Sporting CP 3 Estrela da Amadora 2

Sporting CP v Estrela da Amadora
November 5th, 2023
Estádio José Alvalade
Matchday 10

The Warm Up

Sporting welcome newly promoted Estrela da Amadora in the first ever meeting between the two teams. That seems almost an impossibility when you consider they are based 10kms from the centre of Lisbon. That is until you factor in that they were only formed in 2020 which then begs the question of how a club only three years old has managed to make it to the top flight of Portuguese Football? As they say in France – chapeau. I should probably mention at this juncture that they merged with Club Sintra in 2020 to form the new club which gave them entry to the Portuguese leagues. They did exist in a previous guise and were bankrupted in 2011 before restarting the same year under a new name, so technically this is their third incarnation as a football club. I know this is a home game before you shout at me but I just wanted to add my second great fact; They play at the Estádio José Gomes which according to Wikipedia was built in 1934 and opened in 1957 some 23 years later. Either that’s true or as I suspect another one of the reasons never to use Wikipedia as a reference point. However should it be true it’s probably no surprise they eventually went financially tits up if it takes you 23 years having built a ground to opening it up.

What was surprising (nice segway there) but going off on a massive tangent was Porto’s home loss to Estoril Friday night. They may well have been guilty of having one eye on the Champions League as they take on Royal Antwerp Tuesday night and weren’t helped by an early penalty miss by Taremi. Oh that and the fact the game took place under the mother of all downpours. That being said the longer they continue to falter in this campaign the more chance that we can start to build some sort of cushion in the league table between them and us. For now it's just the three points so there's reason to ensure complacency doesn't kick in tonight and that we finish with the maximum three points to take us back top having been leapfrogged by the pigeons 2-0 win away to Casa Pia Saturday afternoon on goal difference. Not to be confused with the Greek Goddess Cassiopeia by the way. Every day is a fucking school day with me. Thursday night I’m teaching you Swedish and today it’s Greek mythology. My last fact reserved for those outside of Portugal and non-Portuguese speakers is that eason means star. When people ask me which team I support and I tell them Sporting Clube de Portugal and refuse to use the incorrect anglicised version I get all sorts of bemused looks. I think if I followed Estrela I’d definitely use the translated version into English just to see how many people asked you “who the fuck are Star of Amadora?” You don’t get this quality level of reporting and opinion in the Athletic do you and this is free of charge. Who said ‘no shit’ at the back? Oh and of course next Sunday is the big one as we travel to the loft to face the pigeons in a top of the table clash and a real clichéd example o‘ a game’being a six pointer. The home tie to Raków will sandwich these two league ‘ames fo’ Sporting. The pigeons travel to Spain on Wednesday to take on Real Sociedad in the Champions League.

St Juste only just back to full fitness is apparently suffering from a viral infection (what did he do in his past life I wonder) as is Esgaio. Geny has an injury which will keep him out for the next three games. Morita has also suffered a knock. Geny and Morita will be both be away in January in the African Cup of Nations and Asia Cup respectively for their national teams. I’m guessing Morita’s absence for that game is why on Thursday night we saw Inácio being tried out in a midfield role. Clearly any talk of him departing for the Premier League in the January transfer window doesn’t as far as Amorim is concerned hold any weight or possibility. Similarly with speculation growing about him being linked to the managers job at Manchester United Amorim’s thoughts for now anyway are very much on the upcoming months.

The money markets

Sporting 2/9 for the win, Estrela 11/1. In their opening four away games Estrela have won once, drawn twice and lost once, scoring four and conceding five. Their last three games have ended in a 1-0 scoreline and against the other big two in Portugal they lost 1-0 to Porto and 2-0 to the Pigeons so you imagine it will be another tight game tonight. Under 2.5 is 4/9 and no to both teams to score 4/5. On the bet builder Sporting win, under 3 goals and both sides not to score is currently 3/1. So watch Sporting now win 3-1.

