CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 6
The warm up
"Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead," so sang Adele in her number one single 'Someone Like You' which topped the British charts on February 27th, 2011. Coincidentally those same lyrics are the perfect reminder that following Sporting isn't always easy as on the same date they went down 1-0 away to the island side of Nacional - and sometimes it hurts instead.
Unlike Adele's career which has gone from strength to strength in the intervening years, the 2011 victory remains the only one for the Madeira based side against Sporting.
They last met in the 2020/21 season where Sporting won both home and away 2-0 with Jovane scoring in both. Perhaps he can be promoted back into the first team for Saturday's fixture and keep that 100% goalscoring record up against the newly promoted side who drew their opening game on their top flight return 1-1 away to AVS. A home fixture to the current champions of Portugal will be a much tougher test that's for certain though they were promoted with the best home record in the second tier last season so they'll hope to put up a good account of themselves. If last season was anything to go by there should be goals in the fixture at least with their 17 home games last season culminating in 55 goals combined or 3.23 goals per game on average.
Our reign at the top of the table by virtue of playing the season's curtain opener didn't last long as first Porto leap flogged us with their 3-0 home win to Gil Vicente and then Christmas came early on Sunday for Santa Clara as the fellow newly promoted side walloped Estoril 4-1 away from home to claim top spot. Just to prove the 2-0 win which secured Sporting the league title last season wasn't a fluke against the neighbours, Famalicão went and repeated the result on Sunday. A timely reminder if ever one is needed not to take any games for granted in this league.
In transfer news Maxi Araújo a 24 year old left winger from Toluca is set to become the third signing of the summer transfer window. Speculation continues to grow that Juventus are set to bid for Marcus Edwards with the fee set by the club at €25m and for the first time we see some real traction behind the possible departure of Gonçalo Inácio as the club readies itself for Liverpool to meet his termination clause in full. Reports in Portugal suggest that the defender's representatives are currently in England discussing personal terms with the fee set at the termination clause of £60m.
Team News
One confirmed absentee is the new club captain Hjulmand who hasn't travelled with the squad. 17 year old Gabriel Silva has been called up by Ruben Amorim from the B squad.
In the markets
Nacional 9.50
Draw 6.00
Sporting 1.25
Starting XI
Kovačević, Inácio, Diomande, Quaresma, Geny, Bragança, Morita, Quenda, Gonçalves, Gyökeres and Trincão
Substitutes
Silva, Israel, Reis, Debast, Essugo, Fernandes, Esgaio and Edwards
Just the one enforced change as Bragança comes in for the injured Hjulmand as expected. Essugo returns to the match day squad having spent part of last season out on loan.
First Half
With tongue firmly in cheek, last night's top of the table clash between Santa Clara and Porto saw the visitors win 2-0 to go top of the table once more making 3 points in Madeira all the more imperative in the teatime kick off. I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that Evanilson has swapped the Dragão for the shoe box of Dean Court. Speaking of shoe boxes, a sell out crowd awaits in the 5,200 capacity of the Estádio da Madeira.
CD Nacional expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation. Sporting debut their lime green kit which looks like it was designed by a child with a stabilo highlighter pen. Sporting still to keep a clean sheet this season remember after shipping 4 to Porto and a late Clayton goal last time out against Rio Ave. Nacional get us underway as Sporting attack left to right in the opening 45.
1 Flash shot from 25 yards by Esteves goes well wide of the Kovačević’s left hand post with less than a minute on the clock
2 Corner to the home side results in a header wide of the post from 7 yards by Butzke. They've not come to make up the numbers
4 Bragança tries from 25 yards and fires well over. See last week's match report for my thoughts on his continued Hollywood shots that don't come off
7 This Sporting kit does not make for easy viewing on a light green pitch on a glorious sunny day.
15 Nacional will certainly be the happier team with a third of the first half gone. They're doing a good job of closing off space in the final third making it impossible for Sporting in an attacking sense for now
15 GOAL Second game on the trot as I offer that similar type of observation and the score goes to CD Nacional 0 Sporting CP 1. Gonçalves picked the ball up outside the area and dribbled into the box and slipped just before he struck the ball from 16 yards and yet the connection was still good enough to evade the keeper into the far right hand corner for his third goal in two games. You imagine he was disappointed he didn't go to the Euros in the summer but he certainly looks like he's benefited from the rest
