Sporting CP 2 FC Porto 0
Sporting CP v FC Porto
December 18th, 2023
Estádio José Alvalade
Matchday 14
The Warm Up
In the 2000 cult classic movie Snatch the character Brick Top played by Alan Ford delivers the chilling line “Do you know what nemesis means? A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent, personified in this case by a ‘orrible cunt, me.” Porto are without doubt Sporting’s nemesis and there are those who I’m sure would suggest that the mister Conceição also fits the bill perfectly of a ‘orrible cunt.
Sporting’s last league win against Porto was so long ago that Tik Tok didn’t exist, X was still Twitter, Notre Dame was still in one piece, Trump hadn’t been voted US President, Russia hadn’t invaded Ukraine, Queen Elizabeth II was alive and well and the world hadn’t fallen pray to a pandemic. You have to go all the way back to August 2016 for our last league win against Porto, goals from Slimani and Gelson securing a 2-1 win. Coates was then just over six months into his Sporting career and a mere 25 years young and the club were still hopeful that Jorge Jesus could deliver their first title since the 2001/02 season.
Going into the weekend Sporting remained top with Porto in second place only on goal difference, both level on points with 31 apiece. Hot on their tails Benfica on 30 points and Braga 29 in what is turning out to be one of the tightest title races in years. This weekend could prove critical for the leading four as alongside the Sporting – Porto Clássico fixture Monday night, Benfica travel away to Braga in the Sunday night game. Which set of fans come away the happiest we will only know come the end of play on Monday but given Benfica’s stuttering form and Sporting’s recent league record against Porto it probably wouldn’t be unfair to suggest you invest in shares in Lisboa based tissue companies.
Good news – Sporting boast the best home record at the time of writing winning 7 of 7 conceding just 6 times. Bad news – Porto boast the best away record winning 6 of 7 conceding just 4. Good news – Sporting have averaged 2.2 goals a game compared to 1.6 for Porto. Bad news – Porto have the best average for goals conceded per game with just 0.7 compared to our 1.2.
It's not all been doom and gloom since 2016. We beat them on penalties twice to lift the Taça da Liga and the Taça de Portugal in 2019. There was the 2-1 cup win in January 2021 when Jovane came on in the 77th minute to score a brace with the winner coming in the 9 minute. But since March 2022 it’s been five straight wins in all competitions for the Dragões. I have no shame in admitting that even in our title winning season I thought they were the best team in Portugal that year. That being said they’re not infallible. They’ve lost twice this season to Estoril, 1-0 at home in the league in early November and 3-1 away in the Taça da Liga earlier this month. Lost twice to the pigeons 2-0 in the Super Cup and 1-0 away in the league. Twice to Barca in the Champions League. By comparison we’ve only lost three in all competitions so on paper and with our home record it’s not like we don’t have a chance. It’s just that Conceição has the better of Amorim and the latter has two game team formations which he picks from and that’s not hard to plan against tactically for what I would consider to be the best coach currently in Portugal.
This fixture is traditionally not good on the eye. It’s a game full of needle played in charged atmospheres punctuated with stops in play by niggly challenges. They become a magnet for yellow cards, flare ups and mass coming togethers between both squads. Last season’s Taça da Liga final in January saw nine yellows brandished, two of which to Paulinho who received his marching orders.
The referee for the Clássico Nuno Almeida has officiated in two games apiece for both clubs this season. He has shown five yellows in both Sporting games and 15 in those involving Porto (9 and 6). From memory (which might not be saying much considering I couldn’t remember anything about the Sturm Graz first game three months ago) he did OK in the Boavista game but was really inconsistent when taking charge for the Casa Pia game. There was a challenge on Gyökeres that other referees had shown a yellow for in similar circumstances and Edwards escaped a booking for simulation. Not that I want to see our players booked but I’d have been super pissed had the same happened the other end of the field so you need to ensure your moral compass points in the right direction wherever possible.
The money markets
23/20 Sporting 46.51%
23/10 draw 30.30%
23/10 Porto 30.30%
I will hold my hands up that I expected more from Sturm Graz Thursday night and fully expected Sporting to have both eyes on the Porto game so a 3-0 home win was a genuine surprise, especially with Israel in between the sticks. If I thought he might ever read this I’d try be more encouraging but as there is very little danger of that I’ll say I’d rather we signed Max back which isn’t saying a lot because I thought he was utter pony as well. All told this game is a polar opposite in terms of quality of opposition. As outlined above we struggle when we play Porto. Yes we’ve won 7 from 7 at home but you’re not putting your mortgage on us to win at 23/20. I’d take a draw if offered to me before kick off but again the smart money I think goes either on a Porto win or the draw. Or better still avoid dipping your toe into this one.
* Since the post went live online yesterday the Pigeons secured a narrow 1-0 win away to Braga to leapfrog Sporting back to the top of the table. We also now know our opponents in the knock out round of the Europa League, Swiss side BSC Young Boys. A draw I’m personally neutral in my feelings about.
