City fall in Lisbon

The game started perfectly, however, when Foden recovered the ball in the last thirty meters, thanks to excellent pressing, and fixed the defense to open the score with a powerful strike from the left side of the area.

Haaland then has several opportunities to make the break, but the Norwegian striker’s shot, on a serve from Nunes, misses (15^th), while his head is pushed back in front of his line by Gyökeres (28^th) and that his volley, on a cross from Foden coming from the left, is repelled by the Sporting goalkeeper Franco Israel (31^th).

The Portuguese stood back and took advantage of a space in the Mancunian defense to equalize in the 38th^e minute of play. Gyökeres, launched in depth, wins his one on one against Ederson and equalizes.

The two teams returned to the locker room with a parity score, but the start of the second half was nightmarish: after less than a minute, Goncalves found Araujo, who added a second goal from close range. In the process, Gvardiol commits a foul in the area, Gyökeres does not miss his chance to score a double and give his team two goals in advance (48^th).

The Skyblues then tried to move forward, and even benefited from a penalty after a handball from Diomande, who had just tackled to block a shot from Bernardo Silva. Unfortunately, Haaland’s attempt fails on the crossbar.

A beautiful free kick from Foden, off-center on the right side, hits the post (74^th). But the closer the final whistle approaches, the more it seems clear that success was to elude the Cityzens this evening.

It is even the locals who create the next big situation, through the untenable Gyökeres, who rushes down the left wing, moves back into the axis and stumbles on a good intervention from Ederson, at the end of the race (78^th).

A minute later, Matheus Nunes tackles Geny Catamo in the area, the referee points to the penalty spot again. Gyökeres scored the last goal of the match, his third personal goal.

4-1 is the final score. City still has seven points, after four days, and ranks 6^th of the league phase, pending tomorrow’s matches.

We will have to restart on Saturday, on the Brighton pitch. Kick-off will be at 6:30 p.m. (French time).

The teams

SPORTING CP : Israel, Quenda (Quaresma 85), Reis (Braganca 74), Diomande, Debast, Araujo (Catamo 74), Hjulmand (C), Morita (St. Juste 74), Trincao, Goncalves, Gyokeres

Substitutes: Kovacevic, Pinto, Edwards, Harder, Fresneda, Esgaio, Simoes

CITY : Ederson, Lewis, Simpson-Pusey, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic (De Bruyne 85), Bernardo (C) (Gundogan 77), Savinho (Doku 77), Foden, Nunes, Haaland

Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Walker, Ake, Wright, O’Reilly, McAtee, Wilson-Esbrand