22 The tide has definitely turned after that opening goal as Sporting continue to try build up patiently
24 Trincão makes space on the edge of the 18 yard box to get a shot away but it goes over the bar.
25 Beautiful from Quenda as he leaves his marker chasing shadows and then eating grass as he falls over. Quenda slips as he tried a shot from a narrow angle which went out for a goal kick
29 Important interception by Quaresma as he clears with a well timed tackle in the six yard box to put the ball out for a corner
30 Kovačević keeps Sporting in it with a low save from 3 yards out. Zé Vitor knows that he won't get many better opportunities to score today
31 Water break for the players in what looks like blazing heat even at half six in the evening
33 Another half chance for Nacional with a flick on at the near post stopped by Kovačević.
34 I was up and celebrating there as Gyökeres shot low from 8 yards but somehow the keeper kept it out with his legs. I'm blaming the sunlight
35 GOAL CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 1. Seconds after potentially going 2-0 up Nacional equalise with a superb finish from the Dutchman Nigel Thomas. There can't be many Nigel's who've ever plied their trade in Portuguese football
39 GOAL Well they weren't level for long as Trincão makes it CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 2. He picked up the ball in the area and was running away from goal but switched his shot direction from 8 yards out, between his markers legs and into the far right hand corner of the net. That's a lot harder skill than he made it look.
Plus three indicated
+1 Gyökeres fouled on the edge of the 18 yard box and Ulisses is shown the first yellow of the game.
+2 Good defending by Nacional. The ball eventually found it's way out to Quenda who's shot was deflected for a corner
Half time
CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 2
Neither side have really been helped by the heat but nevertheless it's been an entertaining opening 45 in which Nacional have certainly played more than their part. It's nice to see a promoted team not be overawed and prepared to take the attack to Sporting. You have to figure home advantage will play a big part in their bid for survival with visitors having to fly in and out of the island. As mentioned in the minute by minute it's not been the easiest game to follow with Sporting's choice of kit. Clearly Nike doesn't take actually viewing football matches into account when designing these shirts.
I'm so thrilled that Gonçalves is back to looking the player he was before Gyökeres arrived. We're still to see whether someone will pay his termination clause of €100m before the window ends. You suspect they won't which I have said all summer but much will depend on PSR and Sporting's insistence that the fee be met in full which means having to pay it all up front. Same goes for Inácio with Liverpool, though they may have changed their mind having failed to pick up Thomas for the opener of they have scouts watching.
Back to the game at hand you wonder if Nacional will start to tire the longer the game goes on and the gap in quality will start to show. Sporting have played much of the first half down the left hand side but Quenda has looked more than capable again when he's received the ball out wide on the right. I imagine we'll see Edwards replace Trincão at some point who despite getting off the mark for the season hasn't contributed a great deal again to tonight's proceedings. I'd suggest Sporting do need to find a third sooner rather than later but that's probably my anxiety caused by OCD talking.
Second half
Sporting get the game back underway with half the pitch now in the shade on the far side which makes viewing a little easier. If it's hard for people who aren't colour blind you imagine if you were you'd have given up after five minutes trying to watch this game.
46 Nacional giving us the sense of déjà vu from the first half as Appiah fires in a shot from a tight angle but Kovacevic equal to it standing tall at his near post. Goal aside he's looked good so far and it's probably his best performance in a Sporting shirt since his summer transfer from Rakow
48 Kovačević is earning his wages tonight as he's quickly down to a low shot from 20 yards by Esteves
49 Penalty to Sporting as Quenda is brought down in the box by Bruno Costa who just dangled his leg out. Not sure there was a massive deal of contact there but clever play from the youngster.
50 GOAL Gyökeres slammed the ball into the bottom right hand corner as the keeper dived left. CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 3. That was perfectly taken. Goal number two for the Swedish international this season.
53 Break in play as Nacional goalscorer Nigel Thomas went down clutching his leg with no one around him. One of his teammates does the rolling hand gesture that he needs to come off. Big round of applause as the physios help him off the side. Nacional had literally made a double substitution half a minute before. You imagine his coach will be saying 'could you have indicated you were struggling a minute earlier?'
54 GOAL Nacional's evening goes from bad to worse as Geny pulls the ball back to an unmarked Trincão who swept the ball home from 8 yards to make it CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 4. That all came from the defender trying to shield the ball out for a goal kick and the persistence of Geny who nipped the ball away and a beautifully weighted pass into Trincão who won't score an easier goal all season. That goal sees Sporting back to the top of the table as the Sportinguista's in attendance sing Campeãos in case anyone had forgotten
61 Sporting will surely fancy a fifth in this game. Incredible capitulation from the island side who will probably have thought themselves unfortunate to have gone in 2-1 down at half time in this game. There won't be many sides that would be capable of defending the flanks from Geny and Quenda. I swear Geny looks like he's played there all his career. Nuno Santos is not shifting him on this form.
64 Quenda with a smart low drive from 20 yards stings the hands of the keeper out for a corner
65 GOAL CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 5. That was a goal of real quality from the captain Bragança who made the chance all by himself. Closely surrounded by three defenders he shifted the ball onto his left foot and fires it into the far left of the net from 10 yards right of centre. That was pretty Hollywood in fairness so proves he can do it. He could however just have easily have fired the ball into the valley of trees behind the goal never to be seen again
69 ➡️⬅️ With a four goal cushion Debast is brought on for his league debut in place of Quaresma.
