Sporting CP vanquish FC Famalicão on Matchday 30

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat FC Famalicão 2-1 on Matchday 30 of the Liga Portugal season, returning to winning ways at home with goals for Hidemasa Morita and Ricardo Esgaio.

Their opponents arrived in Alvalade after three consecutive victories in the league and in seventh place, chasing a place in the Top 6.

Sporting CP coach Rúben Amorim made only two changes from the win over Vitória SC in Guimarães, bringing in Gonçalo Inácio and Francisco Trincão in place of Matheus Reis and Youssef Chermiti. The opposition coach João Pedro Sousa, meanwhile, made eight adjustments -having played in the semi-final of the Portuguese Cup against FC Porto in midweek.

Nuno Santos created the first attacks against an FC Famalicão side that used a high defensive line and competed for possession.

A move by Marcus Edwards was finished off by Hidemasa Morita in the 18th minute, opening the scoring early on. The English winger entered the area and set up the midfielder, who was quick and accurate to score his sixth goal of the season.

After half an hour, FC Famalicão responded with a cross and low shot by Colombatto, which was saved by Antonio Adán. Sporting CP kept the match under control and also produced rapid transitions and dead ball situations, only lacking in finishing -such as when Pedro Gonçalves was unable to convert a one-on-one with the goalkeeper in stoppage time.

Upon the restart, Nuno Santos again initiated the attacks, and this time it was goalkeeper Luiz Júnior who prevented his cross from finding Morita.

Matheus Reis and Youssef Chermiti came on in the 55th minute as replacements for Ousmane Diomande and Gonçalves. Shortly after, Nuno Santos poked a ball just off target as Sporting CP continued to pursue a second goal.

They made it 2-0 off a well-crafted attack and a cross-shot by Edwards, blocked by Luiz Júnior but finished off on the rebound by Ricardo Esgaio. It was the right winger's first time for the first team, and extended the advantage to a more comfortable one.

Trincão dummied two opposition players and allowed Edwards to strike off target, and on the following move he set up Chermiti, who failed to reach the pass, in two good attacks.

FC Famalicão became more ambitious and took the score to 2-1, benefiting from an interception from Sebastián Coates that, unfortunately, ended up in an own goal.

At the start of the last 15 minutes, Mateo Tanlongo came on for Manuel Ugarte. The game became lively with a chance for Chermiti and then, in the 77th minute, Cádiz forcing a huge save from Adán.

Héctor Bellerín -introduced late on- forced a save from Luiz Júnior and Nuno Santos also tried his luck, but the score remained 2-1 and Sporting CP took a home victory.

Next up, they visit FC Paços de Ferreira on Matchday 31.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Ricardo Esgaio (Héctor Bellerín, 82’), Ousmane Diomande (Matheus Reis, 55’), Sebastián Coates [C], Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Santos, Manuel Ugarte (Mateo Tanlongo, 73’), Hidemasa Morita, Marcus Edwards, Pedro Gonçalves (Youssef Chermiti, 55’) and Francisco Trincão (Arthur Gomes, 82’).

The players get ready for the match against FC Famalicão

With the focus on continuing their recent run of victories in Liga Portugal, Sporting Clube de Portugal returned to training this Thursday at the Academia Cristiano Ronaldo, starting preparations for the game against FC Famalicão. The kick-off of the Matchday 30 game is scheduled for 8:30pm this Sunday at the Estádio José Alvalade.

During the morning session, Jovane Cabral, Daniel Bragança, Paulinho and Jeremiah St. Juste continued with the Medical Department.

The squad train again on Friday at 10:30am, behind closed doors, in Alcochete.

The coach's reaction to the win over Vitória SC

Rúben Amorim was satisfied with the win away against Vitória SC, but picked out aspects to improve from the performance.

“The team were solid, but the speed in the first half was quite slow. Even so, we handled things and created a few chances. In the second half it was different: We created more, we stretched Vitória SC more and then their fatigue started to give us more space. Obviously, the goal helped. We were very secure, we controlled things well and when we increased the tempo we controlled the game even better," he began by saying
.
“We know the moment the players are in. Congratulations to them, as they didn't concede today."

