​The forward finds the net twice in the second half

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat FC Arouca 2-0 on Liga Portugal Matchday 25, at the Estádio José Alvalade. Islam Slimani scored his first two goals since his return to the club in the winter transfer market, earning the three points for the team.

Rúben Amorim made several changes to the starting lineup compared to the midweek game against FC Porto, fielding Antonio Adán, Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates, Matheus Reis, Ricardo Esgaio, Dário Essugo, Matheus Nunes, Rúben Vinagre, Pablo Sarabia, Islam Slimani and Nuno Santos.

Dário Essugo, who debuted for the first team last season, made his first start, aged 16 years, 11 months and 20 days. He overtook the record previously set by Luís Figo for the youngest Sporting CP player to feature in the first XI in the league.

Sporting CP started the match well and focused on attacking the opposite goal, but the visiting team, pressing high, attempted to disrupt their buildup. This only increased after a goal for Pablo Sarabia in the 10th minute was disallowed.

Unable to score, despite their dominance, their best chance fell to Nuno Santos. After receiving the ball from Dário Essugo, the winger took an opponent out of commission and tried to lob the away goalkeeper, but shot wide.

FC Arouca also had a good opportunity, in the 37th minute, for Tiago Esgaio, but Antonio Adán would make the best save of the night to deny him.

It was 0-0 at the break, and Amorim made three substitutions immediately: Rúben Vinagre, Ricardo Esgaio and Dário Essugo went off, and Pedro Porro, Manuel Ugarte and Paulinho were introduced.

There were still Sportinguistas returning to their seats from the interval when the team won the first corner of the second half. From it, Pedro Porro sent the ball in and Islam Slimani, in the heart of the area, headed straight into the net to end the stalemate.

Five minutes later, after Paulinho had hit the woodwork, Slimani got his second: A perfect combination between Paulinho and Nuno Santos concluded with the winger serving Slimani with the ball to make it 2-0.

From then on, Sporting CP began to dominate play. Matheus Nunes had two opportunities to score, thwarted first by Victor Braga and then missing with his shot after receiving from Pablo Sarabia. Slimani also had the chance to complete his hat-trick, but struck wide.

Bruno Tabata came on with ten minutes to go, and Sporting CP continued to press hard in search of a third goal that never arrived. Nevertheless, they claimed all three points at home.

In the next round of the Liga Portugal season, Sporting CP travel to FC Moreirense. Before that, they play Manchester City away in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16.

The coach looks at this weekend's league game

Sporting Clube de Portugal welcome FC Arouca to the Estádio José Alvalade this Saturday (8:30pm local time) on Matchday 25 of the Liga Portugal season.
 
In his press conference, coach Rúben Amorim stressed that the players are prepared to face the match, and also analysed the opponents.
 
“We are ready for a difficult game against a team that have grown a lot in their way of playing with the ball. We have compared the game from the first half of the season with the last few games for them, and they have grown a lot: David Simão has come in to give quality to the midfield. They have three strong players up front for the transitions and, although they don't live off that alone, they have great ability,” he began by telling the journalists present.
 
“Arsenio had some problems and Antony came in on the left, and he is a faster player and perhaps helped with that aspect of the game. They had a great showing in Guimarães, which is not easy. We expect a very difficult game, but we have to win and we are prepared for that. FC Arouca are dangerous on transitions and they will be comfortable with the results they have had, and for them it is a game without any responsibility. We have to go after them and win,” he underlined, before considering that it is necessary to use Sporting CP's recent performances to see what there is to improve.
 
“We had an advantage at Dragão, and we have to understand why we didn't do other things after that. Against CS Marítimo we didn't win out of misfortune, but we were good enough to score a second goal. In this last game with FC Porto, the same thing happened; we have to think about what occurred after the penalty. That has to be the focus. We are a team that are not used to these phases. It's a question of explaining to the players that everything is open. It's more difficult, but it's possible -and when it's possible, that's enough for teams to exceed themselves," he said.

After confirming that João Palhinha, Pedro Gonçalves and Daniel Bragança are unavailable for the match, Amorim was asked if, given these absences, he could use youngsters like Dário Essugo to fill the midfield.
 
"These are always the right moments to do that, although it's easier when the team are winning. If we do that, the team won't lose our identity, so it could be an opportunity to field some of the kids. I don't know if we're going to do it this week, but it's always a possibility”, he said, before reinforcing his desire to return to winning ways.
 