Team News
Half six and I’m kicking myself for reading stuff online and finding out Coates isn’t fit to play and there’s talk of Reis coming into the back 3. I don’t have the issue with Reis per se, it’s knowing Inácio could start in the centre of the three, a job I think Diomande can handle but Inácio… well I guess if you’re ever going to live up to the hype no better time to start and you imagine if the English press is to be believed there will be scouts from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United in attendance. If he marshals a clean sheet and scores a fourth in three games in a Sporting win then he might make me a Believer. I won’t hold my breath.
1915 and the team sheets are now in. As expected Adán returns for Israel. Quaresma with a rare start in for the injured Coates. Despite claims Geny would miss the game through injury he starts in place of Esgaio wide right. Reis starts again but moved forward to replace Nuno Santos wide left. Bragança drops out for Morita. Trincão and Paulinho swap out for Edwards and Gonçalves
Without a ball being kicked this screams of the disappointment you felt as a child around this time of year. What do you want for Christmas? Three points against Porto. What do you actually get? An away win to Tondela as consolation in the Taça.
First Half
Am I a pessimist, a realist, my own worst enemy or a combination of all three? Guess I might found out. Quaresma has played a total of 52 minutes for the first team this season. Brave of Amorim. Stop reading statistics.
10 GOAL Fucking yes he’s only fucking gone and done it again. Gyökeres makes it Sporting CP 1 Porto 0. Pepe tries to clear the ball but knocks it against the Swede who moved the ball to the edge of the six yard area on the left and slots it past Costa.
14 Pepe booked for a challenge on Gyökeres. He’s been giving the veteran defender hell in the past five minutes. Meanwhile Geny is down receiving treatment. The referee has a yellow in hand and tracks down Varela for the challenge on Geny.
17 Free kick into the box finds the head of Diomande but he can’t get any power on it and sends it tamely at Costa.
19 Gonçalves tries to curl one in from 20 yards from the left but it was always going wide of the right post. The look of disappointment on his face equals exactly that of mine
21 Edwards goes down in the box looking for a penalty under the pressure of two Porto players but the referee wasn’t interested.
23 Gyökeres is making Pepe show his age. He cannot get anywhere near the Swede.
26 Nuno Santos booked on the bench presumably for something he’s said. That’s stupidity of the highest level.
30 Third of the way into the game and Porto have offered absolutely nothing from an attacking sense. Credit to Amorim for playing this game on the front foot. It’s working so far. I’ll be happier if we make it 2-0. Quaresma is playing like he’s played 90 minutes of every game this season.
34 The referee is taking absolutely no shit tonight as he books one of the Porto coaching staff.
39 Evanilson tries a shot from 19 yards. Adán didn’t move an inch as that sailed over his head and the bar in turn
42 Evanilson puts a hopeful ball towards Adán’s near post but the keeper was quickly on it
44 Sporting CP 2 Porto 0. That
all came from Quaresma picking up the ball on the half way line. He played a
1-2 to send himself clear and put the ball on a six pence for Gyökeres to head
home. There’s an old man in tears on the side, Quaresma looks like he was in
tears. Oh no we might all be in tears – Referee has run to the monitor to check
for a foul in the buildup by Quaresma. He’s disallowed it. Fucking hell he wasn’t
even looking at the Porto player when he collides accidentally into him. What’s
he supposed to do there when someone runs in front of him? Oh god talk about
people pissing on your chips. Absolutely gutted.
Plus two shown originally. We’re already into the third minute of additional time after that VAR stoppage
+3 Superb save by Adán with his leg from a downward header six yards out from Galeno.
Half time
Sporting CP 1 Porto 0
As you can imagine the whistles for the match officials leaving the pitch are deafening. The home fans aren’t happy. I can’t work out if Sporting were playing out of their shells, Porto were fucking woeful or a combination of both. Thankfully Diomande started in the centre of the back three and he’s continued to do an excellent job deputising for Coates. That’s good news for Diomande because Quaresma has looked imperious first half out on the right of the three. I’ve been so impressed by him. What does Gyökeres like on his toast? Pepe. If he lasts 90 minutes I’ll be impressed because you’d hook him or he’ll get sent off for a bad challenge … if he can get near enough to make it.
Second half
48 Reis us down clutching his face. Pepe swung an arm at him there off the ball. It’s not as bad as Reis is making out but if he disallowed the goal for a soft decision then the veteran defender has to go there. Referee runs to the monitor. Pepe shown a straight red. He sarcastically applauds the referee. He’s only got himself to blame there. What did I say about him getting sent off? This game will still be playing at midnight at this rate.
53 If we can get a second this game is over. Porto who have offered nothing all game and down to ten would surely go damage limitation exercise at that junction. I’d be reminding Paulinho of his sending off last season and send him out there with fire in his belly. OK maybe a little less fire. But at least a reminder he’s got a point to prove and making up to do.
55 Quaresma concedes a foul against Taremi in a good position wide left. Headed clear. How is this half only ten minutes in. Feels like it should be 80 on the clock already.
56 Bad two minutes for Quaresma as he’s booked for time wasting.
57 Costa with the save of the game paws away Edwards shot from 12 yards with his arm at full stretch. He’s kept his side in it there.
