Analysis by Leandro Pires, Santa Clara's technical assistant, and Vinícius Lopes, scorer of the Azoreans' winning goal. Vasco Matos did not go to the quick interview area because he was expelled.
Leandro Pires
Game analysis: “It's a victory of quality and everyone's planning. The way the players interpreted the plan was exemplary, which is why we won against a very strong opponent, the best team in the championship so far. Santa Clara had never won here. Sporting There was a lot of ball, but Santa Clara defended itself, it was organized, we looked for quick exits, we scored a goal and we had a clear opportunity.
PHOTOS: The best images of Sporting-Santa Clara
- Sporting – Santa Clara
Sporting player Francisco Trincao (L) in action against Santa Clara player Vinicius during their Portuguese First League soccer match held at Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Portugal, 30 November 2024. MIGUEL A. LOPES/LUSA
© 2024 LUSA – Portuguese News Agency, SA
” data-title=”Sporting – Santa Clara – Santa Clara assistant highlights victory in Alvalade: “The players were exemplary” – SAPO Desporto”>
- Sporting – Santa Clara
Sporting head coach Tiago Teixeira during their Portuguese First League soccer match against Santa Clara held at Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Portugal, 30 November 2024. MIGUEL A. LOPES/LUSA
MIGUEL A. LOPES/LUSA
” data-title=”Sporting – Santa Clara – Santa Clara assistant highlights victory in Alvalade: “The players were exemplary” – SAPO Desporto”>
- Sporting – Santa Clara
epa11750410 Sporting player Francisco Trincao (R) in action against Santa Clara player Klismahn during their Portuguese First League soccer match held at Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Portugal, 30 November 2024. EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES
” data-title=”Sporting – Santa Clara – Santa Clara assistant highlights victory in Alvalade: “The players were exemplary” – SAPO Desporto”>
- Sporting – Santa Clara
Sporting player Francisco Trincao during their Portuguese First League soccer match against Santa Clara held at Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Portugal, 30 November 2024. MIGUEL A. LOPES/LUSA
” data-title=”Sporting – Santa Clara – Santa Clara assistant highlights victory in Alvalade: “The players were exemplary” – SAPO Desporto”>
- Sporting – Santa Clara
epa11750421 Santa Clara player Vinicius Lopes (C) celebrates after scoring a goal against Sporting during their Portuguese First League soccer match held at Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Portugal, 30 November 2024. EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES
epa11750421
” data-title=”Sporting – Santa Clara – Santa Clara assistant highlights victory in Alvalade: “The players were exemplary” – SAPO Desporto”>
- Sporting – Santa Clara
Sporting player Viktor Gyokeres (R) in action against Santa Clara player Adriano during their Portuguese First League soccer match held at Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Portugal, 30 November 2024. MIGUEL A. LOPES/LUSA
© 2024 LUSA – Portuguese News Agency, SA
” data-title=”Sporting – Santa Clara – Santa Clara assistant highlights victory in Alvalade: “The players were exemplary” – SAPO Desporto”>
- Sporting – Santa Clara
epa11750449 Sporting player Viktor Gyokeres (L) in action against Santa Clara player Matheus Pereira during their Portuguese First League soccer match held at Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Portugal, 30 November 2024. EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES
” data-title=”Sporting – Santa Clara – Santa Clara assistant highlights victory in Alvalade: “The players were exemplary” – SAPO Desporto”>
- Sporting – Santa Clara
Sporting player Debast (C) in action against Santa Clara player Matheus Pereira during their Portuguese First League soccer match held at Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Portugal, 30 November 2024. MIGUEL A. LOPES/LUSA
© 2024 LUSA – Portuguese News Agency, SA
” data-title=”Sporting – Santa Clara – Santa Clara assistant highlights victory in Alvalade: “The players were exemplary” – SAPO Desporto”>
Santa Clara very supportive to defend: “We prepared everything, the players interpreted this in the best way. We wanted to have dangerous outings, but the opponent has a lot of quality, they forced us to run a lot, they were exemplary players. I don't want to individualize, but Luís Rocha is an example of a player of group, work, quality and commitment to the club. It is an example for the work group, for all of us.
Santa Clara’s ambitions: “We're going to the Azores, then to the next training session. This team has been working hard. Our focus is on the daily tasks and then the results will appear.”
Vinícius Lopes
Goal scored: “I have to thank God and praise our group, we ran a lot. We proved our spirit and imposed our first defeat on the national champion. We were happy, Matheus made a good move, I ended up being faster than the defender and finished.”
Victory suffered: “We knew it would be a difficult game, that we would have to play a lot without the ball. We'll take it game by game, with humility and in the end we'll see what happens.”
Santa Clara today handed leader Sporting the first defeat of the season in the I Football League, 1-0, in the 12th round, which marked João Pereira's debut as coach of the 'lions' in championship matches.
At the José Alvalade Stadium, Brazilian Vinícius scored the only goal of the match for the Azorean team, in the 33rd minute, against a Sporting team that won the first 11 games of the championship, equaling the club's record achieved in 1990/91, but which today ended up being defeated.
Despite this setback, the first at home in the championship since February 12, 2023, Sporting remains at the top of the championship, with 33 points, but can see its rivals getting closer, while Santa Clara, which recorded its eighth victory in the competition, is fourth, with 24.