“Obviously the players feel pressure of the form we're in, and there's no escaping that, but we have to fight. This season will be over at some point and they know that what they do now will count for the next one. That's a method I have to motivate them, reminding them that they are lucky to be here. No one here has given up or is desolate. We can be angry and frustrated and I know the weight they have on their shoulders, but when you win games, even if you don't have your objectives close, the feeling is positive," Amorim continued.

"There is nothing better than a player feeling that they did everything to win, whether in training or in a game. I know it's difficult to motivate players like that, but we have a lot to gain from playing well and continuing to be the team we are."

The coach, who watched the game from the stands due to suspension, added that "It's always harder to be away from the dugout. I experience the game with more stress."

Sporting CP win against Vitória SC with goals from Gonçalves and Gomes

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat Vitória SC 0-2 in a Monday night fixture on Matchday 29 of the Liga Portugal season, played at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães.

Rúben Amorim – absent from the dugout due to suspension – chose a starting XI of Antonio Adán, Ousmane Diomande, Sebastián Coates, Matheus Reis, Ricardo Esgaio, Manuel Ugarte, Hidemasa Morita, Nuno Santos, Marcus Edwards , Youssef Chermiti and Pedro Gonçalves.

Sporting CP had the first opportunity in the fifth minute through Ousmane Diomande, but goalkeeper Celton Biai held onto his effort. Minutes later, Hidemasa Morita also had a shot, but the ball went over the crossbar.

In the 23rd minute, Ricardo Esgaio had a strike off Nuno Santos' delivery from the left, but Mikel Villanueva intercepted at the right time and prevented Celton Biai from having to make much of a stretch.

The home team let Sporting CP have the ball, only threatening with a long-range shot by Janvier, following a corner, which went wide of Antonio Adán's goal.

In first half stoppage time, Vitória SC had a goal disallowed for offside by André Silva, and the game reached the interval 0-0.

Sporting CP got their opening goal early in the second half. Hidemasa Morita took advantage of a mistake and handed the ball over to Pedro Gonçalves, who spun and shot past Biai.

Os Leões became more aggressive and dangerous than in the first half, with Gonçalves immediately having the opportunity to score a second off a cross from the right to the back post -which he was not quite able to turn in.

Youssef Chermiti had a good chance after entering the area on the right channel, but Biai twice got the better of him, and two minutes later a cross from Nuno Santos was scuffed by Gonçalves.

Coming into the last 20 minutes of the match, Chermiti was replaced by Francisco Trincão, who just five minutes later recovered the ball in the middle of the park and laid it off to Gonçalves. Tounkara managed to arrive in time to cut out the chance.

Gonçalves and Matheus Reis went off for Arthur Gomes and Gonçalo Inácio for the final ten minutes.

Trincão forced Celton Biai to make a huge save and then Sebastián Coates seemingly made it 0-2, but his goal ended up being disallowed for offside.

Sporting CP finally got what they were looking for in stoppage time, as Adán's long pass found Arthur Gomes. He got into the box and shot on goal, with Celton Biai letting the ball bounce between his hands and into the net.

A comfortable 0-2 win keeps Os Leões on track, ahead of a Sunday game at home against FC Famalicão.

The coach looks ahead to the meeting with Vitória SC

Sporting Clube de Portugal travel to the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, home of Vitória SC, this Monday, to on Liga Portugal Matchday 29.

Ahead of the game, coach Rúben Amorim acknowledged that there was "disappointment" about the elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Juventus, but assured that the players "know what they have to do and are prepared for the game."

“The atmosphere in the dressing room is fine. Obviously we are very disappointed, but we played very well. Whether we're fourth or first in the table, there's work to do and a way to play. We're going to play that way tomorrow and I'm sure we're going to perform well," he began by saying.

“We are having more difficulties in getting the right results, but if we look at the last few games we have always played well and created chances. We have to improve our effectiveness. The group know that, we have work to do and we will do it well. The objective is to win all the games that remain until the end of the season."

“We'll have to push hard to see what happens at the end of the campaign, with our focus on the league now."

Amorim then assessed Vitória SC, a team who are seventh in the table and in the fight for European football next season.

“They are a team in need of points. Their coach is doing a great job. He is achieving results with young players from the youth team and this will be a very dangerous game; everyone knows what it is like to play in Guimarães."

