"We have no idea how we let in three goals"

While congratulating Guimarães for coming back from three-nil down, Jorge Jesus considered the draw as a harsh reflection of his side's performance.

"We were a quality side for 75 minutes, with some really dynamic, quick and creative football. We scored three and everyone was probably expecting us to score four. Up until the penalty we controlled the match. It was us who played for the win, although Vit. Guimarães deserve merit for what they did in the final stages", said Jorge Jesus in his post-match conference, adding: "With tiredness hurting us we lost a bit of aggressiveness and we couldn't win the second balls. It was all Sporting for 75 minutes and we have no idea how we let in three goals. It is a shame, because we deserved to win. I congratulate Vit. Guimarães, because they believed they could get back into it."

Sporting CP dominates for 74 minutes before conceding three

It was an extremely harsh final result after how Sporting dominated in D. Afonso Henriques. In fact, Jorge Jesus' side led 3-0 at one point, before two goals from Marega in the space of just a minute gave Vit. Guimarães the momentum to snatch a draw.

The encounter got off to a well balanced start, with neither team really willing to throw anything forward. Guimarães did have a half chance early on when a well placed pass picked out Marega, but the winger took a poor first touch and was able to capitalise. After 20 minutes Jorge Jesus' side took control, holding down long spells of possession and probing forward almost at will. The first big chance came from a snap shot by Adrien, denied by a fine save from Douglas.

The opportunity was a warning for the coming goal and who else but Gelson to rip open the Guimarães defence with a dazzling run and shot that Douglas parried into the path of Markovic for the opener. The goal triggered an avanlance of attacking football from the team from Alvalade and Rúben Semedo came close to doubling the lead, but his looping header ended up with wrong side of the post after a corner from Bryan Ruiz. However it didn't take long for Sporting to find the back of the net for a second time, when Coates made the most of Douglas' miscalculated run off his line. There was however bad news for Jesus at the end of the first-half, when Adrien was forced off through injury (replaced by Elias).

Sporting looked even more dominant after the break and chances naturally followed. First it was Markovic to break through on goal, but the Serbian was unable to beat the isolated Guimarães keeper. It was Elias who fired in Sporting's third, with a well placed effort from outside of the area.

The result looked secure, however a penalty against William Carvalho saw Marega pull one back from the spot in the 74th minute to give the hosts a lift. Just one minute later, the winger on loan from FC Porto converted on a cross to put his side back into contention. Soares scored the equaliser with one minute to play after latching on to a free-kick.

Jorge Jesus looks ahead to Saturday's visit to Guimarães

Sporting will travel to Guimarães tomorrow for what is always a tricky encounter. While Sporting have been in blistering form, Vitória are having a solid start to the campaign, having tallied 10 points. 

Jorge Jesus proved well aware of the difficulties awaiting, but guaranteed that his team have done their homework in preparation to go for the three points: "We have to be as careful as possible when traveling to Guimarães. It is a hard stadium to go to and win, but we are ready for what they will throw at us. Our objective is the three points."

Gelson Martins was also an inevitable talking point in the day's press conference, after the youngster was given his first international senior cap. "Gelson had a great season last year and this year he is making a name for himself, but he still has a long way to go. He is a young lad who knows how good he is and right now he is the only player in Portugal who can bring magic, creativity, speed and the positioning he has learnt at Sporting. It won't be long before Rúben Semedo is called up as well", finished Jesus.

Sales information for Liga NOS matchday seven

Tickets for Liga NOS matchday 7, between Vitória Sport Clube and Sporting Clube de Portugal will go on sale at the Estádio José Alvalade ticket office as follows:

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY (10H TO 20H) | Gamebox 2016/2017 holders
FRIDAY (10H TO 15H) | Club Members
FRIDAY (15H ÀS 20H) | General public

Club members must show a valid Gamebox or Member card (August 2016 fees applicable), with each card valid for one ticket. Each person may bring a maximum of four cards.

V. Guimarães vs. Sporting will get underway at 18h15 on Saturday the 1st of October, in Estádio Dom Afonso Henriques. Tickets are for the North Goal End and are priced at 15€ each.

Gelson Martins on Sporting's return to winning form

Gelson Martins was once again the fire in Sporting's belly this Friday, this time with a superb performance out wide against an Estoril side that struggled to deal with the speedy youngster.

"It was a good win after two losses. We started well and we looked good for the most part. The fans really help us and they have stuck with us", said Gelson at the final whistle, adding a word on the coming Champions League hosting of Legia Warsaw: "We want the win, just like we always do."

Jorge Jesus praises his side's performance in Alvalade on Friday night

Jorge Jesus was understandably pleased with his side's 4-2 thrashing of Estoril on Friday night, although two last-minute Estoril goals could have been avoided.

"It was objective achieved for us and it was important to get the win. Losing always leaves you a bit shaken, but we made a really solid start in the first half an hour and it got easier in the second-half. It was looking really easy when we were 3-0 up, but we eased up a bit in defence", said Jesus in his post-match meeting with the press, adding: "Normally teams who work with me don't let in a lot of goals. We conceded two through a lack of intensity and discipline in defence."