72 Gyökeres just tries to flick it past the keeper from 8 yards out but Franca was equal to it. Suspicion of offside in the buildup and that it wouldn't have counted had it gone in
73 Trincão a whisker away from making it six as his shot from 18 yards goes out for a goal kick
74 The irony is not lost that as the pitch is nearly in full shade the lower sun is now causing a glare on the camera
75 GOAL Wow. That's why Sporting have signed Debast. Incredible first time ball into Gyökeres who lost his marker, ran into the box and quite nearly took the net off as he smashed it past the helpless Franca. CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 6
76 Drinks break at the point Nacional players would just like it to all be over. I feel like I've missed a sending off or maybe two it's been that one sided this second half. Sporting definitely seem to have more men on the pitch. The irony is not lost on me that I was genuinely impressed with how Nacional had played first half but there's a country mile between the two sides this half and actually if they capitulate this easily their stay back in the top flight won't be very long
77 ➡️⬅️ Essugo on for Morita. Reis on for Geny.
81 Save from Franca from Gyökeres as he chases another match ball to add to his collection. Trincão may have other thoughts about that with both players on a brace
84 ➡️⬅️Diomande swaps with Fresneda and no match ball for Trincão as Edwards comes on
86 Anguish written all over Gyökeres face as his shot smashes against the bar and to safety.
87 Good defensive header by Debast who was quickly wise to the danger and sent the ball behind for a corner. We've not seen an awful lot of him since he came on but one assist and key alertness shown there to alleviate the danger. We'll forgive him that slice against Porto in the Supertaça.
Plus one indicated.
That can't be right surely. We've had a drinks break and about ten substitutions made this half.
+2 Inácio shown the yellow card. Will that be his last contribution ever in a Sporting shirt? We wait to see.
Full time
CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 6
The final word
This is one of those games where you'd go “I'd hate to have to name a man of the match,” and then I remember I always have to name a man of the match. So for now let's concentrate on the scoreline and second half performance as Sporting scored 4 and absolutely ripped the newly promoted side to pieces. Interestingly Gonçalves has just been named the Betclic man of the match and I don't think he'd even make it in my top five.
Kovačević definitely had his best game for Sporting to date and the Thomas goal was a good strike which would have beaten most keepers so you can't have any complaints there.
Diomande continues to prove for me at least that he's the defender that is best suited in the centre of the three. He's the natural born leader which Inácio for me isn't and if we have to lose one of the two then it's Gonçalo every day of the week especially if we get €60m for him. He couldn't stay with Thomas for his goal so you imagine he'll have a truly torrid time against some of the wingers in the Premier League.
As well as Bragança took his goal he continues to infuriate me. Little less sorting your hair out, little less of trying to smash it in from 20 yards, a bit more thought and slow your game down. He's clearly got some talent there but I just don't see him having a big future in the game. There's too many aspects of his game need working on. Yet unlike Edwards he seems to be the chosen one and if I was the Englishman I'd be taking a look sideways and thinking what more do I have to do because I'm better than golden bollocks over there.
Gyökeres is still not fully fit, he just scored another brace, nearly took the net off for both of his goals and could easily have had three or four. I repeat he's not fully fit. The guy is a phenomenon. Yet he's still not my man of the match but he goes ahead of Gonçalves.
Trincão again didn't do much throughout the game but scored two and could equally have come away with the match ball. That is what you want from your forward players - clinical finishing. We had it with Slimani, we definitely had it in spades with Bas Dost. I don't care how much you contribute overall if you're taking the chances presented to you. That being said I'd still be starting Edwards next game if he's not departed for Juventus during the week.
Morita played well. Nothing fancy, just a neat little performance which he's needed to show after the first couple of games.
My man of the match will come down to either Geny or Quenda and it's really a coin toss. Both caused problems on either flank, both defended well when needed. I know Gonçalves scored one and assisted twice but I'm not buying he was man of the match. Quenda won the penalty and Geny assisted the second for Trincão. Neither winger really put a foot wrong but I can't give it to two men, I'm not five years old anymore. This isn't primary school and as Nacional found out not everyone comes away a winner. Geny it is - just. I know he won't get near over people's choices but I'm not a cheap date. The most important factor is Sporting held fast, didn't panic and when it was needed blew the opposition out for the water. Against Porto they should have won whatever Porto fans may claim to the contrary. Nine goals in two games. NINE goals. If we keep Gyökeres you can make a believer out of me. That's the only commitment you're getting out of me at this stage of the season.
.svg%20(1).png){kind=logo}
Comments
Post a Comment