Sporting win in Russian capital to revive Europa League qualification hopes

Not even snow and -7ºC temperatures could stop Sporting from breezing to a convincing 4-2 win in the Russian capital this Thursday evening, on Europa League matchday five. Not only keeping Alvalade's hopes alive of prolonging the season's international adventure, the win also sees Sporting break a 17-match streak without a European away victory and is also Sporting's first ever win on Russian soil.

Sporting made a fiery opening to the encounter, pressing high and breaking into the final third with relative ease. Fredy Montero was the first to try his luck with an effort in the 3rd minute after some good link-up play between Ricardo Esgaio and Gelson Martins. However, it was Lokomotiv who opening the scoring, when Maicon made the most of a hashed clearance by Marcelo Boeck to beat the on-rushing.

Despite the early blow, Sporting continued to dominate proceedings, while the hosts could do little but watch a young Alvalade side run riot. On eight minutes Matheus fired a rocket goalwards that looked likely to level the scoring, but Guilherme pulled off a good stop to keep Lokomotiv in the lead. Sporting's pressure finally paid off in the 20th minute, when Montero pounced on a cross from Esgaio which took a touch off Denisov to make it 1-1.

Lokomotiv really struggled when it came to creating chances of their own, thanks largely to Sporting's nulling of Maicon's usually tricky movement and Niasse's pace. While the Russians were limited to just a single shot in the entire first-half, Montero and Ruiz busied themselves with carving up space in the final third, while Gelson and Matheus ate up the yards with the blistering pace and Adrien and João Mário held down the passing in the middle of the park.

It was only a matter of time before Sporting took the lead, but what a goal it was! Ruiz exchanged passes with Montero inside the 18-yard box, before breaking loose and somehow squeezing in a technically brilliant chip from an extraordinary angle. Another change for the Porto Rican quickly followed, before Gelson netted Sporting's third with a goal outside-of-the-boot finish after breaking away down the wing.

The second-half brought the expected counter from Lokomotiv and by a whisker the Russians didn't grab a goal immediately, when Ricardo Esgaio put an outstretched cross onto his own crossbar. However, the chance was one of only a handful for the hosts, as Sporting smartly went about wrestling back control of the action. Matheus made it four on the hour-mark, after racing through the middle and showing composure beyond his years with a shot through the keeper's legs.

Matheus put another chance over the bar four minutes later and Ruiz crashed a hammer of an effort off the woodwork in the 69th minute, before Lokomotiv pulled back a consolation goal four minutes from time through some good individual skill by Miranchuk.

The result keeps Sporting's hopes of qualification from Group H alive, with a win over Besiktas needed on the 10th of December.

Fifth round sets up 2014/15 final repeat

Sporting will travel to Braga for the Portuguese fifth round. The fixture has been penciled in for the 15th to the 17th of December, in the AXA Stadium.

“This is the kind of thing the draw can throw at you are Sporting is ready for it. It is a replay of last year's final. Unfortunately it isn't in Alvlade, but we will be going for the win, said Sporting SAD representative Sancho Freitas at the draw.

Hortically, the two sides have already met on 16 occasions in the Portuguese Cup, with Sporitng having won nine and drawn three. Here is a complete run down of the previous encounters:

- 1958/59, 1st leg quarter-finals - Sporting-Sp. Braga, 6-2

Goals: Vadinho (3), Hugo, Faustino Pinto and Morais; Fernando Mendonça (2)

- 1958/59, 2nd leg quarter-finals - Sp. Braga-Sporting, 1-3

Goals: Ferreirinha; Vadinho and Diego (2)

- 1960/61, 1st leg last-16 - Sp. Braga-Sporting, 1-6

Goals: Teixeira; Figueiredo (3), David Júlio, Diego and Hugo

- 1960/61, 2nd leg last-16 - Sporting-Sp. Braga, 9-0

Goals: Diego (3), Figueiredo (3) and Fernando Puglia (3)

- 1965/66, 1st leg semi-finals - Sp. Braga-Sporting, 1-1

Goals: Bino; Morais

- 1965/66, 2nd leg semi-finals - Sporting-Sp. Braga, 1-1

Goals: Oliveira Duarte; Perrichon

- 1965/66, semi-final replay – Sp. Braga-Sporting, 1-0

Goal: Perrichon

- 1969/70, 1st leg quarter-finals – Sporting-Sp. Braga, 6-1

Goals: Marinho (3), Gonçalves and Nélson Fernandes (2); Fernando

- 1969/70, 2nd leg quarter-finals - Sp. Braga-Sporting, 0-2

Goals: Lourenço and Marinho

- 1980/81, 2nd round – Sp. Braga-Sporting, 4-2

Goals: Cavungi, Jacques, Malheiro and Germano; Jordão (2)

