Looking ahead to Saturday's Liga NOS fixture

Top of the Liga NOS table after 6 games played, Sporting CP take on Vitória SC this Saturday at the Estádio Dom Afonso Henriques.

The team come into the contest off the back of an unbeaten start to the season, having only dropped points in the 2-2 draw against FC Porto last month. Most recently, they beat CD Tondela 4-0 last Sunday, thanks to a brace from Pedro Gonçalves and first goals of the league season for Pedro Porro and Andraž Šporar.

The opposition

Vitória SC triumphed against Gil Vicente FC away from home on Matchday 6, with Rochinha and Bruno Duarte scoring the goals. They are up into sixth place in the table with 10 points -6 behind Sporting CP.

Last time out

The most recent meeting between the two teams was back in June, and ended in a 2-2 draw. Šporar was on target to put Sporting CP ahead twice, but João Carlos Teixeira and Marcus Edwards provided the equalisers on each occasion.

Previously, at the Estádio José Alvalade, goals from Jesé, Marcos Acuña and Sebastián Coates handed Os Leões a comfortable 3-1 home win in October of last year.

Gonçalves in form

Pedro Gonçalves has been a standout in recent weeks, finding the net on 5 occasions in 3 games. The free-scoring midfielder was on target twice against CD Santa Clara in the 1-2 away win, capped the 3-1 home victory over Gil Vicente FC with a goal in stoppage time, and added another brace in the 4-0 rout of CD Tondela.

It is his most successful ever scoring run to date, and his 5 goals this season match his total from 33 Liga NOS games played last term with Famalicão

Squad

Bruno Tabata and Antunes have both been undertaking individual training this week, on both the pitch and the gym at the Academia Sporting. Neither will be available for the Matchday 7 game.

Fresh from scoring his first SCP goal, the Spaniard talks about his adaptation

A standout for Sporting CP since joining the club, Pedro Porro spoke this week about his first goal in Liga NOS, his adaptation to the team and the upcoming match against Vitória.

A first goal in the green and white shirt

“I like to get close to the penalty area, as you have seen. The goal was a move in which Feddal sent a long pass to Pedro Gonçalves. He gave it to Nuno Santos, who followed the movement, and I was far back. I tried to get in there, and when Nuno Santos crossed, the ball was so perfect that I was able to score. It was a great team effort, and we have to continue in the same way.”

An important win against CD Tondela

“We know that games against teams like CD Tondela can go badly, but the team were solid, compact and united. In the first minute of the game we could have scored two or three goals through Pedro Gonçalves. The team had a great game, and it was a good victory.”

“We did very well from the start, and always had intensity. We couldn't give them time to think, because we were playing at home and we have to be strong here. The team did well in every minute of the match. We could have slowed down In stoppage time, but we were looking for more and scored the fourth goal. That is where you can see the spirit and confidence that we have.”

A perfect adaptation

“I had heard people speak highly about the club. I knew that coming to Sporting CP could make me a better player, and that is what is happening. My teammates also give me a lot of help, and I'm really enjoying being here. You can see this on the pitch. We support each other and that is fundamental for us to remain at the top.”

Regaining full fitness

“I knew that when I got here I had to regain the confidence I had lost in the past. I came here after not playing much, but my fitness is actually very good. As the games go by, everything will be fine; we will always be looking for more.”

The weekend game against Vitória SC

“We live to win. We have to give everything we have to win away there. We don't have to think about anything else, and just go game-by-game. I think that, with the confidence that the team have, we can achieve great things this season.”

Sporting CP dominate to win 4-0 at home

Sporting Clube de Portugal went provisionally top of the Liga NOS table with a 4-0 win over CD Tondela, on Matchday 6 of the season.

Missing Bruno Tabata and Vitorino Antunes due to injury, Rúben Amorim brought João Mário into the starting lineup and returned Tiago Tomás and Andraž Šporar to his first XI, in a decision that almost paid dividends after five minutes of play.

Following a free kick from the right side of the attack, João Mário found Coates completely unmarked in the heart of the area, but the Uruguayan's header missed the target by a matter of a few centimeters. Soon after, Tomás tried his luck with a low shot, but it was saved by the goalkeeper.

After 20 minutes of play, Sporting CP enjoyed two back-to-back opportunities. First, Pedro Gonçalves came very close to opening the scoring after an excellent combination move, and then Nuno Mendes, with a strong shot, provided a scare for the CD Tondela goalkeeper.

In complete control and never letting the opposition go on the attack, Os Leões mounted the pressure and Pedro Gonçalves forced another save from Pedro Trigueira.

Eventually, on 45 minutes and after numerous attempts on goal, Pedro Gonçalves finally broke the deadlock, meeting Pedro Porro's cross with a well-placed header at the far post. It was the third consecutive game in which he had found the net, and came after a dominant first half display.

Just four minutes after the restart, Andraž Šporar got to the line and played in a perfect ball, met by Pedro Gonçalves for his second goal, taking the score to 2-0.

