The Sporting CP coach felt his side were more than deserved winners against CD Nacional

After the final whistle in Saturday's game against CD Nacional, Sporting Clube de Portugal coach Rúben Amorim reflected on a 2-0 victory that he felt his side completely deserved.

"We produced a lot for a team who scored just two goals. We had opportunities to score more and CD Nacional had almost no chances", he said.

"The game was stopped many times and there were many fouls, but they were almost always against us. This time wasting created some anxiety amongst the team, but it was another day of suffering for Sportinguistas that ended well."

Amorim added that the introduction of Jovane Cabral 'unlocked' the game, allowing the team their breakthrough.

"The sending off of a CD Nacional player meant that there was less one man on the pitch, but it did not change the characteristics of the game and Sporting CP continued on top of things, trying to score. Jovane came in strong, holding the ball up. I have lost count of the number of games that players who have come off the bench have been decisive. That is their role; both Jovane and the rest of the team should be congratulated."

The coach also explained his decision to include Daniel Bragança in midfield, in the position usually occupied by João Mário.

"It was a tactical choice. João Mário has been playing and has had a great season, but I thought that the characteristics Bragança has were better for this game. CD Nacional would almost always be defending and Bragança provides a lot of speed on the ball. I thought that we would not need João Mário to slow down the game so much, but rather a player that varied things up. I think Bragança had a great game", he told journalists, before addressing the inevitable questions about title candidacy.

"I want the players to think that we can drop points at any ground. We have a 6-point lead and 12 points in play. As for the support of the fans, the team are grateful for it. The great biggest success of the coaching staff and these players was changing the dynamic of the club. It is very difficult to do this in one year, I am lucky to have a group of players who are at the level required of Sporting CP. I congratulate them, but there is still a long way to go."