- 1981/82, Final - Sporting-Sp. Braga, 4-0

Goals: Oliveira (2), Jordão and Manuel Fernandes

- 1993/94, 5th round - Sporting-Sp. Braga, 2-1

Marcadores: Figo and Iordanov; Fernando Pires

- 1997/98, quarter-finals – Sp. Braga-Sporting, 3-1

Goals: Bruno, Formoso and Karoglan; Giménez

- 2011/12, 4th round - Sporting-Sp. Braga, 2-0

Goals: Capel and Insúa

- 2014/15, Final - Sporting-Sp. Braga, 2-2 (3-1, penalties)

Goals: Slimani and Montero; Éder and Rafa 

 

Draw in full:

- V. Setúbal (I)-Rio Ave (I)

- Desp. Aves (II)-Nacional (I)

- Boavista (I)-Académica (I)

- Gil Vicente (II)-Portimonense (II)

- Feirense (II)-FC Porto (I)

- Sp. Braga (I)-SPORTING

- Estoril (I)-Penafiel (II)

- Amarante (CPP)-Arouca (I)

Jorge Jesus and João Pereira ahead of Thursday's encounter in the Russian capital

Jorge Jesus was with the press in the Russian capital this Wednesday afternoon, sharing his thoughts ahead of Thursday's visit to Lokomotiv Moscow.

Squad rotation has certainly been one of the predominant themes so far this season in the Sporting manager's Europa League starting line-ups. Asked if is likely to again make wholesale changes to his side on Thursday, Jesus proved relaxed: "The eleven that I put out tomorrow will be the one that I think is the best for this match and for the future. I have various objectives to meet and it is me who decides. If I think that the young lad Daniel [Podence] should play, then he will even if it is for the first time. That doesn't mean we that Sporting won't be going for the win."

“The match tomorrow will be important, just like they all are in the Europa League and especially in this case because we need a win to qualify. We will be taking on a tough team, who are normally underestimated. The top four teams in the Russian league are really strong and are at the same level as the top teams in Portugal, including Sporting", added Jesus, going on to again speak about his likely teamsheet: "If you look at how I have taken decisions with the team, you see that I will pick the best possible team for this game and for future games. The choice is mine and I am not going to hide from that."

In relation to Thursday's opponent, Jorge Jesus brushed off any comparison between Lokomotiv and CSKA, before thanking Manuel Fernandes for his praise of his side: "I won't analyse Lokomotiv with CSKA, because they are two different teams. What I will say to Manuel Fernandes is that he obviously knows his team and Sporting team really well. He was being nice and I thank him for that. We are trying to get Sporting back onto the right level in Portugal and abroad, but we have our priorities and they are the national competitions. That doesn't mean we won't do our best in the Europa League, although it isn't our main focus."

João Pereira was also on hand to speak with the press and the Alvalade wing-back followed the same logic as his coach speaking before him: "It will be an important match and the only result worth anything to us is the win. We know what we are playing for and we are focused. It will be a hard match against a quality side, but we also know what we are capable of."

Injury news for Jorge Jesus' squad

Sporting Clube de Portugal has released the following clinical update:

- William: twisted left ankle (in the Sporting-Benfica match);

- Bruno Paulista: Contusion to the right thigh;

- Jefferson: myalgia in the left thigh;

- Carlos Mané: twisted left foot (suffered with the national under-21 team);

- Teo Gutiérrez: pubic osteitis

Goal against Vitória SC in Alvalade most voted

Islam Slimani's first strike against Vitória SC was been named as the Liga NOS Goal of the Month for October. The giant Algerian went on to score a hattrick in the fixture, with Sporting coming away 5-1 winners.

Slimani is in unstoppable form this so far this season, having scored 6 goals in the last 6 matches.

 

Information for Europa League matchday five

For Sporting fans traveling to Moscow this Thursday, the Club would like make the following information available:

Europa League matchday five will kick-off at 21h00 local time (18h00 GMT).

Lokomotiv Central Stadium, where the match will be played, is 30 minutes from the city centre and can be found at 125, Bolshaya, Cherkizovskaya Str. Moscow. The best Metro station for the stadium is “Cherkizovskaya”, north exit.

The meeting point for Sporting fans is in the north zone of the stadium, where traveling fans will also seated. Sporting fans will be seated in sector 12.

Fans are advised to arrive two hours before kick-off.

A club representative will be at Lokomotiv Central Stadium to assist Sporting fans locally.

