Bas Dost nets hattrick in 4-0 demolition of Boavista

Bas Dost continued in unstoppable form this weekend, this time scoring three to keep the pressure up in the race for the European Golden Boot after Lionel Messi failed to find the back of the net. With another three added to his personal tally (now up to 30), the Dutchman has scored a total of 49% of Sporting CP's goals so far this season and now has as many goals as his previous two seasons with Wolfsburg.

The last time Sporting CP put four past Boavista was back in 2004/05 and Jorge Jesus' side are now eight games unbeaten (drawing on just one occasion against V. Guimarães). Down the other end, Rui Patrício had reason to complain, with the Alvalade custodian not being troubled on a single occasion throughout the ninety minutes.

Bruno César polishes the Golden Boot

It was a comfortable victory in from of a crowd of 42,822. Without Gelson but with Podence quickly making a name for himself, Sporting CP made a blistering start to the encounter. Bruno César tried his luck on two occasions (2' and 11') and was denied by the Boavista keeper, but Alan Ruiz opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Talocha offered possession back to Podence, who released Schelotto down the right for a cross that Ruiz finished on to equal his best season so far in terms of goals.

Eight minutes later Boavista gifted another opportunity, this time with Edu Machado giving up the ball to Bruno César. The Brazilian showed his gratitude with a pin-point pass back across goal for Bas Dost to tap in. It was all looking rather easy for Jesus' side and on 35 minutes Podence himself broke though on goal, but his pass to Alan Ruiz game up just short when the youngster would have been excused for trying for the back of the net himself.

The second-half was much of the same. Three minutes after the restart Bruno César was brought crashing down in the 18-yard box and Bas Dost obliged from the penalty spot for his second of the night. Chasing shadows, Boavista tried to stem the flow, but Bruno César had other ideas and carved up the visiting defence with another pass across goal that Bas Dost made the most of to round off his hattrick.

The evening also saw a long-awaited return to action for Adrien Silva, while William Carvalho celebrated his 150th senior appearance in a green and white shirt.

Jesus names squad for Saturday's trip to Boavista

Jorge Jesus has announced his squad list to face Boavista this Saturday in Alvalade, on Liga NOS matchday 28:

1 – Rui Patrício
2 – Ezequiel Schelotto
7 – Joel Campbell
10 – Bryan Ruiz
11 – Bruno César
13 – Sebastian Coates
14 – William Carvalho
15 – Paulo Oliveira
18 – Francisco Geraldes
20 – Luc Castaignos
23 – Adrien Silva
28 – Bas Dost
31 – Marvin Zeegelaar
34 – Beto Pimparel
35 – Rúben Semedo
47 – Ricardo Esgaio
56 – Daniel Podence
77 – Gelson Martins
99 – Alan Ruiz

Jorge Jesus alerts to the dangers of a powerful Boavista side

Jorge Jesus is fully focused on the weekend's hosting of Boavista, but alerted to the dangers posed by the visitors from the north who took Sporting CP to the wire in the reverse fixture.

"Boavista are one of the historic names in Portuguese football. They have won the league and they have a nice history, but on Saturday all that matters is on the pitch. They are a quality side who are well drilled collectively against the bigger sides", opened Jesus, highlighting the importance of creativity if his side are to carry on their run of seven unbeaten matches: "I want the players to keep calm and to focus for a match that will be hard fought. Boavista are a strong side from free-kicks and corners and they can give a good match to Portugal's best sides. We are ready, but we will have to be creative."

Jesus finished with a word on Iuri Medeiros, who is currently on loan with Boavista: "Iuri has grown and is a regular starter, which shows that Boavista are good collectively."

Coates looks ahead to the weekend's Liga NOS hosting of Boavista

Sporting CP will host Boavista at 20h30 this Saturday, at a time when Jorge Jesus' side are really in their stride. One of the star performers this season, Coates is looking forward to another three points this weekend.

“We don't have a lot of matches to go now and we will take them as they come. The last seven matches have been good for us. We haven't always played how we would have liked, but we have won and that is what matters", said the big defender in an interview this Friday, adding a word on the weekend's action: "It will be a hard game and we will gave to do what we have been doing in the last seven games, which is to look to control the game."

The Uruguayan completed his 50th match in a green and white shirt recently and he is certainly enjoying his time in the Portuguese capital, affirming: "I am honoured to have played 50 matches for Sporting CP and hopefully I will play a lot more. I said the day I arrived that this is a club with a lot of history. It is a massive club in Portugal and it is a big responsibility to play here."

In 53 attempts Boavista have only claimed the win once in league encounters in Alvalade

It may sound strange, but it was actually way back in 1976 that Boavista last got the better of Sporting CP in Alvalade, when a goal from Salvador secured a 1-0 win. This year Miguel Leal's team will be looking to break the curse, but Jorge Jesus' side are in a rich spell of form and that certainly won't be an easy task.

