João de Deus reflects on his side's 3-1 loss to Sp. Covilhã

Although accepting that his side is in need of some improvement, Sporting B coach João de Deus is confident that the current spell of negative results will soon come to an end.

“The game was decided by something which has been a real problem for us, by which I mean dead ball situations. Two corners and a free-kick, three goals conceded in the first 20 minutes. Funnily enough, we also scored from a free-kick and there were very few chances from open play. Sp. Covilhã were effective and we couldn't respond well enough", opened João de Deus in an interview with radio journalists at the final whistle, adding: "We tried to improve after the break. We know that when teams score first in II Liga they normally win, but we didn't give up. We will work on things on Monday when the transfer window closes. We have to lift ourselves up now and work with the lads who are here."

‘Leões’ perdem com Sp. Covilhã por 3-1 na 27.ª jornada da II Liga

Sporting B were unable to break their string of recent negative results this weekend, this time coming away from the II Liga matchday 27 hosting of Sp. Covilhã with a 3-1 loss.

The return of Sporting Academy prodigy Betinho to the Sporting B lineup was the highlight of the squad list and it was the forward who created the first chance of the afternoon after just 20 seconds, with a shot from the centre of the area that ended up in Pedro Taborda's hands. The game developed into a captivating encounter, with both sides looking for goal, but it was the visitors who struck first, when Éder Diaz rose highest to a corner in the fifth minute.

Sp. Covilhã followed up on the goal with a dominating display in the midfield for the rest of the half, largely limiting Sporting's efforts going forward and doubling their lead in the 15th minute with another header from a corner. To add insult to injury, Sp. Covilhã stretched their lead further five minutes later, when Tiago Moreira found space at the edge of the area to leave João de Deus' side trailing by three.

From there the encounter settled and possession was largely divided, but Sporting B were struggling to string together passes against well compacted opposition who were doing a fine job of closing out the middle of the park. Zezinho was introduced in place of Fokobo and 10 minutes before the break Sporting B looked to have finally shaken off the early shellshock, with Dramé reducing the deficit to 3-1 with a free-kick guided in at the near post.

The interval worked well to lift the spirits of João de Deus' side and better possession, use of space and pace going forward began to produce opportunities. Dramé was looking particularly likely to do damage, but Sp. Covilhã managed to hold on to the result and take away a three points decided in the first quarter of an hour.

The result leaves Sporting B in 10th place in II Liga, with 36 points.

Luís Godinho named for II Liga matchday 27

Luís Godinho, 30, from the Évora Football Association, has been named to take charge Sporting CP B's hosting of Sp. Covilhã, on II Liga matchday 27.

José Braga and Valter Rufo will act as linesmen.

This will be the second time Luís Godinho referees a Sporting CP B match this season, following the hosting of Ac. Viseu on II Liga matchday 18.

Sporting CP B-Sp. Covilhã will kick off on Sunday the 31st of January at 15h00, at the Sporting Academy. The match will be broadcast live and exclusive on Sporting TV.

Sporting B slip to 3-0 defeat on II Liga matchday 26

Sporting B slipped to a 3-0 defeat in Faro this weekend, on II Liga matchday 26.

Despite the final result, it was actually the team from Alvalade who made the better start to the encounter. Podence pulled a stop out of the Farense keeper in the 8th minute, before Rafael Barbosa saw a shot deflected wide and Rúben Ribeiro was also denied by the Farense goalkeeper.

However, it was the hosts from the Algarve who proved the most effective in front of goal and after Pedro Silva saved from a shot by Felipe Barros, Thomas Agyri opened the scoring seven minutes before the break.

João de Deus switched Ryan Gauld for Labyad at the break, before rolling the dice with the substitution of Ivanildo Fernandes for Cristian Ponde, but it was Farense who were doing the damage in the final third. Osama Rashid netted a brilliant effort in the 75th minute, before Rambé rounded off the result in added time.

The result leaves Sporting B in 10th with 36 points.

First under-20 training camp of the year

Goalkeeper Pedro Silva, the defender Ivanildo Fernandes and the midfielder Rafael Barbosa have all been called up by Edgar Borges for the first under-20 national football team training camp of the year, being held in Rio Maior.