Team News

I’d previously been looking at team news by comparison per competition but it’s been suggested I go with game to game so who am I to argue. So from Thursday night’s 4-2 win in the Taça we see Adán reinstalled in-between the sticks. Reis continues on the left of the back three with no place in the starting XI at all for Inácio following his excursions in midfield. Coates returns for St Juste meaning Diomande is restored to the right or the three. Hjulmand is restored in the centre of midfield. Edwards starts in place of Trincão and Gonçalves completes the forward three in for Paulinho. Big news of the day is the inclusion of Geovany Quenda in the squad who has been described as the new Geny. I guess if you take the o v a from his first name the A Bola journalist who reported it has a point. Personally I’d like to say Geovany Quenda is himself because everyone else is taken and that goes for all of you reading this who I appreciate immensely. Time as they say is precious so I’ll try not to waste yours with anything else to say in the buildup.

First Half

So having had the them tune to 90s kids TV programme Wizadora stuck in my head every time I’ve read the name Amadora my brain has now decided to attach Estrela to Rihanna’s Umbrella. Hey maybe their fans do sing you can be my Estrela ela ela eh eh and if they don’t why not, surely a wasted opportunity. I’m sorry there was I going on about how precious your time was.

5 Scrappy opening from both sides, maybe best summed up by Gonçalves attempted no look pass which would have been better served by actually looking where he was trying to pass as two defenders closed the space he’d played it into and easily cleared.

7 Edwards fires low in between a defenders legs for the first shot on target of the night easily dealt with by the keeper.

8 Bragança goes down in the box holding his face. Nothing given at the time by the referee much to the derision of the whistling home fans. Reis then goes down following a tangle of legs but again no penalty. Estrela are defending in banks of 5 and 4 out of possession leaving a lone man up front which gives an indication of why in their games away they’ve only conceded 5 times in 4 games. This could turn into a cat and mouse game as Sporting look to beat the offside trap with pace in the final third.

11 Not sure if that was a shot or cross from Hjulmand as the ball flashed across the six yard box. I suspect the former by the look of disappointment aimed at Gyökeres in the box.

14 Shot from 20 yards by Pereira straight at Adán. Like catching practice with a four year old.

17 Give Estrela their dues they’re incredibly disciplined in keeping their shape however I think Edwards can find space to run into on the right but it’s going to come down to the quality of the final through ball which at the moment isn’t forthcoming.

18 Oh just as I type that Diomande set Edwards away. He lays it off to Esgaio on the overlap but his cross is cleared. I’m quite chuffed by that. Anyone would think I can read a game. I mean I can’t guess a line up formation as we learned on Thursday night but still occasionally I know what I’m talking about.

21 Gonçalves slices a shot wide from 20 yards and then gesticulates at something and nothing. Clearly been watching Bruno Fernandes again recently. If only Gonçalves could grow facial hair.

23 There’s definitely room between the two defenders on their left to sail a yacht through. Geny would be having a field day out on the wing.

24 Miscommunication between the defender and keeper sees the ball go out for a Sporting corner. This was last seasons bugbear of mine with the lack of quality from corners and in the end I stopped noting them because nothing happened. Guess what… didn’t learn my lesson.

25 Gonçalves snaps at another chance and sends it left of the post this time. He’s starting to look like Bragança on Thursday night.

32 GOAL Woah Bragança goes fuck you and that last comment to make it Sporting CP 1 Estrela 0. Gyökeres turns provider as he found the youngster on the edge of the 18 yard box and he whips in into the bottom right hand corner. I was just going to write these are the games that if you are serious about winning the title you’d have to come away having at least taken three points in a 1-0 hard fought victory. Well there’s the 1-0.

36 Estrela finally beat the offside trap but Adán comes rushing off his line to block the shot from Léo Jabá. Known as the Hut to his friends.

37 There’s that space I was going on about as their left back is caught out of position. Gyökeres chases the ball down but the onrushing keeper clears it into the stands.

39 Oh good the real Bragança is back as he fires one high into the stands on the half volley from 20 yards. Parity restored. I used to try the reverse psychology with Slimani all the time. The more I slated him the more he seemed to score.