“It's easier when you win. You recover faster, the games don't have as much impact and the feeling is good. Our focus is for us to be able to win the next game, and the one that comes after that. It's not the first time that we have had a run in which we have lacked results, so it's a matter of facing it with normality - although for teams like us it always holds a great weight of responsibility."

The team prepare for their latest Liga Portugal challenge

With the return to Liga Portugal action in sight, Sporting Clube de Portugal trained on Thursday in the run-up to Saturday's match against FC Arouca at the Estádio José Alvalade.

The starters against FC Porto carried out recovery work, whilst the rest of the squad trained on the pitch. Pedro Gonçalves continued to undergo treatment, and Daniel Bragança (sprained left ankle) and João Palhinha (myalgia to his right adductor) were sidelined through injury.

The league game kicks off at 8:30pm local time on Saturday.

The coach looks to a strong second leg for progress after a loss to FC Porto

After the final whistle in O Clássico, coach Rúben Amorim gave a press conference to analyse the first leg of the Taça de Portugal semi-final.

"In the first half we played well, we created opportunities and there were moves in which we could have created more danger, but we rushed things a lot. Then, a little like what happened against SC Braga, we scored and then, from an unnecessary penalty, we allowed FC Porto back into the game. We immediately wanted to score another goal, and we ended up suffering without having time to regain our balance and calm the team down. We chased the result, but we couldn't get it," he began by telling journalists at the Estádio José Alvalade. Amorim noted the task ahead in the second leg.

"We have to score at least two goals there and win the game, and that's what we're going to try to do."

The coach considered that the penalty conceded was a key moment for the outcome of the match. 

"The penalty took us completely out of the game and changed it. We had things under control, and we were clearly the better side in the first half and at the beginning of the second, when we scored. With our changes, it took us a while to understand the positions we should have had and also to be calmer," he considered.

Asked about the adjustments that he made during the match, Amorim explained that "We changed the characteristics of the players, with Matheus [Reis] in the middle, Pablo [Sarabia] higher on the left, two players to put in crosses and with Marcus Edwards between the lines. We didn't change our way of playing, but we changed the characteristics. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, and we can't turn it around today. We have to focus on the next game," he stated.

"There is still a lot to do. We are competing for the league and we are clearly still in the Taça de Portugal."

Sporting CP lose 1-2 at home in the Taça de Portugal semifinals

A 1-2 loss at home to FC Porto on Wednesday night leaves Sporting Clube de Portugal needing a turnaround in the Copa de Portugal semi-finals. An opening goal from Pablo Sarabia set the team on course for victory, but the visitors responded with two goals either side of the hour.

With 44,231 spectators in the stands, the Estádio José Alvalade was buzzing for another edition of 'O Clássico.' There was a sombre note before the opening whistle, however, as both teams addressed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This included captain Sebastián Coates wearing a blue and yellow armband -the colours of Ukraine.

Although he was without João Palhinha through suspension and the injured Pedro Gonçalves, coach Rúben Amorim once again had Zouhair Feddal, Bruno Tabata and Sarabia available. The latter's introduction to the starting XI was one of two changes made from the weekend's fixture in Madeira, as he and Luís Neto came in for Daniel Bragança and Islam Slimani.

At the beginning of a typically heated game between two arch rivals, the first approach on the opposition goal went to Os Leões: Nuno Santos' cross was cut out on its way into the area. 

From the first minute, both teams tried to build play from the back, but without the ball it was Sporting CP who proved to be more daring, accumulating several recoveries in the opposition midfield.

In possession, the team did not hesitate to launch long passes to their forwards high upfield, and following one of those moves, in the 23rd minute, the first great opportunity arose: After a cross by Sarabia, the ball found its way to Matheus Nunes, who shot just off target.

Shortly after, Paulinho fell very close to the edge of the area – with no foul given in his favour- and Ugarte shot straight at opposition goalkeeper Marchesín. Far more comfortable with the tempo of the match, only Sporting CP were creating danger. Sarabia had his turn at a chance, not quite guiding Nuno Santos' cross towards goal. Pedro Porro hit the side netting before the break, and the score remained deadlocked.

Looking to freshen up the attack, Amorim brought on Marcus Edwards at halftime to replace Nuno Santos and the minutes following the restart couldn't have gone better: In the 49th minute, Porro surprised the defence by playing a low free kick onto the edge of the area, where Sarabia shot first time to score his 13th goal of the campaign.

Shortly after, Luís Neto made a decisive intervention to stop Mehdi Taremi, but the response from the away team would come shortly afterwards: First, Taremi converted a penalty kick, then Evanilson finished off a counterattack, turning the scoreling around in the space of six minutes.