The squad will gather at 14h30 on Monday for a total of four training sessions.

Bruno Rebocho named for II Liga matchday 26

Bruno Rebocho, 32, from the Évora Football Association, has been named for II Liga matchday 26 between Sporting B and Farense.

Nuno Croino and Duarte Silva will act as linesmen.

This will be Bruno Rebocho's third time officiating over Sporting B, after the trip to Mafra (matchday 2, 0-2) and the hosting of  Leixões (matchday 7, 3-1).

Farense-Sporting B will get underway at 15h00 on Saturday, in Faro's Estádio São Luís.

João de Deus on his side's draw with Mafra

Sporting B were held to a draw by Mafra this Sunday, on II Liga matchday 25. For coach João de Deus, it was a harsh result, considering his side's dominance in the first-half.

“We fell behind straight away because of an individual mistake, but I thought the first-half was ours in terms of quality. We drew level and we could certainly have been winning at half-time. We had enough opportunities to get in front. We knew it would be harder in the second-half and the sending off didn't help. It wasn't the result we wanted", explained the Sporting B coach at the final whistle, adding a word on Mama Baldé's red card and an already extensive list of absences through injury: “Players being out makes it harder, but it forces us to think about new players. Today we played with three under-19's again, who have adapted well. We want to help the lads grow both individually and collectively and tomorrow they will be stronger."

Sporting B held by Mafra on II Liga matchday 25

Sporting B were held to a draw in their Sunday hosting of Clube Desportivo de Mafra, on II Liga matchday 25.

The encounter got off to a blistering start and the visitors had the ball in the back of the net after just three minutes, when Ivan Fidalgo found space down the right to fire a shot that Pedro Silva spilled into the path of Adelaja for the afternoon's opener.

The goal really gave Sporting B a sense of urgency and João de Deus' side soon wrestled control of the action. The equaliser came before the quarter of an hour mark, when Zezinho battled back possession in midfield and picked out Sacko charging forward. The Frenchman dribbled his way around the Mafra keeper and calmly lotted to restore the deadlock.

The second-half brought with it a sort of role reversal, with Sporting B showing fatigue and Mafra taking a grip of proceedings. However, Pedro Silva was looking unlikely to be beaten again and Daniel Podence kept the visitors busy in their defensive third.

A red card for Mama Baldé reduced Sporting B to 10 men with five minutes on the clock, but João de Deus' side stood firm in defence to hold out for the draw.

Pedro Campos for II Liga matchday 25

Pedro Campos, 32, from the Porto Football Association, has been named to take charge of II Liga matchday 25 between Sporting B and Mafira.

Renato Barqueira and Bruno Ferreira will act as linesmen.

This will be Campos' second Sporting B match of the season, after the matchday 14 trip to Oliveira de Azeméis.

Sporting B-Mafra will kick off at 15h00 on Sunday, at the Sporting Academy. The match will be broadcast live and exclusive on Sporting TV.

Sporting B miss out to Feirense after two penalties and two red cards

Sporting B lost 2-0 to Feirense in Santa Maria da Feira this weekend, on II Liga matchday 24.

After Luís Machado threatened's Pedro Silva with a shot that ended up just wide, the hosts took the lead in the 13th minute form the penalty spot, after an alleged foul by Rúben Ribeiro on Luís Machado. The Sporting B keeper actually saved from the 12-yard kick, but Machado converted up the rebound.

João de Deus' side tried to rally, but struggled to build anything going forward while the hosts seemed happy to rely on set pieces to probe goal. After a brilliant stop by Pedro Silva in the 27th minute, Plantiny was again given the enviable task of converting on a penalty after Ivandildo supposedly fouled Vasco Rocha, but the Feirense forward fired the shot against the bar.

with under-19 starlets Ronaldo Tavares and Bubacar Djaló now on the pitch, Deus' side went looking for an equaliser, but the afternoon's refereeing just wasn't going there way and the hosts made it 2-0 after the official waved away appeals for a foul on Pedro Silva by Rúben Oliveira.

That could have been the end of it, but Rui Oliveira really left a bitter taste in Sporting B's mouths with a red card to Francisco Geraldes (61') and Dramé (76').

The loss sees Sporting B remain in eighth place in II Liga, with 35 points.