Tiago Tomás took advantage of a lapse in concentration by the CD Tondela goalkeeper to create danger, and the situation was repeated again seconds later, with Šporar forcing another great intervention by Trigueira.

Sporting CP were not allowing any opposition chances, and added to their goals when, on 79 minutes, Nuno Santos guided a cross to the feet of Pedro Porro. His first touch found its way into the net to make it 3-0.

In the final minutes, Rúben Amorim brought on birthday boy Gonzalo Plata for Nuno Mendes, but it would be Andraž Šporar who put the icing on the cake: After an initial shot from him was saved, he put in the rebound to cap a resounding 4-0 triumph.

The Sporting CP coach praised his team's showing against CD Tondela

Following Sunday's victory against CD Tondela, Sporting Clube de Portugal coach, Rúben Amorim was very pleased with the showing provided by his players. He spoke about this and more in his post-match press conference.

“It was an excellent performance; we improved a lot of the things that we were lacking in the last game. Now we still have many things to improve. There are days like this sometimes, in which everything goes well, the intensity is there, etc. We are obviously satisfied, but we have things to improve. We got the three points, and the same goes for the game against Gil Vicente FC. We have to keep on this path," said Amorim, who refuted the idea that it was the change in some of the starters that gave the team more quality.

“We cannot make this comparison, they are completely different teams. The players who came in were the right choices, just like the others were, hence the good results. The team were selected according to the opponents and this being the third game in a week. Although the players are able to recover, in my experience sometimes you need fresh blood and hunger for the ball after three games in a week. We are always sure that everyone is ready to play, but it was a really great performance.”

According to Amorim, effectiveness in front of goal is one of the points that the squad  must work on.

“We need to improve on this aspect. We were centimetres away from conceding against a team that barely attacked. Generally, the teams that win titles are those that concede fewer goals. With the quality that we have in our attack and on the whole team, if we don't suffer then we will always be closer to scoring. Today we had a good performance, everything went well and everyone played well."

“At our best, this team can beat any opponents in the league. But the important thing is not our league position on Matchday 6 -it's our position at the end of the season. It matters little if it's our first time at the top in five years -it is completely irrelevant. What matters is that we place well at the end of the season. I want to tell the players not to care about everything that is said after a game. We have to stay focused, as we are going to have a very difficult game in Guimarães,” he concluded.

"We cannot be distracted by other things, because we have work to do"

In the runup to this Sunday's match against CD Tondela (8pm local time) on Liga NOS Matchday 6, Sporting Clube de Portugal coach Rúben Amorim commented on a good start to the season for Os Leões.

“It is nothing that I wasn't expecting, because it' what we work for," he said in his pre-match press conference.

"Right now, it's nothing special. We know that we are Sporting CP, and that this type of result is natural, but we are only going into the sixth game. We are still at the beginning of this job that we started last year."

Despite this, working is always better when you have a run of good results behind you, and that is what we want to continue to do.”

Sporting CP could go provisionally top of the table with a win, but Amorim said that they must focus on the game itself, rather than the consequences of victory.

“Both the younger players and the more experienced ones should only pay attention to the match; they cannot look at anything else. We cannot be distracted by other things, because we have work to do. What we want tomorrow is to be focused on our play and guarantee the three points.

"We only have to think about CD Tondela, because if we take the victory then we don't need to think about anything else -we will be assured of the top spot. We go into every game looking to win and to improve our performance.”.

Amorim confirmed that Bruno Tabata and Vitorino Antunes will be unavailable due to injury. He also revealed what he expects from Sunday's opponents.

“We know the strengths of CD Tondela. Once again, a team are coming to Alvalade highly motivated and without any responsibility to get a result. We had some problems in certain moments of the game against Gil Vicente FC, and we will certainly want to improve in these aspects. By doing that, we will improve the team's play."

Antunes and Tabata train separately from the group

Having recovered from their efforts in the midweek fixture against CD Santa Clara, Sporting CP's focus in Friday training shifted to their next encounter: A meeting with CD Tondela. The game takes place on Sunday at 8pm local time, and will be the team's sixth game of the Liga NOS season.

Two players trained apart from the group: Vitorino Antunes, who undertook individual drills on the pitch but is still not available for coach Rúben Amorim, and Bruno Tabata, who underwent physio work and trained in the gym.

The Leões will have another session on Saturday at 10am at Alcochete, and at 6:30pm Rúben Amorim will preview the game at the Estádio José Alvalade in his pre-match press conference.

The midfielder signs a new deal through to 2025

Matheus Nunes extended his contract with Sporting Clube de Portugal until 2025 this Tuesday, with a buyout clause of 60 million euros.

Beginning his career at GDU Ericeirense, he moved to GD Estoril Praia at the beginning of the 2018/2019 season, going on to sign for Sporting CP in the winter transfer window to play for the Under-23s. In the 2019/2020 campaign, Rúben Amorim promoted him to the first team.

