Ten-man Sporting CP lose to LASK in the Europa League playoffs

Sporting Clube de Portugal went out of the UEFA Europa League this Thursday with a 1-4 loss to LASK in the playoffs. The team's involvement in European competition came to an end just before the Group Stage.

With Nuno Santos in the starting eleven for the first time, replacing Jovane Cabral in the one change from the side that defeated Paços de Ferreira the previous weekend, Sporting CP debuted their third kit for the crucial encounter at the Estadio José Alvalade. The first chance for them came in the 11th minute, when Tiago Tomás miscontrolled the ball in an excellent position.

However, the first goal was scored by LASK just past the first quarter-hour. Off a corner, Trauner headed into the net and put the Austrians ahead.

Sporting CP's response came in the 27th minute with a good chance: A quality move through Wendel and Tiago Tomás set up Luciano Vietto inside the opposition area, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Schlager.

Twelve minutes later it was Nuno Santos who would take on the LASK goalkeeper, but his attempt to assist a teammate was unsuccessful.

Sporting CP finally got the equaliser on 42 minutes, thanks to 18 year old striker Tiago Tomas. He was set up by Nuno Santos and powered a header past Schlager to put his team back on terms. Tomas had previously scored against Aberdeen in the Third Qualifying Round.

The visitors came back stronger after the break and made it 1-2 through Marko Raguž on 58 minutes. Shortly thereafter, Sebastián Coates was shown a straight red card, with Peter Michorl scoring from the resulting free kick.

Andreas Gruber rounded off the scoring for LASK against ten-man Sporting CP, and there was no way back for Rúben Amorim's side. They now turn their focus to Sunday, and a visit to Portimonense SC in Liga NOS.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Pedro Porro, Luís Neto, Sebastián Coates [C], Zouhair Feddal, Matheus Nunes (Andraž Šporar, 71'), Wendel, Tiago Tomás, Nuno Santos (Antunes, 78') and Luciano Vietto (Pedro Gonçalves, 67').

Ferro and Santos preview game against LASK

Sporting CP assistant coach Emanuel Ferro and player Nuno Santos were at the Auditório Artur Agostinho of the Estádio José Alvalade on Wednesday for a pre-match press conference, ahead of the team's UEFA Europa League playoff against LASK.

The team met the Austrian side in the 2019/20 campaign, but Ferro was adamant that previous results count for little in such a high stakes tie.

"I don't think that any of the teams are thinking about something that happened in the past," he said. "We are preparing for a decisive game in a competition in which we want to reach the Group Stage. LASK have maintained their base of their best players. They are a very intense side. We are a different team, but we are a team who have worked with a lot of ambition. We believe that we are going to have a good game and achieve our objective."

Ferro added that "LASK are a very different side to Paços de Ferreira or Aberdeen FC". "We aren't too concerned about having scored more or fewer goals previously, because both teams are going to try to win the game tomorrow. We want to show our way of playing. The match tomorrow will be completely different to the two that have gone before."

Having several players back available, as well as coach Rúben Amorim, is a boost for Ferro and the team, as he told the media.

"It's a source of great satisfaction for the group, who performed well in recent games but are undoubtedly more satisfied, capable and comfortable of responding tomorrow's game with the return of players and staff members."

Nuno Santos was one such player sidelined through COVID-19, and he described the experience.

"It isn't easy catching this virus and having to be isolated and train by yourself for 14 days. I adapted as best I could, training and eating well. I'm a player who is focused, and that meant that I was able to play against Paços de Ferreira. Obviously the first few minutes weren't easy, but what matters is that we got the win."

"Our objective is to get into the Group Stage of the Europa League, and we are going to go out there to win -just like we did in our last two games," stated Santos. "We need to be used to playing, and what I want most is to play tomorrow and help the team. If that happens, then I am going to do things the same way as against Paços de Ferreira."

"Europa League games are always difficult, and we are going to be up against an intense side. We are going to have to have patience and keep the ball."

Sporting CP vs. LASK takes place at 8pm local time on Thursday at the Estádio José Alvalade.