Amorim will not be in the dugout due to a suspension for his expulsion against FC Arouca.

“I would love to be in this game accompanying the players, but it was my fault that I can't be there. They know that I'm always with them. I have to think about them and at this stage I should be pitchside, but we have prepared the game well. They know what to do and we're going to be strong in this game."

“The focus is on scoring goals and not conceding from the few opportunities we concede. Winning should be enough motivation. The 'all or nothing' game, for us, was with GD Chaves at home, as we were already five points off the top. It's been all or nothing for a long time now and that's one of the big problems. But that won't get into the minds of the players. They want to win every game, as they have wanted to up until now."

The coach analyses the Europa League elimination at the hands of Juventus

After the 1-1 draw that led to Sporting Clube de Portugal's exit from the Europa League, coach Rúben Amorim reflected on the campaign and the aggregate loss to Juventus.

"During the match, I think we were the better team. There were some periods, maybe at the beginning of the second half, where we lost control a bit and Juventus had more of the ball, but then we took over again," he explained in his post-match press conference.

"Here and there, we showed some anxiety and could have created even more chances. Proof of that were the final two balls we played, where we needed to be calm again to take the ball to the right place. We were clearly the better side, but those small details make a lot of difference," he said.

"We clearly had opportunities to turn the situation around. It's frustrating to go out like this because I think we were the better team. Now we have to focus on the next game."
The coach considered the tie to be different overall to the previous round, which saw Sporting CP eliminate Arsenal.

"With Arsenal I think we suffered a lot here and we were lucky to always be in the game in London, but this tie was different. We were always in control of the game, there were few opportunities for Juventus and several for Sporting CP, but in key moments we were inferior and that's what counts. We have to be angry about that."

Afterwards, when questioned about whether playing another striker would have aided the team, Amorim replied that "it is a much bigger issue than the question of a striker playing": "'Pote' could have scored, Esgaio too. It's not just the strikers who score goals. Coates has saved us several times, especially in the year that we won the league title, and there were opportunities. The last few games have been like this, and I can't say that if there was a striker or another striker that we would have won. We don't know that."

"We have worked a lot more on finishing this year, but there are things in football that I can't explain. It sums up the season. Sporting CP have had some of the best strikers going, like Liedson, Derlei and Slimani, and they didn't win trophies. We may have lacked a striker here or there, but it's too simple an idea."

Amorim also thanked the more than 45,000 Sporting CP fans who came out to the Estádio José Alvalade.

"It was the best atmosphere I've experienced at home here. I'm sure that with a team with this talent, with this atmosphere in the stadium, few teams can come here and win."

"We still have a goal, which is very difficult, but there are six games to go -six games to win. The club demand that, but we cannot hide that we have a difficult end to the season. There are seasons that are like that and we have to prepare for the future," he explained, noting: "Despite the results not being the best, there is a clear evolution from the players in theit ability to fight against the best. We know where we have gone wrong, we have to improve in these details and I think it will make the difference in the future."

"Sporting CP have a great future ahead. We young players, we manage to sell, we have visibility in Europe and have had the best financial results in history. We maybe haven't achieved the minimum results expected this year, but that's down to the coach. The rest is here."

Sporting CP bow out of the Europa League despite a 1-1 draw with Juventus

A 1-1 draw at the Estádio José Alvalade was not quite enough for Sporting Clube de Portugal to progress to the UEFA Europa League semifinals, as they were eliminated 1-2 on aggregate by Juventus. An early goal conceded on the night, followed by a Marcus Edwards penalty, kept the tie intense until the final whistle.

Coach Rúben Amorim made four changes in relation from the previous weekend's game against Arouca FC: Gonçalo Inácio, Ricardo Esgaio, Hidemasa Morita and Edwards (returning from a virus) were starters in the places of Matheus Reis, Héctor Bellerín, Arthur Gomes and Youssef Chermiti. Compared to the first leg there were only two changes: Diomande replacing the injured Jeremiah St. Juste and Chermiti moving to the bench to make way for an attacking trio consisting of Pedro Gonçalves, Edwards and Trincão.