“It is a source of immense pride," the 22-year-old told Sporting CP media. "I have worked all my life for this moment, with the help of my parents and the people around me. I have never given up; even when there were very difficult moments, like everyone has. I think my persistence will pay off as time goes on."

"It's not just down to me. My teammates also play a role. The opportunity was given to me by the coach, and I took it. This renewal is the result of a number of things happening at the same time, not just because of having played well and lived up to expectations," he added.

Finally, the midfielder explained that he did not believe he could get to this moment so quickly, but was already looking at future goals.

"I want to train, play as many games as possible, help the team achieve their objectives and, if possible, win many trophies with Sporting CP. I will give everything for the fans and for the club."

Goals from Šporar, Tiago Tomás and Pedro Gonçalves

Sporting Clube de Portugal moved up to second in the Liga NOS table with a midweek win over Gil Vicente FC, besting the visitors to the Estádio José Alvalade 3-1 in the rescheduled Matchday 1 fixture.

Rúben Amorim fielded the same starting eleven as in the win over CD Santa Clara: Adán, Neto, Coates, Feddal, Porro, Palhinha, Matheus Nunes, Pedro Gonçalves, Nuno Mendes, Nuno Santos and Jovane Cabral. However, the winning goals came from substitutes Šporar and Tiago Tomás.

The first half saw chances for Jovane Cabral, Pedro Gonçalves and Feddal, but none of the trio were able to put them away and the game went into the break 0-0.

Gil Vicente FC surprised Sporting CP at the start of the first half, as Lucas Mineiro turned in Talocha's 52nd minute free kick and put them ahead.

For half an hour, the visitors held out. But it took just a two-minute spell late on in the game for Sporting CP to rally. On 82 minutes, a move on the left that Nuno Santos had tried to finish fell to Šporar at the back post, and he nodded in the equaliser.

 On 82 minutes, second half substitute Daniel Bragança received a cutback from Šporar and set up Tiago Tomás, who only had to push the ball over the line to make it 2 -1.

Before the end of stoppage time, Pedro Gonçalves racked up his third goal in two games to extend the lead, as Os Leões triumphed 3-1. Their next game takes place on Sunday at 8pm, against CD Tondela.

The Sporting CP coach was impressed with his side's Matchday 5 display

Following the victory over CD Santa Clara on Liga NOS Matchday 5, Sporting Clube de Portugal coach Rúben Amorim, was pleased with the performance his players produced.

"It was one-way traffic in the game. We did very well in the first half, with a good dynamic. We had several opportunities to score and then, at the end of the first half -just as happened against FC Porto- we conceded the goal when we had the game under control. That might affect a young team, but it didn't," he said in his post-match press conference.

"In the second half it was also only Sporting CP who wanted to win the game, although at certain times we did not have the same quality. CD Santa Clara also withdrew their line even further. The players who came on performed well and provided a lot of strength for the team. Everyone deserves congratulations".

"We were very strong on our transitions. CD Santa Clara wanted to come forward and couldn't do it, so only sent long balls upfield for which our defenders were prepared. Matheus Nunes had a great first half, and Palhinha is a player we had been lacking. The way he keeps the game in the opponent's midfield by being the first to react to the loss of possession is very good. Then João Mário came on to replace Matheus and showed his quality. We had more of the ball and that gave the last push for us to take the win".

Sporting CP win 1-2 in the Azores

Sporting Clube de Portugal claimed a 1-2 win in the Azores against CD Santa Clara on Matchday 5 of the Liga NOS season, thanks to a brace from Pedro Gonçalves.

The game was the first of the campaign in which Os Leões were able to play in front of fans, with around 1,000 supporters permitted into the stadium.

Gonçalves opens the scoring

Coach Rúben Amorim opted to field the same starting XI as in O Clássico against FC Porto last week.

The first danger from the team came in the 13th minute, with Pedro Gonçalves setting up Nuno Santos. In a good spot inside the box, he would strike into the body of the SD Santa Clara goalkeeper.

The deadlock was broken on 20 minutes, with Gonçalves scoring his first goal of the season in the league. After beating an opposition player on the left wing, he broke into the box and shot from a narrow angle into the bottom corner.

Sporting CP had CD Santa Clara on the ropes and appeared to be comfortable, but in the 43rd minute the home team managed to equalise through Thiago Santana.

Moments later, in an almost immediate response, Jovane Cabral came very close to giving the advantage back to OS Leões, but fired the ball wide. It was the last chance of note in the first half.

The winning goal arrives late

After the restart the precision of both teams' passing play dropped, and Rúben Amorim decided to bring on strikers Tiago Tomás and Andraž Šporar. João Mário would later be introduced for Matheus Nunes in the midfield after the hour mark.

Šporar had two great opportunities to make it 1-2, but was off target on both occasions.

After 80th minutes the second goal finally arrived. Gonçalves completed his brace after being played through on goal, taking advantage of a risky run off the line by the home goalkeeper.

Off the back of a 1-2 win that keeps them unbeaten in Liga NOS action, Sporting CP play Gil Vicente FC on Wednesday in a rescheduled fixture.