Slimani on the reasons behind his recent goalscoring form

Back and forward between Sporting and Algeria, Islam Slimani is making quite the name for himself in front of goal. Striking twice in his nation's win against Tanzania, the Alvalade forward also secured his side's passage in the Portuguese Cup with what was his 10th goal in 8 games.

“We played really well and we got the win. It was a fair win and we dominated the whole match", said Slimani in a flash interview at the final whistle, adding: "It is a real honour to represent a club with such a great history. I am scoring a lot of goals, but that only happens because the whole team helps and because of what we have been doing in training. Nobody can play on their own and thanks to my teammates I have been scoring."

João Mário reacts to his side's Portuguese Cup derby win

João Mário put in a brilliant performance in his side's 2-1 Portuguese Cup win over Benfica on Saturday night.

“It was a really hard game and I think this was the first time we have come from behind. We reacted well and turned the result around. Benfica did well but I really want to speak about our team, because this was our third win against our main rival. Now we have to focus on keeping this up", said the midfielder at the final whistle, continuing: "We are feeling confident of course, but you only beat a team like Benfica with hard work. We prepared well and we believe in the work we are doing. We were the better side for the whole game."

Jorge Jesus reflects on his third Lisbon derby win of the season

For Jorge Jesus, Saturday's Portuguese Cup win against Benfica, which was Sporting's third Lisbon derby victory already this season, the final result was more than fair reflection of his side's dominance over the full 120 minutes.

“We were fair winners, because we were the team that showed the most quality during the entire game. In the first-half we hit the post and Benfica scored from their only shot. The game was balanced, but then Sporting understood what had to be done. We fought back and the draw was fair at half-time. In the second-half and in extra-time we had the most chances. We played as a team, we were the most aware, the most balanced and the most confident", opened the Alvalade coach in a flash interview at the final whistle.

Jesus went on to reflect on some of his changes made over the course of the evening and how Benfica set out for the encounter: "Why did I move João Mário into the middle? I know why I did of course and it made a difference. I wasn't surprised by Benficca. Gaitán in that position was something I did in a few times, the same with Talisca and Pizzi. Nothing was really new and we were the better organised team. This is a team with soul, discipline and we think as a collective."

To finish, Jorge Jesus affirmed: "Never had I thought that against the champion we would win three times. The Sporting president believed in me and I am doing my job."

First in the Super Cup, then Liga NOS and now in the Portuguese Cup...

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's Portuguese Cup derby, the Benfica coach Rui Vitória, by sheer coincidence, arrived half an hour late and opened his conference after Jorge Jesus had already shared his thoughts. Ten times the Benfica coach said "win", six times the name "Sporting" and another six more "team". It turns out that Vitória was right: Sporting, the better team on the night, won.

With the introduction of Fredy Montero in place of Teo Gutiérrez in the starting line-up, the team from Alvalade got off to the stronger start and on four minutes Slimani hammered a header against the woodwork after a cross from the left. However, Benfica's luck was in from what was their first attack of the evening, when Mitroglou opened the scoring in the seventh minute after a long pass by Gaitán and some good ball control from Pizzi.

The encounter was yet to find its shape, but the goal went on to define what would be the theme for most of the first-half, seeing Benfica drop back and close ranks, breaking forward on the occasional counter-attack. With the evening's visitors inviting Sporting to take the initiative, the game was soon all one-way traffic and after good opportunities for Slimani in the 32nd minute and Jefferson in the 39th, only denied by some heroics from Júlio César, a thoroughly deserved equaliser came just before the break, when Adrien fired in a calculated volley.

Up stepped Jorge Jesus at the restart with his usual magic, introducing Gelson for Montero down the right and pulling João Mário into the middle. A good half-hour of Sporting pressure followed, but a more clinical touch was missing in the final third and the scoreboard remained stubbornly deadlocked. Benfica introduced André Almeida into the action, balancing out the midfield contest, and did have two shots on goal through Talisca and Eliseu, but it was Sporting who were really pushing for the win. Slimani could have finished it two minutes before the regulation ninety, but Júlio César pulled out a memorable stop from point-blank range to take encounter to extra-time.

Ricardo Esgaio and Tobias Figueiredo were introduced for Jefferson and Ewerton, as tired legs took hold in both camps. At last Sporting's technical, tactical, individual and collective dominance got its reward in the 112th minute, when Slimani struck to effectively secure the win. Samaris was shown a second yellow card for protesting the goal, before Benfica also saw claims rightly waved away for a nonexistent penalty.

For the first time in 61 years, Sporting has beaten Benfica for a third consecutive time.