59 GOAL Sporting CP 2 Porto 0. Gyökeres sent through into space by Geny. Takes the ball into the box and squares for Gonçalves who has time to compose himself and knock it home from 14 yards. He does the Gyökeres celebration in homage.
61 Huge applause for Quaresma as he’s replaced by Nuno Santos. It looked a little too much for him this half but he was outstanding first 45.
62 Gonçalves had time to write his life Memoires there and somehow only manages to knock it straight at Costa from close range. That was the time to write your name into the history books.
65 Porto for the first time tonight are posing an attacking threat. Geny wrestles Taremi to the floor in the box – luckily before a corner was taken.
66 The Iranian tries to curl one from 16 yards but it’s high and wide of the far right hand post. Sporting need to switch back on a little here.
67 Taremi shown the yellow as he leaves his elbow in the face of Inácio. That looked nasty and far worse than what Pepe was sent off for
70 These are the games you should as a fan be able to enjoy with twenty to play. Inácio shown the yellow for a foul. Why am I still panicked over this game? Maybe I’ll enjoy it if we got a third…
71 Oh so close. Gyökeres runs from the halfway line again and collects the ball. His shot is deflected but they’ve called offside and it wouldn’t have counted anyway.
71 Speaking of offside Porto have the ball in the net but Taremi is half a yard off before he squares it back for Evanilson who put it in the net from close range. Don’t need VAR for that one. Just a reminder of why when I say why am I not enjoying this, that’s the reason why.
74 Edwards and Geny make way for Paulinho and Esgaio. Not sure how fit the youngster was given he wasn’t supposed to feature at all tonight. He’s been quiet and had little influence other than the through ball which led to the second. To be fair Edwards didn’t have much more impact.
80 Yellow shown to Conceição (the bosses son I presume) for leaving his studs in on Gyökeres
81 Gonçalves conspires to miss from 12 yards with two defenders chasing him down. You’d kill for Gyökeres to have had those two opportunities he’s missed in the last ten minutes.
83 I think both sides have now made all five subs as Gonçalves makes way for Trincão and Morita for Bragança.
85 The crowd olé every Sporting pass. They think this game is over. It’s been going on so long I half expect to see Santa flying overhead and find out it’s Christmas day in the morning. I think we’ll see seven or eight minutes additional time minimum added on top.
Seven additional minutes. Not a bad guess
+2 Paulinho has the ball in the net but he’s instantly flagged as offside. He wags his finger at the assistant referee. I wonder if the last defender was playing him on, on the far side? They’re taking their time with VAR. It’s going to be tight. Neto is saying his prayers on the sideline. Referee is going to the monitor. I think they’re looking to see if it comes off a Porto player last. No goal. Neto is winding Conceição up on the sidelines. Bragança judged to have fouled the defender on the ’dge of the box and his contact is what brings about the touch from the Porto player that landed to Paulinho. At least I think that’s right.
+6 Hjulmand shown the yellow for a foul on Taremi? Soft if so. No screen is showing Esgaio. He’s put his head into the face of a Porto player right in front of the referee.
+7 We’ve had the seven. How long is left after more stoppages only the referee knows…
Finally at 22:24 hours – mark the time ladies and gentlemen as Sporting finally break the Porto hoodoo in the league.
Full time
Sporting CP 2 Porto 0
The Final Word
I feel like I’ve aged ten years in that second half and to be fair the game went on so long I might actually well have done. That was as good a performance from Sporting for a full 90 minutes that I can remember in a long time. Yes we’ve played better more attractive football in games like the Taça at home to Braga but they wanted it more than Porto tonight. Pepe couldn’t handle Gyökeres and Reis is a shoe in for best supporting actor at next year’s academy awards for getting Pepe sent off. He even changed his shirt as if to suggest there was blood spilt. If there was you’d need a microscope to spot it.
Just how good is our Swedish forward? If there were scouts watching Inácio from the Premier League you think they’ll have left with more notes on Gyökeres and Diomande. They were both imperious tonight. Gyökeres cannot go to Chelsea. He deserves better than that current incarnation of a side. He is Mr consistent. I’ve said it before and I will say it again how on earth did we manage to get him in the summer? Make the most of him because he’s not going to be with us long. So back to the top we go. Let’s not mention the T word but hint we looked every inch T contenders there. If they play like that in the Dragão Stadium and at home to the pigeons we’ve got more than a fighting chance. I love it when I’m proven wrong because I didn’t expect that to go that way tonight. That’s the worst performance I’ve seen Porto put in against us. That’s the sort of win that gives you the belief and makes you think the tide can turn going forward in the Clássico. Man of the match was only ever going to be Gyökeres. But special mention to Diomande. He looks like he could play centrally in the top leagues tomorrow. Quaresma was brilliant first half. Adán told him start of the second half to keep his concentration and you wonder If the disappointment of the second goal being chalked off and the emotion getting to him just knocked him off his stride. You can’t knock him for his passion and you’d have confidence in him if he has to step up again. Coates would benefit from rest especially with Tondela next up in the Taça so give him an extended run.
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