43 Edwards drives in from the right and into the box. His shot from 17 yards is deflected out for a you know what. Can I give the half time team talk? Edwards and Gyökeres talk English. ‘Knock it out wide to Marcus on the right. That’s it.’

One minute additional time. Where’s he got that from?

Half time

Sporting CP 1 Estrela 0

Well it’s not been pretty but when you go in 1-0 up and the opposition has created nothing of note you can’t really complain. The defence have held their line well having only been caught out the once. The old adage I’m always banging on about like the proverbial broken record applies that if Estrela want to now get something out of the game they’ll have to commit more bodies forward which should bring more space at the back for Sporting to attack into. I love the way that when Gyökeres gets frustrated he doesn’t show it in the same way Gonçalves shows it with petulance, he just goes deeper to pick the ball up and does his best Nuno Santos impression. If he wasn’t so deadly in front of goal he’d make an excellent left winger. I’ll take 1-0 now if offered to me. 2-0 to keep my old heart under a little less stress would be better.

Second half

Not sure if it was raining first half but it’s certainly coming down now. We didn’t have a single yellow first half in a game that was allowed to flow so let’s hope the weather doesn’t spoil that this half.

47 Martinez watching on from the stands. Not much to see from a Portuguese perspective from Sporting at least with Gonçalves and Nuno Santos the only two nationalised players on the pitch for us.

48 Penalty to Estrela. Coates went sliding in and Léo Jabá lifted his cross which hit the raised hand of the Uruguayan.

49 GOAL Léo Jabá sends it into the bottom right hand corner to make it Sporting CP 1 Estrela 1. That wasn’t in the script. Well it wasn’t mine anyway.

51 Gyökeres nearly turns provider again as he cuts the ball back in the area. Gonçalves rightly leaves it for the onrushing Bragança but he can’t control his shot and sends it wide from 17 yards.

54 GOAL It’s all gone Pete Tong in the rain. Estrela played a long through ball into the half time substitute Kikas who volleys it past Adán with a finish of real quality from 18 yards. Sporting CP 1 Estrela 2. What was I saying about umbrellas?

58 Hjulmand almost comes up with an instant equaliser but can only fire his shot at the keeper from two yards out. To be fair to the Dane he was already falling and stretching as he hit the shot.

58 End of Coates night as Adán takes the captain’s armband. St Juste comes on in his place. Inácio comes on for Reis and Trincão comes on for Esgaio.

63 Now at the end of the first half when I said they’ll have to push forward if they want to get something from this game clearly I didn’t expect them to actually get something once and certainly not twice. Bragança departs for Paulinho. I didn’t do their half time team talk either by the way

64 We’re about to watch 24 minutes of nine men behind the ball and one man up front

65 Kikas sees yellow for a foul on Diomande from behind. There’s a bit of Scrappy Doo about him with a ‘Let me at him’ as the referee pushes him back from Gonçalves who’s doing his best to wind him up

68 Gyökeres rather uncharacteristically fires high and wide from 16 yards.

69 I think one of the defenders for Estrela has just popped his shoulder out of joint. The home fans behind the goal aren’t giving him any sympathy. That looked painful to me.

70 GOAL Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Did I say wow? Marcus Edwards take a bow son. That goal was FIFA football or whatever they call the game now. Whoever was holding the controller whacking the buttons in the stands there – good job! First he cuts inside two defenders. In total he has four in front of him at one point or another as he twists and turns and runs into the box. None of them can get near him and he pings it into the bottom left hand corner. Ironically this half he’s had no space on that side and who knew – He didn’t need it. Sporting CP 2 Estrela 2.

75 Gonçalves shown the yellow card. Not sure if that was for the challenge to put the ball out of play or he talked his way into the book. Either is equally as plausible.