Spurred on by a full house at the stadium, it was Sporting CP who took the initiative. Their first attack came from a corner, from which Sebastián Coates headed over, but Juventus responded in kind and with more success: In the ninth minute, Adrien Rabiot finished off the visitors' first opportunity inside the area to make it 0-1 on the night.

The reaction was almost immediate. After a sprint by Edwards that ended with a shot hitting the post, Manuel Ugarte was fouled in the penalty area on the rebound. Edwards stepped up to take the penalty and took the score back all square, converting from the spot.

Shortly afterwards, on a counter-attack, Ugarte shot over the bar, before a series of corners that included Diomande heading off target.

The match was back and forth, but it was Sporting CP who had the last chance of the first half. Nuno Santos' low cross was intercepted at the last minute, somehow without any deflection towards Wojciech Szczęsny's goal.

After the interval there was a more daring and dangerous Juventus trying to kill off the tie. Striker Dušan Vlahović was unable to finish off an opportunity from close range for the Italian side, then Diomande appeared in the right place to block a shot.

Gonçalves had an effort from outside the area and Esgaio broke into the box and shot over, as the intensity increased and the tide turned in Sporting CP's favour. At the start of the last ten minutes, Amorim brought on Matheus Reis and Chermiti, followed by Arthur Gomes, in a final roll of the dice.

Several balls into the area found Coates in a position to strike, but without success. Sporting CP were reduced to ten men before the end, when Edwards received a second booking for simulation, but nothing would change on the scoreboard and, despite a valiant performance, the team's European journey came to an end.

Next up, on Monday at 8:15pm local time, Sporting CP travel to Vitória SC in Liga Portugal.
 
Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Ricardo Esgaio, Ousmane Diomande, Sebastián Coates [C], Gonçalo Inácio (Matheus Reis, 81’), Nuno Santos (Arthur Gomes, 87’), Manuel Ugarte, Hidemasa Morita, Marcus Edwards, Pedro Gonçalves and Francisco Trincão (Youssef Chermiti, 81’).

The Sporting CP coach speaks ahead of the second leg against Juventus

This Thursday, Sporting Clube de Portugal host Juventus FC in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final. The Italian team hold a one-goal advantage after winning the first leg, but the tie remains open and coach Rúben Amorim believes in his team's chances of moving on to the next stage.

"Our team have already demonstrated that we excel in these games, that we are daring and consistent. We are strong and we had a good feeling in the game in Turin, in which we created several opportunities, controlled Juventus' strengths, but just weren't as effective as they were and that made the difference. The players know that this game will be different from last week, because there are different details, and that we have to be smart. We know that we have 90 minutes in which to manage things, equalise and turn around the tie", he began by saying, in his pre-match press conference.

"We believe we will go through, although we know it will be difficult, but we have the ability to turn around the tie -whether that be in extra time or penalties".

Asked if this was the most important game of the season for Sporting CP, he replied: "I don't know if it is or not. Let's imagine we make it through: The most important game would be the next one. If we get to the final, it would be the final that was the most important. What I do know is the feeling we have, and the fact that the stadium was sold out in such a short time gives the feeling that this is a decisive moment in our season. But we do well in these moments, it is a defining moment and I feel that we are prepared and that we are going to give a good response", he added.

"Juventus are full of good players. If you change two of their players, it changes the team's way of playing, but we are prepared for several scenarios. We have to be prepared and be effective up front and in defence, to have a chance of going through".

"We will always need some heroism to move forward, but we will need to be consistent and effective more than that. I know that if we do our job in the best way in all positions and situations, we will be able to overcome Juventus".

Amorim revealed one of his starters for the game: Ousmane Diomande.

"We maintain confidence in him and he will continue to start, that's the only thing I'm going to say," he commented, also justifying why he sometimes sends Sebastián Coates forward when looking for goals: "He's our best header of the ball and, in certain games, it comes in very handy have him up front".

The coach also spoke of his team's form.

"The oscillation in performances is not as great as it was at the beginning of the season, but there is variability in the results. We started the season very badly and we were playing catch-up. Whenever we had a chance to get closer we drew, with almost no chances against us and having many in favour, and that caused frustration. Our start to the campaign ha a very big impact".

