Sporting beat FC Porto this Saturday at Estádio José Alvalade in the 4th round derby by 1-0 and are now top of the league, waiting to see what Famalicão will do. Gyokeres scored from the penalty spot in the 72nd minute, after a foul by Otávio, to make it 1-0, with Geny Catamo sealing the deal in the 90+3rd minute.
With Hjulmand recovered, Rúben Amorim opted to bring the captain back into the starting eleven, instead of Daniel Bragança, with Nuno Santos starting on the bench. Vítor Bruno maintained the FC Porto starting eleven from the last matchday, with the only new addition being former Atlético de Madrid player Samu Omorodion on the bench.
Two approaches
Sporting started the match in their own style, trying to play from foot to foot, with FC Porto opting for a more direct style of football, which almost paid off in the 12th minute, when Vasco Sousa shot from the edge of the area, winning a corner, after a deflection from Hjulmand, which Pepê beat to shoot over Otávio. In the 16th minute, Martim Fernandes broke through on the right, crossed but Pepê was unable to deflect it, with Sporting responding in the following minute: Gyokeres passed to Trincão and the winger’s shot was blocked by Zé Pedro, with Diogo Costa already out of the play.
Lion closer
In the 21st minute, after Alan Varela fouled Pedro Gonçalves, the Sporting midfielder opted to take the free kick into the box, where Diomande deflected it but this time at an angle. In the 26th minute, Pedro Gonçalves once again gained space and set up Gyokeres, who shot low and into the side netting of Diogo Costa’s goal. In the 35th minute, after a good combination between Pedro Gonçalves and Morita, Trincão shot first time with his left foot, but wide, before Trincão missed again, in a move that was already disallowed for a foul by Hjulmand on Galeno, after Gyokeres managed to get past Diogo Costa.
In the 40th minute, another great opportunity for Sporting, with Gyokeres escaping behind Zé Pedro and serving Pedro Gonçalves who, in the area, deflected the ball wide of the FC Porto goal post, before Galeno appeared on the edge of the area to shoot and Kovacevic saved.
In a stop-and-go game, at 42′ Pedro Gonçalves was launched by Catamo and crossed to Gyokeres, which was worth Otávio’s cut for a corner.
Dragon responded accordingly
The second half started without any changes from either team and, in the 52nd minute, Sporting had a great chance: Trincão passed to Geny Catamo, the winger crossed and Gyokeres deflected the ball into the goal, with Alan Varela coming on the line to prevent a 1-0 lead at Alvalade.
FC Porto responded in the 60th minute, with a shot from Galeno that was saved by Kovacevic, who saved it for a corner. Following the set piece, Namaso headed over, before Vasco Sousa, in the 62nd minute, shot wide.
They let the Swede escape
In the 69th minute, during an attacking transition, Otávio found himself overtaken by Gyokeres, tried to catch the Swede but ended up bringing him down in the penalty area. Penalty for Sporting, which Gyokeres himself converted to make it 1-0 in the 72nd minute.
Fire debut for Samu
With FC Porto at a disadvantage, Vítor Bruno, who already had reinforcement Samu, as well as Eustaquio, ready to come on, also brought on Gonçalo Borges and João Mário, taking off Namaso, Vasco Sousa, Iván Jaime and Martim Fernandes. Rúben Amorim responded, in the 80th minute, with Matheus Reis and Debast replacing Geovany Quenda and Eduardo Quaresma.
In the 84th minute, Vítor Bruno made all the changes, bringing on another forward, Fran Navarro, in place of midfielder Alan Varela. In the 85th minute, Gyokeres fired again, but wide, before Rúben Amorim replaced Hjulmand with Daniel Bragança. In the 90th minute, the Lions’ coach made another change, bringing on Nuno Santos in place of Francisco Trincão.
Already within five minutes of injury time, FC Porto still benefited from a promising free kick, which Sporting’s defense managed to resolve, before Sporting responded through Geny Catamo who, in an individual initiative, drifted from the right to the middle and, with his left foot, shot to score, making it 2-0 in the 90+3 minutes.
Sporting won the classic against FC Porto, is now in the lead of the championship, 100% victorious, waiting to see what Famalicão will do tomorrow.
Flashscore man of the match: Gyokeres (Sporting)