Alvalade's new faces were also the focus of the Alvalade coach's analysis at the final whistle: "The lads who have arrived don't have the awareness or form of the others yet. You notice it a bit when we put the new lads in defence, but it has to be done. This is the same as the pre-season for three or four of the players."

Sporting CP put four past Estoril courtesy of Bas Dost (2), Coates and André

Sporting brushed off two consecutive defeats (Real Madrid and Rio Ave) in the best possible fashion this Saturday, with a convincing performance against Estoril that saw Jesus' side bag four goals.

The game got off to a more or less balanced start, but it wasn't long before Sporting took cntrol of the action with some high pressure and a defensive back line virtually playing in the Estoril half. It took just 13 minutes to break and concede after a move triggered by one of Gelson's blistering bursts down the wing and a pin-point cross that Bas Dost headed home.

Sporting would have been forgiven for easing off after the early strike, but Jesus' side had other ideas and kept turning the screw with some fantastic tackling and calm passing in midfield. Chances, however, were largely few and far between and Sporting took in just a narrow lead at the break. Jesus responded with one of his typically genius substitutions, bringing on André in place of Alan Ruiz with a move that started an avalanche of attacking football.

A deserved second goal came one minute before the hour mark, when Coates won the areal duel with the Estoril keeper to head in. It took just three minutes for Sporting to strike again, this time with William Carvalho picking out Bas Dost's serging run through the middle for the Dutchman to slot a cool finish from just inside the area. Sporting could have completely ran away with the result after Dost's second, but André came up painfully short of a pass from Markovic in the 73rd minute and William blazed his effort over the bar after sprinting the length of the pitch with the ball at his feet.

The last few minutes of the game brought with them their fair share of drama, starting with an 84th minute goal from Estoril through Bruno Gomes after a move down the right. Seconds later Bruno Gomes fired in his second after a lapse in defence, before André secured the three points just before the whistle after a pass from Bryan Ruiz.

The win moves Sporting into the Liga NOS top spot on 15 points.

Jorge Jesus more than aware of the difficulties posed by Friday's hosting of Estoril

After last week's slip up against Rio Ave (3-1), Jorge Jesus is confident that his side will be back in winning form this Friday against the visiting Estoril, on Liga NOS matchday 6.

"We are feeling confident going into the match, particularly with us being strong at home. Estoril are a hard team to play against for teams in Lisbon, but we will try to show the form we have been, especially at home, and if we do then we will be one step closer to getting the win. The objective is to get the three points", opened the Sporting boss, adding: "Every team is a reflection of its coach, both negatively and positively. Teams are the image of the person who leads them and we can't get away from that. Is there any coach that doesn't think that their team is the best? Of course I believe in my players.

Asked about any likely squad rotation, with a Champions League fixture awaiting next week, Jesus affirmed: "I have never been of the opinion that you shouldn't change a team just because it has won a match. I have never let that idea guide me. For me the most important thing is that we put the work in during the week and how the lads deal with that. A squad can always change based on what I think. Bruno César has been praised for various performances at left back, which wasn't where he played in Madrid. I said several times that if he doesn't play at left back then he he will play in another position. If there is any one of my players I am happy with then it is with him.

Despite Sporting having suffered two consecutive defeats, albeit one against Real Madrid, Jesus brushed off any suggestion of damage to his side's morale: "Of course it hurts whenever you lose. There is not such thing as a moral loss and losing against Rio Ave is the same as losing against Real Madrid. Of course it hurt us to lose in Vila do Conde and sometimes it can leave a mark, but sometimes it doesnt."

João Pereira looks ahead to Friday's hosting of Estoril

Looking to recover from two consecutive loses against Real Madrid and Rio Ave, Sporting will be looking to get back to winning form this Friday against Estoril.

“We have to be prepared for anything. We have had some hard moments in the five games we have played so far, but we are ready. The three points are important this Friday and we want to win for our fans. We are ready to go for it", said João Pereira in an interview with the Sporting Journal this week.

Jorge Jesus reflects on loss in Rio Ave

Jorge Jesus did not shy away from speaking with the press after his side's 3-1 loss on Sunday night, accepting that his side were outclassed by a determined Rio Ave side.

"Rio Ave deserve to win with what they did in the first-half. We didn't do what we really needed to do tonight. There is a lot of football still to play, but we were not prepared to concede three goals. We have to look at what happened and react, starting with a win on Friday", affirmed the Sporting coach, adding: "Honestly my players surprised me a lot more than Rio Ave's did. We are a well organised team, but you couldn't see that today and it isn't worth making excuses as to why. We struggled to keep up with Rio Ave on the counter attack. One of their defenders brought the ball all the way up to our area for their first goal and normally that wouldn't happen."

Recovering from such an exhausting trip to Madrid during the week, squad rotation was inevitable. "We brought in four fresh players, because the lads who played in Madrid were not up to it. We can speak about it all we want before the match, but sometimes it is hard to reset your focus. Now I will sit down with the lads and we will talk about what happened. We looked better in the second-half. Normally the teams that I work with are more effective, but today we have to give credit to Rio Ave."