Gyökeres and Morita strike in a 2-1 triumph

On their return to domestic action, Sporting Clube de Portugal beat FC Arouca 2-1 in Liga Portugal at the Estádio José Alvalade. Despite going down to ten men in the 42nd minute, the team proved strong and scored a winning goal that makes them outright leaders of the division.

On the day of the club's General Assembly, Sportinguistas, including representatives from 51 groups across the country, travelled en masse to Alvalade to support their team. The players took to the pitch with pink bows printed on their shirts in honour of Pink October, a movement that raises awareness about the prevention of breast cancer.

Coach Rúben Amorim brought back three players to the starting lineup, including Sebastián Coates, Ricardo Esgaio and Marcus Edwards in his initial XI. With FC Arouca well organised defensively, Sporting CP circulated the ball from one channel to the other, but it was not easy to break through the lines.

Having settled in the opposing half, they had a lot of possession and gradually made some tentative approaches on goal, but without managing to create much danger. In the first half hour, the best opportunities belonged to Pedro Gonçalves, with a weak shot and then a header, and Marcus Edwards, who had his effort saved by the goalkeeper.

Nevertheless, after 31 minutes and plenty of insistence, Sporting CP made it 1-0. Marcus Edwards jinked inside and crossed with precision for an unmarked Viktor Gyökeres, who finished first time for his fourth goal in the last three games -his eighth in total this season.

The advantage upped the intensity from the fans, and a move by Inácio, Coates and Diomande saw the team come close to doubling their lead.

However, just before the break, Diomande received a second yellow card and was sent off for what the referee adjudged to have been an elbow on an opposition player.

Down to ten men, Rúben Amorim introduced Matheus Reis on the left side of the defence, and the fullbacks formed a line of five at times without the ball. Despite reinforcing the back line, in the 52nd minute FC Arouca pulled back level with a header from Rafa Mújica to make it 1-1.

Although they had numerical inferiority and needed to start over, Sporting CP continued to dominate play. Nuno Santos came close to scoring with a dangerous shot into the side netting, and Gonçalves failed to deflect a cross into the six-yard-box.

Amorim changed his team around again to bring in Geny Catamo and Eduardo Quaresma. Os Leões threatened and threatened until, in the 68th minute, they managed to score a second goal. After some excellent work on the left,  Gonçalves found space, crossed in and set up Morita, who knocked in his first goal of the season at the near post.

FC Arouca, who until then had relied on the counterattack but had failed to achieve more than a couple of dangerous shots, began to have more of the ball in the final 15 minutes, but the best scoring opportunities before the final whistle went to Sporting CP. On the best of them, Catamo delivered a powerful arcing shot, but Arruabarrena made a big save.

The 2-1 result makes Sporting CP outright leaders in Liga Portugal, heading into the international break. Next up is a Taça de Portugal Third Round game against CD Olivais e Moscavide on October 21st.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán (GK), Ousmane Diomande, Sebastián Coates (C), Gonçalo Inácio, Ricardo Esgaio (Geny Catamo, 58'), Hidemasa Morita, Morten Hjulmand (Daniel Bragança, 81'), Nuno Santos (Eduardo Quaresma, 58', Luís Neto, 88'), Marcus Edwards (Matheus Reis, 45'), Pedro Gonçalves and Viktor Gyökeres.