Suddenly, the roles in the game were reversed, and it was Sporting CP chasing an equaliser. One might have come their way had Coates reached a dangerous ball into the area. Amorim took a gamble, partnering Islam Slimani with Paulinho in the frontline, then bringing on Daniel Bragança, but the defensive organisation of the opposition made them difficult to break down.

Nevertheless, Sporting CP nearly made it 2-2 in the eight minutes of added time. Marchesín's decisive save from a header by Coates kept the score at 1-2, and Os Leões will have work to do in the second leg away on April 20th. For now, in their crosshairs is a Liga Portugal game against FC Arouca, this Saturday, at 8:30pm local time.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GR], Matheus Reis, Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates [C], Luís Neto (Islam Slimani 71'), Pedro Porro, Manuel Ugarte (Daniel Bragança 81'), Matheus Nunes, Nuno Santos (Marcus Edwards 46'), Pablo Sarabia and Paulinho.

The coach previews “o Clássico” against FC Porto in the Taça de Portugal

Sporting Clube de Portugal welcome FC Porto to the Estádio José Alvalade this Wednesday, for the first leg of the Taça de Portugal semi-finals.

In his pre-match press conference, coach Rúben Amorim spoke of the game as being a meeting “between two great teams” in which anything can happen.

"We are playing at home and we will have the support of our fans, but the teams are so similar and strong that FC Porto can win at Alvalade and we can win at the Dragão. We have played several times against FC Porto this season, so we have to look at what we did in the game at the Dragão and improve what we have to improve - and maintain what we did well", he said, before guaranteeing that the approach to the game will not be any different on account of the away goals rule.

"I don't see it that way. In the second leg it might have an influence, but our idea is always to score and not to suffer, and that won't change much. The players are used to playing to win and both teams always want more; I think that factor will have more of an effect in the second leg", he considered.

Amorim also expressed his opinion that FC Porto will be no less dangerous in the absence of Luis Díaz.

"FC Porto are a very strong team, and they can win games with and without Luis Díaz. They are in good form, just like Sporting CP, who had a draw in the last game but played well and should have won the game. We are two teams at full strength, and it is a very strong FC Porto".

After confirming that Pedro Gonçalves will miss the game and that Zouhair Feddal is a doubt, Amorim stated that Bruno Tabata will be part of his plans, and said that he was undecided as to whether João Virgínia would start in goal.

"We will choose the best team to win the game and the best goalkeeper to beat FC Porto".

Finally, the coach recalled that, despite this being the third Clássico between Sporting CP and FC Porto this season, both coaches could spring surprises.

"Coaches always try to improve their teams, and when there are very close games we make changes to play even better. We had the option of playing with Paulinho and Slimani in the last game. We didn't change the way of playing so much as the characteristics, and that creates some uncertainty for the opponents. We may make one change or another, and we still have one more day to choose the best team to win the game".

Sporting CP are held to a 1-1 stalemate

Sporting Clube de Portugal played out a 1-1 draw with CS Marítimo on Liga Portugal Matchday 24, away in Madeira.

With the absences of Pablo Sarabia, João Palhinha, Pedro Gonçalves, Bruno Tabata and Zouhair Feddal, coach Rúben Amorim made several changes to his initial lineup, including giving a first start to Islam Slimani. There was a return for Sebastián Coates, after serving a suspension, and Daniel Bragança and Nuno Santos were also brought in.
The duel in Barreiros went against Sporting CP almost from the off, with the home side scoring after just five minutes through Xadas. However, the response was not long in coming, as dangerous shots by Slimani, Coates and Pedro Porro provided danger.

Set up in the opposing half, they tried to attack open spaces whilst the opposition prepared counterattacks.

In the 38th minute, the equaliser finally came. Slimani appeared in the heart of the area, unmarked, and fired in a cross by Matheus Reis. It was a curious turn of events, as it had been precisely against CS Maritimo that he scored his first goal of his first stint at the club.

In the following minute, the home team put the ball into the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR check.

In the second half, Sporting CP remained dominant. The first warning came from Paulinho, thanks to a low shot, and then Coates was just centimetres from putting in well-aimed header from a cross. After 70 minutes, it was Pedro Porro's turn to try his luck, hitting the woodwork with his attempt.

With Marcus Edwards and Rúben Vinagre on the field, Sporting CP gave everything in the final stretch in search of a second goal, putting the opposition on the ropes. However, Coates had another header go wide, and Slimani had his shot blocked by a defender, in the last two chances of the game. 

