All ages have an end and what an end this is. In farewell to Ruben Amorim, Sporting produced an epic comeback against SC Braga (4-2), in a game that best summarizes the nearly five seasons of the new Manchester United coach.
A slow but structured start, some setbacks and in the end a well-oiled machine that works at breakneck speed, with the necessary bit of luck at the end to be happy.
It was not yet that the Alvalade club broke its 100% winning record in the I League, adding its 11th consecutive victory, demonstrating that whoever takes over from Amorim has good material to work with.
The game explained: A crescendo that ended in beauty
The solemn energy created by the Leo coach's goodbye affected the players who entered the field at a low pace, quite uncharacteristic of the 2024/25 version of Sporting. Without much creativity and ability to deal with the 3-4-3 created by Carlos Carvalhal, who managed to take spaces from the lions and block the paths for key players, such as Pote and Gyokeres.
Then, as a result of good pressure and Debast's misfortune, Ricardo Horta opened the scoring, 20 minutes were played. The restless Roger crossed for a happy deflection by El Ouazzani, Debast tried to get the ball out of the confusion in the area and neatly passed it to the feet of Ricardo Horta, who with the goalkeeper beat just had to score.
First punishment for Sporting and what was to come was no better. Five minutes later, Pedro Gonçalves suffered a muscle injury after receiving a ball and the Lions lost their creativity in the final third, as well as their ability to play between the lines successfully.
At a disadvantage, Amorim's team even managed to take control, but always without the usual brilliance and with lazy football without ideas. It was time for the second punishment.
João Moutinho – what a brilliant game as long as he had legs – recovered a ball in midfield, launched Bruma and the number 7 isolated Ricardo Horta with a precise pass. The captain even allowed half a save to Franco Israel, but the ball bounced capriciously into the goal and the green and whites lost 2-0 at the break.
Second part with lion's soul
Amorim realized that SC Braga would eventually run out of “gasoline”, due to the pace that was gradually imposed and having played on Thursday, and the team's pressure increased, leaving a lot of space at the back.
The strategy worked and, after 28 minutes, the deficit had already reduced. St. Juste went up to head a corner, the ball hit the post, but Morita was in the right place to score. Game relaunched and lion on top.
The insistence became greater and greater and, when the warriors had already settled in behind and Sporting were unable to break through, Hjulmand took courage, we were in the 81st minute. The Dane received the ball well outside the area and released an excellent shot that only stopped in the top corner, giving Matheus no chance.
At this moment, the Minho people went down and Then Hurricane Harder came in. First, he received the ball, spun and scored what was thought to be the winning goal, in the 89th minute, with a low shot from the edge of the box. Then, he fired together with Gyokeres in a dizzying counterattack and sealed the final 4-2.
A performance in complete crescendo, which perhaps started badly due to the sadness that leaving a good relationship invariably leaves behind. In the end, Sporting remembered the team from its first championship, never giving up and showing the lion's share that was the high-water mark of Ruben Amorim's Sporting.
A well-deserved goodbye, from a coach who left as a legacy a different way of being in footballon and off the field, and who is now embarking on the biggest adventure of his career, at Manchester United.
The moment: Harder ready to take Gyokeres' place
Conrad Harder doesn't have an easy time competing for the place with Gyokeres but, in the few minutes he has, he proves to be an asset. Although the goal in the 89th minute was practically the decisive one because it killed any hope that SC Braga might have had of scoring, it was not the most memorable moment.
This would happen a few minutes later, when Gyokeres did some nice work up front and used Trincão as an intermediary in a kind of handover to Harder. The young striker made it 4-2 and relieved Ruben Amorim, who was sure that the farewell would be a dream.
The best: what you play Quenda
In an era where it seems almost banal to have 17-year-olds succeeding in professional football as if they were playing in youth football, what Geovany Quenda does cannot be undervalued.
In his first year of senior football he grabbed the starting spot for a title contender and is a true dynamo on the right wing. Irreverent, courageous and with an enviable range of technical resources, the boy proves that it is only a matter of time before he leaves for other places.
It was a real puzzle and he is one of the future talents of Portuguese football.
Mandatory note for João Moutinho who is a pleasure to watch play. Irreproachable in his passing, positioning and the way he wins duels with much bigger opponents. A true gentleman.
The worst: unlucky with his habit
Pedro Gonçalves is not in that space because he is a bad player. Quite the opposite. But today he would be a key player in a calmer game, but he was injured in the 20th minute and had to leave, leaving the doubt as to whether he will recover in time to represent the Seleção.
What the team lost with Pote's departure only proves that there is no player in the squad who can do the same as number 8. He only left with an unnecessary yellow card and in the team's worst phase, but what matters is that bad luck it doesn't last forever.
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Carlos Carvalhal, coach of SC Braga
Morten Hjulmand, Sporting captain
