Costa Rican international scoops award

Sporting CP's Bryan Ruiz has been named as the CONCACAF Player of the Year for 2016. The Costa Rican international also features in the Confederation's XI for North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The creative forward used his Facebook page to speak about the award: "I want to say that I am really proud and happy for being names the CONCACAF Player of the Year 2016. I want to thank all of the fans, coaches and directors for voting for me. Hopefully I will carry on enjoying their support and I want to carry on making people happy, both in Costa Rica and Sporting CP."

Bruno de Carvalho speaks out to the fans through his official Facebook page

"To put it bluntly, in terms of football this season has been a disappointment" is one of the strongest comments made by the Sporting CP president through his official Facebook account this week following two loses in Chaves. However, Bruno de Carvalho isn't about to throw in the towel.

Chaves net late goal to put Sporting CP out of the Portuguese Cup

With a total of five changes to starting XI against Chaves this Tuesday in comparison to Saturday's fixture, Sporting CP were unable to secure the win and saw this season's Portuguese Cup campaign brought to an end by a late goal from the host.

With Beto, Paulo Oliveira, Jefferson, Bryan Ruiz and André in for Rui Patrício, Rúben Semedo, Bruno César, Campbell and Alan Ruiz the team from Alvalade made nervy start to the encounter and Beto was called into action twice in the first 15 minutes.

Eventually Sporting CP settled and both Gelson Martins (27') and Coates (41') came close to goal before the break, before both Jefferson and André were forced off for injury (replaced by Bruno César and Campbell).

Sporting CP came out much better after the break and determined to get ahead. After three minutes of action Bruno César picked out Bas Dost for the Dutchman to fire just wide of the mark.

The fixture looked to be heading for extra-time but an 87th minute header Ponck following a free-kick from the right got the better of Beto and ended Sporting CP's 2016-17 Cup hopes.

Raúl José on the weekend's draw in Chaves

Speaking with Sporting TV in reflection the weekend's draw with GD Chaves, assistant coach Raúl José, stepping in for the suspended Jorge Jesus, showed confidence in the Alvalade squad.

"We were really close to winning the game. We were losing, but we came from behind. But for a bit of bad luck, we would have won the three points. However the lads are feeling confident that we will get into the Portuguese Cup semi-finals. We have to improve in relation to a few details over the course of the match", said Raúl José.

Adrien and William Carvalho highlight the squad's confidence and clarify Bruno de Carvalho's visit to the dressing rooms

Alvalade skippers spoke with the press this weekend following Saturday's draw with Chaves, looking ahead to the coming Portuguese Cup tie against the same team.

"On Tuesday the only thing we can think about is winning. We know it will be a hard game against a well organised team, but we are motivated. We are all frustrated by bad results, but we have been putting the work in and we will carry on doing so", affirmed Adrien at the final whistle, followed by William Carvalho in the same tone: "We are all feeling motivated, despite not getting the result we wanted. Of course we feel frustrated, but I am sure we will respond well."

In relation to news in the press, the midfield pair guaranteed that nothing our of the ordinary took place in the dressing rooms at the final whistle with president Bruno de Carvalho. "Let me take the opportunity to clarify what is being said: the president came to the dressing room to show his dissatisfaction and as the captains of the team we spoke with him, that's all", said Adrien, with William adding: "While there are still points to win, we will believe in ourselves, because we are good enough. the president came to the dressing room to speak about the result, but it was a normal conversation. We listened to him and I am sure that on Tuesday we will go out there and get a good result."

João de Deus on the weekend's defeat to the Ledman LigaPro leaders

Shaken by a heavy loss but motivated for the second half of the Ledman LigaPro campaign. That is how João de Deus approached his post-match interview this weekend, after missing out to the II Liga leaders, Portimonense.

"We knew it would be a very difficult match. The league table shows why Portimonense are in first. They are effectively the best team in the league and are much better than everyone else. We didn't play well in the first-half and Portimonense ended up scoring from the two chances they had. Two situations brought about by individual mistakes from us. The second-half was different. We were playing better and starting to create problems, but we knew they would come at us again. That is exactly what happened and they had two more chances and scored two more goals", explained the Sporting CP B coach at the final whistle, adding: "We need to turn in some wins to turn around this run of negative results. This is my third season with the team and every year this happens. We have spoken about it and we are expecting to have a better second half to the season."