Sporting CP will return to the Estádio José Alvalade on Wednesday, March 2nd, for a duel against FC Porto in the first leg of the Taça de Portugal semi-finals.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GR], Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates [C], Matheus Reis, Pedro Porro, Matheus Nunes, Manuel Ugarte, Daniel Bragança (Rúben Vinagre, 80'), Nuno Santos (Marcus Edwards, 76'), Islam Slimani and Paulinho.

The coach reacts to a 3-0 win against GD Estoril Praia

At the end of the 3-0 victory for Sporting Clube de Portugal over GD Estoril Praia, coach Rúben Amorim gave a post-match press conference and analysed the encounter.

"The response, as always, was very good. The players took the game very seriously; they didn't let GD Estoril Praia bring the ball out in the way that they like so much in a low block. We created danger with our crosses, although we didn't have many opportunities to get into the GD Estoril Praia area. We scored and went into the break ahead, with the game under control. However, we needed to create more chances. In the second half, with the sending off for them, we took even more control of the game. We had more opportunities to score more goals, and it ended up being a fair scoreline in a game that we controlled from start to finish", he began by telling journalists.

Amorim praised the showing by Matheus Reis, the scorer of one of the goals.

"When a player is out of action for a long time, it's difficult. He was left out of a squad [against Rio Ave FC] and took a while to get into the dynamic of the team. He has adapted well, and his teammates helped him and gave him strength and confidence. With the level of demand at this club, it's not easy to get into the side. Matheus understood that and he's a different player than he was before. It's credit to him and the teammates who helped him in difficult times. He has to keep working because I think he can give even more for us", he stressed.

The coach explained that the support of the fans in the match against Manchester City gave the team a lot of motivation for their victory this past Sunday.

"We had to give a response for the fans, for what they did for us on Tuesday. Their affection gave us more strength, because we want to be competitive. We don't want to lose and feel that everything is ok. They gave us more strength to reach that level one day, although it will take time".

He also shed light on Manuel Ugarte's substitution due to "discomfort in his neck, nothing more", and commented on Rúben Vinagre's situation.

"We have young players to whom we want to show commitment. We believe a lot in Rúben Vinagre. His situation was planned out at the beginning of the season. Vinagre will have his spot. He needs time and he had an injury that has limited him. There are players who suddenly come through. He is part of our plans, he knows the hope we have for him and we have time to help him".

Without Pablo Sarabia available for the next game, against CS Marítimo, due to an accumulation of yellow cards, Amorim expressed that he has options for the Spaniard's position in Madeira.

"Marcus Edwards is ready to take his place. We can play with Slimani and Paulinho, we can play with Nuno Santos a little higher up and other different ways. We have several options and we will choose the best eleven to face a game that will be very difficult", he said.

Os Leões best GD Estoril Praia at home in Liga Portugal

A 3-0 win for Sporting Clube de Portugal against GD Estoril Praia kept up the pressure at the top on Matchday 23 of the Liga Portugal season. Pedro Gonçalves, Matheus Reis and Pablo Sarabia scored the goals for Os Leões at the Estádio José Alvalade.

On a cold afternoon, albeit with clear skies and many families present in the stands, Sporting CP made three changes to the starting lineup that had faced Manchester City in midweek: Luís Neto - captaining the side in the absence of Sebastián Coates -, Zouhair Feddal and Manuel Ugarte were all brought in.

Paulinho provided the first dangerous move of the game in the seventh minute, when he stole the ball from a defender and moved towards goal. Soon after, Pedro Gonçalves' shot from long distance brought with it another close call.

Gonçalves' next opportunity, hit wide, came before the first move of any note for the visitors. Successfully stifling that chance, Sporting CP went forward again, as Pedro Porro struck over the crossbar.

Paulinho also threatened with a header and, in the 35th minute, a penalty kick was appealed for in the GD Estoril Praia area, for a handball by a defender, blocking Pablo Sarabia's shot. Referee Hélder Malheiro, however, ordered play to continue.

Finally, the deadlock was broken five minutes before the break. From outside the area, Sarabia had his shot blocked by Daniel Figueira, the ball falling to Gonçalves with the goal at his mercy. The goalscoring instinct of the No. 28 shirt did not let him down, and he made it 1-0 to Sporting CP.

There was still time for Matheus Nunes, after a great individual move, to shoot into the side netting, and for Sarabia to give Figueira work to do with a direct free-kick, but the first half ended 1-0 to Sporting CP.

During the break, more than 100 players from the Petizes, Traquinas, Benjamins and Infantis levels at the Pólo do Estádio Universitário de Lisboa (EUL) and at the Academias de Formação Sporting (AFS) took to the pitch as a prize for the excellent marks they had achieved at school.

