normally, it is the English teams who have more difficult schedules. With this being a UEFA Champions League game, young and ambitious players like ours are sure to have recovered in time."

Asked about the absences of Jeremiah St. Juste and Luís Neto in defence, the coach noted that there are other players who can play in these positions.

"We lost St. Juste, who is our fastest player and perhaps the perfect fit for marking Tottenham's fastest player, Son. Neto is experienced, and we also lost him. We will have others come in. Gonçalo Inácio could be an option, as well as Ricardo Esgaio," he said.

"The opposition will make the game very difficult for us. If Tottenham Hotspur score first, it will be very tough because they are good with the ball, can build play and are good at waiting for a team and making transitions. We have to be careful with our buildup and not change our identity".
Finally, Amorim spoke about Marcus Edwards and Hidemasa Morita.

"Edwards is one of the best in Portugal playing between the lines. He had difficulty getting used to the Portuguese lifestyle and that is changing. Our group is very young and he fits better in our team. Lisbon is not London, but it is different to Guimarães, and all this has an impact on the player's involvement. The talent is all there and I think he can improve a lot and reach the England national team. He has to be more consistent and I think he is already showing that. I see a lot of talent in him, I think he can grow a lot, but he has a long way to go," he commented of the Englishman.

"As for Morita, all coaches should train at least one Japanese player to understand what it means to be a player who is always ready to help the team. He is very respectful and he plays in any position, as he always wants to learn. I have only good things to say about [Hidemasa] Morita. More and more Japanese players are entering Europe and he has a lot of technical ability. I'm very satisfied with him and I'm glad we chose to sign him."

The Sporting CP squad trained on Sunday morning

After their 4-0 rout of Portimonense SC in Liga Portugal action, Sporting Clube de Portugal trained on Sunday morning, at the Academia Cristiano Ronaldo.

The starters from the match carried out recovery work, while the remainder of the squad worked on the pitch, accompanied by several youngsters from the B team.

Jovane Cabral underwent treatment and Luís Neto missed the session with a sprain to his left knee, and will undergo further tests in the coming days.

Sporting CP train again on Monday at 10am, with the first 15 minutes open to the public. Ahead of Tuesday's match against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League, at 7pm Rúben Amorim and a player will attend the pre-match press conference.

Sporting CP run out 4-0 victors at home in Liga Portugal

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat Portimonense SC 4-0 at home on Matchday 6 of the Liga Portugal season, as Francisco Trincão bagged a brace and Pedro Gonçalves and Nuno Santos added to the scoresheet. The win was the third in as many games for Rúben Amorim's side.

The coach, taking into account a packed schedule that includes midweek Champions League fixtures, made four changes to his starting XI: Nuno Santos, Luís Neto, Rochinha and Ricardo Esgaio came in for Matheus Reis, Jeremiah St. Juste, Manuel Ugarte and Pedro Porro, who had begun the game against Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany.

After a quiet first few minutes, Sporting CP took the initiative, not only threatening but also establishing an early lead. After Esgaio had shot straight at opposition goalkeeper Kosuke, on the resulting corner the ball went into the 'D', where Trincão, with his left foot, shot first time. His strike -which caught a deflection off a defender, found its way into the net and made it 1-0 at Alvalade.

The rapid goal forced Portimonense SC coach Paulo Sérgio to abandon his highly conservative strategy of a packed defensive line. The visitors had come into the game in fourth place in the table and the second fewest goals conceded (two).

With plenty of the ball, Sporting CP were controlling the action, with attacks and combinations between Edwards and Trincão, and runs by Esgaio on the right.

Trincão had a dangerous shot intercepted by a defender and Rochinha hit just wide of the goal. For the away team, ex-Leão Gonçalo Costa -who would be taken off before the half hour- put Antonio Adán to the test, for the first time close to 25 minutes in.

The pace then slowed down, before Sporting CP picked it back up with a series of chances. First, Nuno Santos forced a great save from Kosuke, and in the 40th minute, a three-touch move took the team 2-0 to the good. After a recovery high up the pitch, he immediately launched the ball long to Rochinha, who crossed low for Trincão to finish.

Just before the break, only the goalkeeper kept out a shot from Edwards from outside the area, whilst referee Cláudio Pereira momentarily lost control of the game and showed four cards, three of them to Sporting CP – including a red to assistant coach Carlos Fernandes.

After the halftime break, Matheus Reis replaced Gonçalo Inácio. Amorim was then forced to take off Neto when he received a hard challenge, bringing on Porro.
Later, on the hour, the coach freshened things up with Paulinho and Sotiris Alexandropoulos coming on for Rochinha and Morita.

Sporting CP were comfortable and enjoying several attacks. After Coates had threatened with a header from a corner, Paulinho chased a lost ball in the area and, with the goalkeeper coming out, set up Trincão. Pedrão would clear off the line.

In the 72nd minute the score was extended to 3-0, through Gonçalves as he appeared alone at the far post to meet a perfect cross from Porro.

Nuno Santos rounded off the win with an assist from Gonçalves, shooting low to take the result to 4-0.

Sporting CP move up to ten points in Liga Portugal. They will be back in action on Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League, playing  Tottenham Hotspur FC is scheduled for 5:45pm local time at Alvalade.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Ricardo Esgaio, Luís Neto (Pedro Porro, 54'), Sebastián Coates [C], Gonçalo Inácio (Matheus Reis, 46'), Nuno Santos, Hidemasa Morita (Sotiris Alexandropoulos, 60'), Pedro Gonçalves , Francisco Trincão, Marcus Edwards (Paulinho, 60’) and Rochinha (Manuel Ugarte, 54’).

The coach looks at Saturday's game in Liga Portugal

Just three days after their win in Frankfurt (0-3) in the UEFA Champions League, Sporting Clube de Portugal return to Liga Portugal action on Saturday, facing Portimonense SC at Estádio Jose Alvalade.

On the eve of the match, coach Rúben Amorim held a press conference to preview the game, insisting on the need to refocus for the match. 

"The preparation time we've had hasn't been long. We arrived yesterday from Frankfurt and we are already preparing for Portimonense SC, who have five points more than Sporting CP so far this season. Our objective is to move to two points behind them, and we also have to change the type of game that we will play. It's a reset," he began by telling journalists. 

“Portimonense SC will play in a completely different way from what we found in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt," Amorim continued. “We know that Portimonense SC will defend well and try to make our team a little anxious. That was the preparation we did, so we have to use speed and a lot of energy."

 "We know that Portimonense SC have had all week to prepare, they are very motivated and we have to rotate the team because we really have to win the game. It will be different from what we saw in Germany: With even more responsibility on our shoulders, we all have to be prepared for whatever will happen."

Asked about the short period of time between games, Amorim did not hide the fact that "the players are still very tired," but also stressed that "the best way to recover is to beat Portimonense SC. This is what we're going to focus on. Now we have to get our third consecutive victory and move closer to the top of the table."

As for some of the possible changes in Saturday's starting lineup, the coach mentioned that “Paulinho is another option that gives us a different alternative in the centre of the attack,” while new signing Sotiris Alexandropoulos “still needs to get used to the position."

"The entire squad has to be prepared, and the best players for the game will play to go for the win."

To conclude, Amorim pointed out that despite the fact that Sporting CP have not conceded goals in the last two matches, "there are still things to improve."

 "We learn from our mistakes. It will be a difficult game, and we will have to be careful with errors and defending set pieces. We will feel the anxiety of the fans, but we have to maintain our identity."