Sporting beat Manchester City this Tuesday, 4-1, in the 4th round of the Champions League. Phil Foden opened the scoring in the 4th minute, but a hat trick from Gyokeres, a goal from Maxi Araújo in the middle, in the second half, and a missed penalty from Haaland, wrote a golden page in the history of the green and white club, in farewell to Rúben Amorim de Alvalade.
At Alvalade’s farewell, Rúben Amorim presented the expected eleven, with the exception of young Quenda, who was thrown into the starting line-up due to Geny Catamo’s physical complaints. On City’s side, given the many absences due to injury, Pep Guardiola started Simpson-Pusey in defense and returned to starting Matheus Nunes, on this return to Alvalade, with Bernardo Silva as captain.
A huge banner of thanks to Rúben Amorim, a standing ovation for the coach and even some tears in the stands, marked the moments before the opening whistle, where a minute of silence was also held in memory of the victims of the storm in Valencia.
With beak eyes
From emotion to despair, Sporting started the game practically at a disadvantage. After a corner, which Franco Israel held, Morita tried to play, lost the ball to Phil Foden and, in the 4th minute, the English international punished the Japanese’s mistake, shooting Franco Israel for 1-0. At 6′ Kovacevic shot, with Debast deflecting it for a corner.
Moments later, in the 8th minute, Gyokeres did what is not… normal: launched and isolated by Pedro Gonçalves, he ran midfield alone and opted to try for the hat to Ederson… a pass went to the Brazilian. Haaland responded, already in the 9th minute, beating Matheus Reis to shoot hard, earning a great intervention from Franco Israel.
In the 15th minute, Haaland managed to escape Matheus Reis again, through the right half, filling his foot, with a shot that skimmed Franco Israel’s crossbar. In the 21st minute, the Uruguayan goalkeeper almost compromised, with a poor reception of the ball, under pressure from Haaland, but managed to relieve it, and in the 28th minute Haaland again, after Phil Foden’s corner, headed the ball over Gyokeres’ line.
In the 31st minute, another take on the duel between Haaland and Franco Israel, with the Norwegian filling the ball, assisted on a plate by Phil Foden, and the Uruguayan going onto the field to save the attempt by City’s top scorer. Bernardo Silva followed, after a brilliant touch from Phil Foden, but the Portuguese international’s shot, in the 37th minute, went slightly wide.
Two occasions, one goal
And at 38, on the second attempt, Gyokeres did not fail: Hjulmand launched Geovany Quenda on the right and the winger isolated Gyokeres, who won under Akanji’s pressure and, already inside the area, shot a cross to beat Ederson, in what was the first goal suffered by City in the Champions League this season.
Alvalade exploded, pushed the team and, at 40, Trincão only saw a goal, with a shot over the top after a combination with Pedro Gonçalves. City responded, soon after, with Matheus Nunes shooting for another save from Franco Israel, deflecting it for a corner.
Not even in our best dreams
The second half practically started with Sporting’s second goal. After a combination, Pedro Gonçalves started from midfield and served Maxi Araújo who, from the left, shot to make it 2-1.
Just a minute later, Trincão ran away and, already inside the area, fell after a foul by Gvardiol. Penalty for Sporting that Gyokeres, from the 11 meter mark, did not forgive, scoring twice in the match and making it 3-1 for the Lions. An incredible turnaround, achieved in just three minutes, leaving one of the best teams in the world reeling in Alvalade.
In the 56th minute, Rico Lewis was free-kicked on the edge of the box by Pedro Gonçalves, who received a yellow card, but Phil Foden’s free-kick was deflected for a corner by Diomande.
In the 65th minute, Diomande stopped Bernardo Silva inside the area. The referee was called to the VAR to see the images, signaling a penalty from the Sporting central defender, for handball. In the 69th minute, from the penalty spot, Haaland shot at Franco Israel’s crossbar.
Banks also played
In the 71st minute it was Savinho who shot the ball past the Sporting goalkeeper, before Phil Foden, in the 74th minute, shot wide from a free kick. Soon after, Rúben Amorim made a triple change, launching St. Juste, Geny Catamo and Daniel Bragança, replacing Matheus Reis, Maxi Araújo and Morita. Pep Guardiola responded, with Doku and Gundogan replacing Savinho and Bernardo Silva.
Gyokeres’ hat trick
The truth is that, in the 78th minute, it was Sporting who came close to 4-1, and Gyokeres the hat trick, before Geny Catamo recovered a ball, escaped from Matheus Nunes and was brought down by the former Lions player. Another penalty, the third in the game, the second for Sporting, and Viktor Gyokeres scoring the hat trick in Alvalade, beating Ederson in the 81st minute.
At 85′ Kevin De Bruyne was launched by Pep Guardiola, replacing Kovacic, before Quenda left in difficulty, for Eduardo Quaresma to enter. At 88′ the final change was made by Trincão’s exit and Conrad Harder’s entry.
Even with five minutes of added time, Sporting’s players continued to spread perfume until the referee’s final whistle. The fans didn’t want to believe it, Rúben Amorim probably didn’t either. If you dreamed, then you also know how to dream well. He made history in his goodbye to Alvalade and left (even more) mouths watering at Old Trafford.
Flashscore man of the match: Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting)