The second half started with a slow pace, and on the hour mark coach Rúben Amorim put on Daniel Bragança in place of Matheus Nunes. Soon after, a counterattack ended with Porro hitting the ball towards the far post, with Paulinho arriving slightly late to the effort.

In the 64th minute, the referee sent off Raul Silva for a hard foul on Porro, leaving GD Estoril Praia down to ten men. Sporting CP became even more dominant and threatened when Sarabia received the ball in the area and shot -a defender intercepting the attempt.

With 20 minutes to go, Islam Slimani came on for Manuel Ugarte. Sporting CP made it 2-0 through an excellent counterattack that involved him, as Porro played to the striker in the midfield, he released to Matheus Reis, and a backheeled one-two with Paulinho ended with Reis putting the ball into the net.

Paulinho, Bragança and Reis all kept goalkeeper Figueira busy, before finally Sarabia found the space he needed to strike, scoring a magnificent goal that capped the 3-0 victory for Os Leões.

The team now travel to Madeira, where next Saturday they face CS Marítimo in Liga Portugal.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GR], Luís Neto [C], Gonçalo Inácio, Zouhair Feddal, Pedro Porro (Gonçalo Esteves, 82'), Manuel Ugarte (Islam Slimani, 70'), Matheus Nunes (Daniel Bragança, 60') , Matheus Reis (Nuno Santos, 82'), Pablo Sarabia, Pedro Gonçalves and Paulinho (Marcus Edwards, 82').

The coach gives a press conference before the home game against GD Estoril Praia

Back to Liga Portugal this weekend, Sporting Clube de Portugal play GD Estoril Praia at the Estádio José Alvalade this Sunday, off the back of a tough defeat in the Champions League at the hands of Manchester City.

Coach Rúben Amorim gave a press conference before the league contest.

"We always have the same objective: to win the game. We are going to play against a team that knows what they are doing, who are well organised and who started the season very well. Then there was a 'normalisation,' so to speak, but they have a quality coach and have solutions," he began by saying.

"What we want is to do what we have done very often, which is to come off a Champions League game and realise that the league is very important for us. Our priority is to make that connection."

Sporting CP will be without the suspended Bruno Tabata, João Palhinha, Sebastián Coates and Ricardo Esgaio after the ill-tempered finale to the game against FC Porto, and will be up against a side that hasn't lost for three matchdays.

"We have enough quality players to face GD Estoril Praia. We are going to bring Dário [Essugo] back, for example, and that always opens up space for us to continue with our project, which is very important for us. GD Estoril Praia have always been a team that defend very well, and against us they have switched between a line of five and six at the back. They are strong in transition," he highlighted, adding: "We are sure that it will be a very difficult game, where they will be comfortable, because, in addition to the victory they had, playing at the Estádio José Alvalade takes the pressure off them. Therefore, we have to be very intense and we have the obligation and the need to win, which is our goal."

Asked to comment on the praise that Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City coach, gave to Matheus Nunes, Amorim stressed that the young midfielder must keep his focus on working hard.

"I am pleased that other coaches recognise Matheus' ability, and I think he can become much better. We must also remember that at the beginning of the year, when we lost João Mário who had played in his position all year, there were many people who did not agree with the gamble that we took on Matheus Nunes. You have to look at it as being that at the beginning of the season he wasn't the worst and now he's not the best -you have to maintain your level and concentration to continue like this. It was very clear that he was a great talent, but I think that we still have a lot to work on."

Commenting on the return to training following the Champions League loss, Amorim described the feeling in the camp as 'normal,' given the result. "Today was completely different. It was difficult for us, but it's part of being a team that are used to winning."

On Liga Portugal, where the team drew against the leaders last time out, the coach explained that "obviously it was better to win; there is a 6-point difference and FC Porto don't lose many, but we have to play our games and always believe, because as the season goes on, the games become more difficult. Getting into the Champions League is very important for us, as is not letting those behind us in the table get closer whilst, at the same time, trying to move top.

"Our team is always strong in terms of spirit. We can win any game, even when we have players out, but of course we would be stronger if we had everyone available."

Speaking individually about winter reinforcements Islam Slimani and Marcus Edwards, he concluded that "everyone needs to understand the dynamics of the team well. Even the rhythm of training is different and all the details of a change count, but I'm sure that Edwards will be a great player."

"Slimani has had more opportunities, because the games have required that. They are both ready to help, and it depends on what we need in the game, but there is no rush, because our plan is not only for today, but also for the future."