João Mendes for Ledman LigaPro matchday 40

João Mendes, 34, from the Santarém Football Association, has been named for Sporting B's hosting of Gil Vicente, on Ledman LigaPro matchday 40.

Jorge Maia and Manuel João will act as linesmen.

This will be Mendes' first Sporting B match of the season.

Sporting CP B-Gil Vicente will get underway at 16h00 on Sunday the 9th of April, at the Sporting Academy.

Francisco Geraldes on Sporting B's win against Chaves

Sporting beat the Ledman LigaPro leaders this Wednesday, courtesy of goals from Francisco Geraldes and Daniel Podence.

Speaking with the press at the final whistle, Geraldes explained that his side are ecstatic with the win: "We beat probably the best team in the league today. We stood firm when we had to and we were clinical when we had to be. The score is a bit misleading. We went through a hard spell and results just wouldn't come for us, but I know very well the work we have put in and that showed through today."

João de Deus on Sporting B's win against Chaves

The Sporting B was understandably pleased with his side's 2-0 win against the Ledman LigaPro leaders this Wednesday, after what has been a tough spell of results.

“Two months ago we were not even competitive and today we beat the league leaders. That is down to the work the lads have been putting in on the training pitch and the players' drive to improve", opened João de Deus, adding a word on his side's explosive start to the encounter: "That is a reflection of how confident the players are right now. They understand what we want to do with the team and goals came naturally. Strategically we decided to drop back a bit after that, because Chaves were going to throw everything at us. We can do that now, because we are looking more consistent in defence."

Two first-half goals enough to sink Chaves at the Sporting Academy

Sporting B beat one of Ledman LigaPro's strongest sides at the Sporting Academy this Wednesday, with two goals in the first twenty minutes.

The first opportunity of the afternoon came through Daniel Podence - who would be a constant pest for the opposition defence - as he controlled well with his back to goal after an excellent pass from Ryan Gauld. However, the Sporting B striker hesitated and eventually hit the woodwork. The warning shot had been fired and a goal came from Sporting B's second chance, this time with Podence turned creator down the left flack, before crossing a ball in that Francisco Geraldes guided home at the far post.

Chaves struggled to stop Sporting's well constructed football and Podence again had another chance to get his name on the scoresheet after Ponde forced a mistake out of goalkeeper Paulo Ribeiro. However Podence was once again unable to capitalise.

Chaves responded and pushed back up the other end, but Mama Baldé positioned himself well to turn away for a corner. The hosts' rally didn't last long and Podence compensated for his earlier misses with Sporting B's second goal. Pedro Martins won back possession in the midfield, before releasing Daniel Podence for a superb finish when through against Paulo Ribeiro.

The second goal saw João de Deus side drop back and chances consequently began to thin out for the rest of the half, with the exception of one offside ruling after Sporting B had again found the back of the net.

The second-half was much of the same and although Chaves held down more possession, Sporting B looked largely untroubled in defence and played out the rest of the fixture to claim the three points. 

Sporting CP B held to draw in Estádio 25 de Abril

Sporting B were held to a draw by Penafiel this weekend, on Ledman LigaPro matchday 38. The team from Alvalade were actually leading 2-0 at the break, but the hosts battled back to split the points.

Buoyed by a superb performance against Oliveirense, João de Deus' side made a solid start to the encounter and took instant constrol of the action. Shell shocked by the visitors' offensive onslaught, Penafiel broke after just five minutes, when Chaby picked out Ryan Gauld for the Scotsman to tuck away a classy chip.

The early goal did little to slow Sporting down, against a Penafiel side that are on a fantastic run of 13 matches without a single defeat. Domingos Duarte flicked on a corner and Ruben Ribeiro managed to find a yard of space to score his first senior goal, with a shot across the face of the keeper (29’). Penafiel had a couple of chances before the break through Gonçalo Abreu and Kalindi, but Stojkovic never really looked in danger.

The second-half was much of the same, with Sporting B bossing proceedings and Ryan Gauld leading the charge. The young midfielder threatened from a free-kick in the 50th minute and Podence also had a chance four minutes later, before Pedro Ribeiro narrowly escaped a red card after an dangerous high tackle on Francisco Geraldes. It was actually that incident which flipped the game on its head, with the visitors taking advantage of their aggressive streak to peg Sporting B back into their own half and reduce the deficit from the penalty spot in the 65th minute.

Although still leading, Sporting B looked shaken and the encounter's earlier dashes forward from Ryan Gauld, Podence and Francisco Geraldes began to fade away. Penafiel finally drew level in the 76th minute, when Yero made the most of a loose ball in the area to fire a shot past the helpless Stojkovic.

One-a-piece in friendly played in Rio Maior

Sporting B, bolstered by several youngsters from the club's under-19 squad, drew 1-1 with Japan's Olympic Team in a friendly in the Rio Maior Municipal Stadium this week.

With Guilherme Oliveira; Mama Baldé, Domingos Duarte, Tomas Rukas, Rúben Ribeiro; Kikas, Chaby, Francisco Geraldes; Luís Elói, Podence and Ponde given the nod for the opening whistle, Sporting raced out of the blocks and took the lead from the penalty spot through Podence, after the Japanese keeper brought down Ponde.

Japan made the most of a slowing of the pace as the game progressed and Sporting introduced several under-19 faces, drawing level from the penalty spot through Harakawa.

Francisco Barão on Sporting B's win this Sunday

The Sporting B coach Francisco Barão took a moment to speak with the press after his side's 5-0 win against Oliveirense this Sunday.

“Goals came naturally. It was 3-0 after half an hour I think. This match was the correction of what we have been failing to do. When you score the first goal, it changes the game a bit and lets us play how we want, because it opes up more space. The first-half was really good. We took our foot off the accelerator a bit in the last ten minutes, but we tuned a few things at half-time and made sure we bossed the second-half as well", said Barão.

Filipe Chaby highlights the importance of his side's return to form

The scorer of two of Sporting B's goals in this Sunday's 5-0 win against Oliveirense, Filipe Chaby, stressed the importance of his team's return to their best form, ahead of the run in towards the end of this season's Ledman LigaPro campaign.

“Our attitude made it easy and this is what we work hard in training to do. It went well for us today and we are really happy for having won. I scored two and of course I am happy with contributing to the team. This is the kind of thing that sporting is used to. Things haven't gone that well for us this season, but II Liga is much better now", said Chaby at the final whistle.

Sporting B put five past Oliveirense at the Sporting Academy

Sporting B rediscovered their winning form this Sunday with an emphatic 5-0 win against Oliveirense, on Ledman LigaPro matchday 37. Filipe Chaby scored two, while Francisco Geraldes, Podence and Luís Elói also found the back of the net.

Guilherme Oliveira comes off the bench to make penalty stop

Guilherme Oliveira come off the bench to save a penalty in Sporting B's win this Sunday afternoon, after Vladimir Stojkovic was shown a red card.

“It was more of an instinctive save. We study our opposition before the game and we know more or less how each player will take a penalty. I knew which way he would put it and I just threw everything that way. I managed to make a save, but the key thing was how we worked together when we were a man down", said the young goalkeeper at the final whistle, adding: "Santa Clara where pressing us a lot. We tried to do everything we could to hold out and what matters is that we won three points."