77 13 minutes to find a winner. There’s enough attacking players on the field for Sporting now. Gyökeres, Paulinho…

78 GOAL Speaking of Paulinho…I’ll let him interrupt my sentence happily as he makes it Sporting CP 3 Estrela 2. Ball comes in from Edwards on the right and he heads home from 7 yards. Keeper will feel he should have done better with that. I like it when I don’t get to finish a sentence. Who said this game would finish under 2.5 goals. * Looks around sheepishly. To be fair anyone who said at halftime it would be 3-2 after 81 minutes you’d have called bullshit. I did also add as a caveat watch it end 3-1. What’s a goal off between friends?

82 Gonçalves almost bends one into the top right hand corner from 18 yards on the far left of the box. Keeper just gets a hand to it to tip it onto the bar. See that’s much better. I don’t know why him and Bragança snap at shots and don’t recycle the ball more until they can get in a better position like that to shoot from.

86 Nuno Santos is felled a yard outside the corner of 18 yard box. He’s played for that and the defender went – kind sir please let me oblige.

87 Gonçalves has just sneakily rolled the ball back a yard. Beats the wall but not the keeper who had that covered easily enough.

88 So many whistles from the home crowd you’d be forgiven if you closed your eyes you were listening to the Inter Vs Roma game last week and Lukaku was on the ball.

89 So close to four as a header from Trincão is saved on the line from point blank range. That’s a great stop from the keeper who’s made amends for not stopping the Paulinho header. If his side get an equaliser they’ll have him to thank for keeping them in it.

89 Trincão goes close again with his second chance in under a minute but his shot from range is agonisingly wide of the left hand post. Come on God’s of football give him a break why don’t you.

Plus eight shown

+1 Corner to Estrela. Not sure who got a head on that one but it was only just over the bar. This game isn’t over yet. Breathe in 2,3,4 and out 2,3,4. Omurwa apparently.

+3 Hjulmand finds those remaining in the stand from 20 yards. Virat Kohli would have been proud of that one on this his birthday.

+4 Kikas tries from 18 yards but like Hjulmand a minute before his effort flies high into the stands.

+5 Gyökeres with a nutmeg through a defenders legs as he looks to take the ball to the corner. Good game management there. Reminds me of days of old with Silva and Mario who could eek out the final few minutes with the best of them.

+5 Oh how has The Swede not scored there? Picked the ball up 16 yards from goal. Turns in the tightest of spaces and gets his shot away which must have gone two inches last the right post. He’s not really had any opportunities in front of goal tonight and again he’s had to fashion that one all by himself. He is some player.

Finally the final whistle goes. My heart and my arse have certainly both been going the past five minutes.

Full time

Sporting CP 3 Estrela 2

The Final Word

Well that was jolly hockey sticks exciting wasn’t it! You can only write that when you finish the right end of the 3-2 final result though it is fair to say. Let’s not paint the first half for anything other than it really was in terms of quality – shit. Fair play to Estrela for the way they came out at the start of the second half. I’m not going to have a pop at Coates for his handball that led to the penalty because on a ratio of mistakes to keeping Sporting in games and coming up with late winners he’s plenty of credit in the bank. It’s why pencils have rubbers – because we all make mistakes. The Nikas goal was a great finish and I can’t say Estrela deserved to be leading at that point overall but based on that exact point in the second half alone they certainly did. Too many times in the past I’ve watched Sporting players who just weren’t good enough to get themselves out of the hole they’d just dug. I’m not sure any one player really stood out against the others on the pitch for Sporting so Edwards will get my man of the match by ’irtue of his wonder goal and assist for the winner. There is a sense of irony that Paulinho gets that sort of service but Gyökeres doesn’t. So the Swede then goes looking for the ball and gets pulled out of the same position he should have been receiving the ball in that Paulinho occupies. Yet when Paulinho comes on they then finally deliver the crosses they should have been doing which would mean Gyökeres doesn’t have to drop deeper. Do you see where I’m going with this? Catch 22. Resilience that’s what this current side has and that feeling they don’t know when they’re beaten. I jokingly said in the build up watch it finish 3-1. My blood pressure would have enjoyed a 3-1 far more than a 3-2. Still we go back top ahead of the Dérbi at the loft next weekend.