Looking at Boavista's strengths, efficiency from dead ball situations stands out. A total of 17 goals have come from such situations, four of which we penalties. Miguel Leal's side are also powerful when it comes to the aerial game, winning a total of 17.9 disputed balls per game. Understandably then route-one football is Boavista's preferred strategy, relying on Philipe Sampaio (1.91m), Lucas (1.94m), Idris (1.89m) and Iván Bulos (1.88m) to rule the skies.

It was last in 2003 that Boavista claimed points in Alvalade, after a 1-1 draw. However with Sporting CP winning every encounter since, the odds are in the host's favour.

At 32 years od age, the experienced midfielder is a regular feature for Boavista. Standing at 1.89m, he is a powerful figure who is aggressive in disputing possession.

The 51 year old joined Boavista after two good seasons with Moreirense. Although not having the best of campaigns, Boavista are currently sitting in a comfortable 10th.

Sporting CP forward beats Soares and Brahimi to award

Six goals in just three matches, in addition to technical quality that has him up there with the world's best. Bas Dost rightly claimed the Liga NOS Player of the Month Award for March this week, attributed by the Portuguese Professional Football Association.

The Dutch striker, who has bagged 24 goals so far this season, claimed a total of 19.06% of votes cast.

Jorge Jesus reflects on another three points from what is traditionally a tough away fixture

Speaking with the press at the final whistle on Sunday, Jorge Jesus did not shy away from the difficulties felt by his side against a determined Arouca. "It is always difficult to win here", opened the Alvalade boss, continuing: "I have to point on three things: Firstly the win, second the fact that we are now seven games without losing and third that it is always hard to beat Arouca here. We were a bit slow in defence at the beginning, but the goal woke us up. We played some good football today, but another goal would have settled us a bit more. We had to hold on to possession because of that, but of course I am happy with the result."

Sporting CP score twice in two minutes to secure 10th straight win against Arouca

Sporting CP tallied a 10th straight win against Arouca this weekend, courtesy of goals from Alan Ruiz and Bruno César.

Jorge Jesus set his side out with its usual tactical shape, making just one change to the starting line-up with the introduction of Bruno César for Matheus Pereira. The encounter got off to a well disputed start, but with Sporting CP looking to take the initiative with Bryan Ruiz adding creativity to midfield along side William Carvalho. The first chance of the afternoon fell to Gelson after the skillful winger was picked out by Coates, but he was pushed off the ball in the 18-yard box for what could well have been given as a penalty.

Arouca responded in the ninth minute and actually struck from what was their first opportunity. Some determined play down the left finished with a cross from Vítor that Mateus headed into an empty net.

Unshaken by the goal, Sporting CP pushed forward and began building opportunities. First it was Bas Dost in the 27th minute with a header straight at Bolat, before Gelson fired a rocket of a shot that the Arouca keeper did well to turn away for a corner. On 32 minutes Bryan Ruiz picked out Bas Dost with a wire-guided pass, but once again Bolat was on hand to keep his team head.

Jesus' side continued to turn the screw and finally equalised in the 34th minute, when Alan Ruiz did well to control and drift into the box, before blasting a low shot into the bottom corner. Sporting CP could smell blood and just two minutes later the comeback was completed, when Bruno César blasted in from the edge of the box.

Arouca looked better after the break, relying mostly on the hard graft of Walter González in his efforts to get the better of Coates and Rúben Semedo. It was through the Paraguayan that Arouca came close to equalising, as he broke away at the half-way line and pulled a stop out of Rui Patrício on the hour-mark. Down the other end Sporting CP continued to look for space, but the final pass was lacking and some good build up play was left wanting on several occasions.

As the clock ticked down both coaches made their respective changes, with Jorge Leitão introducing the pace of Kuca and flare of Nuno Valente, while Jorge Jesus turned to João Palhinha to hold down the midfield.

With the exception of the break from González 15 minutes after the restart the second-half largely lacked clear chances. Gelson could have killed off the result late on, but Bolat was quick off his line to limit the damage to two.

Bruno César praises his side's control against a determined Arouca

"We let in an early goal, but we did well to come back. The heat didn't help, but in the second-half we controlled possession well and got the three points", said Bruno César at the final whistle on Sunday, after netting Sporting CP's second.

Questioned about the distance between Sporting CP and SL Benfica (8 points) and FC Porto (7 points), Bruno César proved relaxed: "Our objective was to win against Arouca, who are always hard to play against away, even though they are having a hard season. We are taking each game as it comes."

Squad list for Liga NOS matchday 27

Coach Jorge Jesus has announced his squad list for Sunday's 18h00 visit to Arouca.

Goalkeepers

Rui Patrício

Beto Pimparel

Defenders

Ezequiel Schelotto

Sebastián Coates

Rúben Semedo

Paulo Oliveira

Marvin Zeegelaar

Ricardo Esgaio

Midfielders

William Carvalho

João Palhinha

Bruno César

Bryan Ruiz

Matheus Pereira

Gelson Martins

Ryan Gauld

Forwards

Alan Ruiz

Bas Dost

Luc Castaignos

Daniel Podence