Jorge Jesus puts players through their paces in Vila Pouca de Aguiar

Vila Pouca de Aguiar hosted an open door training session for Sporting CP's senior squad this Sunday morning. Around on hundred fans braved the cold to show their support.

The players who saw most time on the pitch on Saturday night were given a rest for the session, while the rest of the players made the most of the opportunity to practice penalties ahead of the coming midweek Cup tie against Chaves.

At the end of the session the younger generations made the most of the opportunity to snap some photographs with Jorge Jesus.

Gelson Dala and Ary Papel make debuts in Ledman LigaPro

Sporting CP B were outgunned by Portimonense (4-0) this weekend, in Ledman LigaPro matchday 22.

Sitting comfortably at the top of the league table, the hosts were always going to be dangerous in attack and after 17 minutes the ball was in the back of the net for the first time, when Jorge Pires flicked on a cross for Paulinho to finish.

Nine minutes later, Jorge Pires made it two with a well taken bicycle kick.

João de Deus' charges tried to rally and did manage to settle the play and go on the attack, but the hosts were proving clinical in defence and kept chances to a minimum. Debutantes Gelson Dala and Ary Papel were unable to make their mark, but will be a pair to watch in the future.

Portimonense weathered the Alvalade efforts to get back into the game and again took control of proceedings, when Amilton made it 3-0 after a defensive lapse. With a few seconds left on the clock, Ewerton had the simple task of tapping in the rebound from a shot from Ricardo Pessoa and made it 4-0.

Sporting CP held to a draw after another Bas Dost double

History shows that Sporting CP have a tough time in Chaves, with the team from Alvalade having won just two previous visits in thirteen attempts for tonight.

Although the thermometer read just three degrees at kick-off, the encounter got off to an intense start and after three minutes Rafa opened the scoring with a header from close range, linking up cross from Perdigão. The hosts couldn't believe their luck and Sporting CP took advantage of the resulting disorganisation to take the initiative and push forward. William set Bas Dost through on goal, but the Dutchman's shot failed to threaten. Holding down possession, although without creating many clear chances on goal, Sporting CP limited Chaves to just a single opportunity for the rest of the half, when Fábio Martins broke away down the left just after the half-hour mark and fired a shot just wide.

Alan Ruiz tried his luck from range just before the break, with what was the warning shot for his side's equaliser. Who else but Bas Dost, who sneaked ahead of his defender to head in a cross from Gelson Martins. Half-time saw Jorge Jesus switch out Alan Ruiz and Campbell for André and Bryan Ruiz and his side again pushed forward. The first real chance of the half came came when William picked out André, who passed on to Adrien for the Alvalade skipper to test Ricardo in the Chaves goal. The left flank was the source of almost all of Sporting CP's forays forward and it was from there that Bryan Ruiz fired in a cross that André came up just an inch short of latching on to-

With Sporting CP completely dominating, a second yellow card for Rúben Semedo sentenced the team from Alvalade to playing the last 18 minutes with 10 men. Shaking off the blow, Sporting CP again pushed forward and Bruno César and André linked up down the left, with the Brazilian then setting up Bas Dost for his second goal of the evening.

The turnaround looked complete and the Dutchman was taken off for Paulo Oliveira, but a wonder strike from Fábio Martins at the death ended up splitting the points.

Jorge Jesus names squad for first of double header against Chaves

Jorge Jesus has names his squad for Liga NOS matchday 17, kicking-off at 18h15 on Saturday the 14th of January.

Squad list in full:

1 - Rui Patrício
3 - Markovic
4 - Jefferson
7 - Joel Campbell
8 - Petrovic
10 - Bryan Ruiz
11 - Bruno César
13 - Sebastian Coates
14 - William Carvalho
15 - Paulo Oliveira
16 - André Felipe
19 - Douglas Teixeira
20 - Castaignos
22 - Elias Trindade
23 - Adrien Silva
26 - Azbe Jug
28 - Bas Dost
30 - Bruno Paulista
31 - Marvin Zeegelaar
34 - Beto Pimparel
35 - Rúben Semedo
47 - Ricardo Esgaio
66 - João Palhinha
73 - Matheus Pereira
77 - Gelson Martins
99 - Alan Ruiz