Sporting is the first team to qualify for the round of 16 of the Portuguese Cup. In the first game of the João Pereira era in Alvalade, the lions dominated and thrashed Amarante (6-0), emblem of League 3, and continued in the premier competition of national football.
The expectations were too high to understand what life would be like for Sporting beyond Ruben Amorim, a coach who made history in the green and white team, who left to embrace a new professional challenge in England, and who left the ship in the hands of João Pereira.
Eleven days of waiting. The time between the official presentation of the new coach and the date of the first game. Despite the very favorable context created by Amarante, an opponent two levels lower, the test was passed with distinction by the Leonine team, who seem unfazed on their triumphal route.
In his first appearance in Alvalade in this new role, João Pereira gave an opportunity to some players who were less used in recent months, namely Edwards, Fresneda and Ricardo Esgaio, and Sporting didn't take long to take (almost) total control of the match, exploiting a lot as well as the internal spaces left open by the visiting group.
Edwards woke up to opportunity
Ten minutes. That was the time Sporting needed to open the scoring in the match, with Marcus Edwards taking Hélder Pedro out of the way and shooting with his worst foot, his right, towards Didi's goal. A beautiful moment for the irreverent English winger, who surprisingly appeared on the left side, in the space usually held by Pote.
Five minutes later, 2-0. This time, Ricardo Esgaio took advantage of a good triangulation involving Matheus Reis and Daniel Bragança to give substance to the clear dominance of the home team.
The pace was good for the lions and Amarante showed some difficulties in dealing with the national champion's high pressure and quick transitions. With his feet firmly on the accelerator, Trincão sent a ball into the woodwork and Harder, on the rebound, missed blatantly, in the 27th minute, but the third goal was just around the corner.
The third-tier group made it easier in the first phase of construction, Trincão wasted no time and launched the ball to complete Alvalade's new superhero: Conrad Harder! In the first half, there was still time for another one from Marcus Edwards.
High five for the premieres of Simões and Arreiol
The new coach of the green and white team took advantage of the second half to rest some, pace others and also debut two young players in the main team: João Simões and Henrique Arreiol. In the middle there was still one more to reach a handful of goals.
Highlighting the team's offensive maneuver, Francisco Trincão put the icing on the cake of his excellent performance, after a capricious combination with Harder, to make it 5-0. And Viktor Gyökeres also wanted to leave the air of your grace in the game and, after sending two balls into the woodwork, he scored from the penalty spot, making the final 6-0.
Man of the match: Francisco Trincão (Sporting)
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