The coach his side not putting away chances against FC Arouca

After the 1-1 draw against FC Arouca in Liga Portugal, coach Rúben Amorim reflected that Sporting CP created many opportunities and always had control of the game, but lacked the inspiration to finish off chances.

“At the start we lacked some speed, but we created opportunities with FC Arouca always playing very deep. We delivered a lot of low crosses in the first half, but nobody was able to convert them. In the second half, FC Arouca had a line of seven, sometimes eight, and the crosses, even when we put Sebastián Coates in there, didn't end up well. Even so, we had several opportunities and a missed penalty,” the coach began by explaining.
“FC Arouca didn't create opportunities and we gifted them the goal. They covered the spaces in the first half, but when fatigue set in we managed to put more pressure on them. We always had control of the game, but we lacked some inspiration and also lacked speed at the beginning."

Amorim later explained the decision to replace Nuno Santos with Rochinha in the 59th minute.

“The reason was simple. We weren't able to reach the line and cross, and we had to come inside and then cross. As Nuno doesn't have the right foot for that, he was having difficulties. Nevertheless, he is one of the most used players on our team. Using our options is the coach's responsibility. It's part of our job to do what we think is best for the team, because the objective is obviously to win every game,” he underlined.

He also admitted that the preparation for the game against Juventus FC "will be more difficult" after the result, but guaranteed that the team will "overcome this moment."

“If we had won today, tomorrow's training session would be happier and the players' spirit would be better, but that's part of our profession. The preparation will be the same. We have one day to get over this result, which for us is not a draw but a defeat. The spirit will not be the same, but we have to gain more strength to prepare for the Europa League game here," concluded the coach.

Sporting CP are held to a 1-1 draw by FC Arouca

Sporting Clube de Portugal drew 1-1 at home to FC Arouca on Liga Portugal Matchday 28.

Missing the injured Jeremiah St. Juste and Paulinho, and with Marcus Edwards out due to gastroenteritis, coach Rúben Amorim made several changes to his starting XI.

Diomande and Matheus Reis returned to the defence, with Sebastián Coates at centre back, and Bellerín took over on the right wing. In midfield, Manuel Ugarte partnered Pedro Gonçalves, and in the attack Arthur Gomes came in to form a trio with Chermiti and Trincão.

Before kickoff, Matheus Reis was honoured for his 100 games for Sporting CP.

When the game began, Os Leões dominated possession and tried to find spaces down the flanks, against a solid and well-organised FC Arouca.

The visitors -who started the game fifth in the table- struggled to get comfortable, and Sporting CP had a series of chances with crosses in to Chermiti and shots off target by Pedro Gonçalves.

Shortly after half an hour of play, a handball by Nino Galovic led to a Sporting CP penalty. Gonçalves stepped up to take, but the goalkeeper made the save to deny the opening goal.

Soon afterwards, in response, FC Arouca took the lead with their first opportunity, in the 38th minute, through Antony.

Hidemasa Morita came on for Bellerín at the start of the second half, and the Japanese came very close to scoring following a corner, his header hitting the crossbar.

More and more opportunities followed. Shortly before going off to make way for Rochinha, Nuno Santos broke into the area and was denied by a great save by the goalkeeper, whilst Chermiti also headed onto the woodwork.

As the clock ticked and FC Arouca tried to run down the clock, Amorim put Coates up front with 15 minutes to go, in order to use his height to meet crosses into the box.

Morita headed over again off a corner from the left, and then Pedro Gonçalves got his chance at redemption: Another penalty was awarded, and this time he scored, equalising for Sporting CP in the 87th minute.

Bombarding the area with crosses, Os Leões enjoyed the best of the final chances, with Coates heading just wide in the dying moments.

The game ended 1-1, and Sporting CP will now shift their focus to Thursday's game against Juventus FC at the Estádio José Alvalade, in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Ousamane Diomande (Gonçalo Inácio, 87'), Sebastián Coates [C], Matheus Reis, Héctor Bellerín (Hidemasa Morita, 45'), Manuel Ugarte (Ricardo Esgaio, 77'), Pedro Gonçalves , Nuno Santos (Rochinha, 59'), Arthur Gomes, Youssef Chermiti and Francisco Trincão.