Sporting CP 3 CD Nacional 1
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Sporting host Nacional in the quarter finals of the Taça da Liga having already met in the league earlier this season, a game which saw the lions come away from the island of Madeira 6-1 winners. The season hasn't gotten any easier for the newly promoted side who've recorded a solitary victory in all competitions since the start of the season, that coming at home to Farense, a game in which they won 2-0. They failed to overcome second division opposition in their recent away trip to União de Leiria in the Taça de Portugal losing 2-1.
Nacional have only ever registered one victory against Sporting, that coming in February 2011. Out of 23 previous meetings in League and cup, Sporting have won 15 and the two sides have played out 7 draws.
Sporting now have 21 straight league victories at the José Alvalade and whilst Nacional are one of only two clubs to have found the net against the lions in the league this season, their first thought you imagine will simply be how to avoid another humiliating defeat.
Nacional in the league have an XG of 10.2 after 8 games having played one less than everyone else after their game against the dirty pigeons was abandoned owing to severe weather conditions. Yet their goals scored tally sits at 4 for the season. No player has scored more than a solitary goal, they rank 5th in the table of big chances missed in games with 14 to date. Sporting in fairness top that particular metric with 23 big chances missed but they've scored 26 more in the league than their visitors albeit having played one game more so we'll let the lions off. They're certainly not adrift sat second bottom in the table only a point behind Boavista and Estrela and two behind Arouca and usually you'd suggest the cup would be a welcome rest bite for the players but I'm guessing maybe not in this particular case. Still clichéd as it may be to write, this will be their cup final in theory and they'll want to give a good account of themselves as professionals and for their fans and families and stranger things have happened in football. I'll hold my hands up and say that in the opening 45 of the game in Madeira they really impressed me and I felt that home games would clearly be an advantage given the distance teams have to travel. Lisboa to Madeira for example is 967 Kms. Now you'll see what happens when it's Nacional's turn to make the return journey to what is fast turning into an impregnable fortress. Just for context for any readers in England as the crow flies Land's End to John O'Groats is just 3 km further a distance.
The match report from the last game can be accessed using the link below;
https://outsideofthepride.blogspot.com/2024/08/nacional-v-sporting-cp.html
Team News
With the games coming thick and fast you'd envisage that Conrad Harder will be afforded another opportunity to lead the line. Vladan Kovačević will try to earn his first clean sheet of the season having conceded a goal in each of his appearances against Nacional, Portimonense and Rio Ave. With Nuno Santos having been taken off on a stretcher Saturday night away to Famalicão, Maxi Araújo should get the chance to stretch his legs in anger. News coming out on Sunday that the damage has ended the season of the left winger so I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing him well for the recovery ahead. Another opportunity for Brazilian central defender Bruno Ramos to grab some more minutes and again similarly with St Juste as he continues his rehabilitation from another long day off. Matheus Reis is close to full fitness again so that could allow for Inácio to get some much needed rest. Maybe even another cameo appearance from Ricardo Esgaio who despite being the oldest player now in the squad at 31 has been the preferred choice over the 20 year old Iván Fresneda. It will be interesting to see if any clubs in his native Spain come knocking for his services in January. You have to imagine he'd jump at the opportunity of a loan move or maybe something permanent. As an option for right wing back he's 4th choice behind Geny, Quenda and Esgaio. Even if you saw him more as a right sided central defender he'd be behind Debast, Quaresma, St Juste and even Bruno Ramos.
Starting XI
Kovačević, Fresneda, Esgaio, Inácio, Reis, Geny, Hjulmand, Morita, Araújo, Harder and Edwards
Substitutes
Israel, St Juste, Gyökeres, Debast, Trincão, Bragança, Diomande, Simões and Quenda
So do we talk about the elephant in the room? I guess it's hard not to but let's just maybe state that with Sporting having to formally announce Manchester United's approach for Amorim to the stock exchange, this could very well be his last ever matchday squad as coach. Time will tell. Of course if it is to be he'll have left me with egg on my face as he starts with Fresneda, Esgaio, Inácio and Reis. I'll reach for my favourite home truth which is at least you know I don't edit these things after the Lord Mayor's show to make myself appear clever. I'm happy to take the hit.
A long awaited return for Marcus Edwards to the starting XI and another chance for Harder to add to his burgeoning reputation and goal tally. A space on the bench for 17 year old Simões and you wouldn't bet against the youngster being given game time at the end of the match. That will be something like the 24th or 25th academy player he's given a debut to which will be Amorim's real legacy. That's an incredible number and you're not talking about a coach who has been with the one club for a decade or more.
One thing I've learned following Sporting is that no one is bigger than the Clube. I asked the question of how this side would react when it gets punched in the mouth. I was expecting that punch to come from Manchester but from the blue half not the red. David Sullivan has waited a lot of years to get the last laugh after Bruno de Carvalho labelled him as one of the dildo brothers along with the late David Gold. Well BdC thankfully is long gone but it would be ironic if a West Ham win cost Eric Ten Hag his job and then robbed Sporting of it's coach in turn. I was joking with a friend of mine who's followed Sporting all his life and whether he looks at this side and thinks this isn't the club I fell in love with. I used the example of whether the side Bruno Fernandes played in maybe made him better than he really was. Then I wondered whether Bruno was the sort of player that would have fit into an Amorim side and I wasn't convinced he would be and then 24 hours later I'm left with the realisation I might actually find out. Would it make a difference if I said it was a rhetorical question?
In the markets
Sporting 1/12 or to qualify 1/25
Draw 8/1
CD Nacional 25/1
First half
There may well be a bitter aftertaste to Pelo meu Sporting given it of course is sung to Sinatra's My Way. "And now the end is near…"
Amorim has definitely done it his way too.
No surprise to see a packed Alvalade as Nacional get is underway. Sporting in the more traditional colours of green and white will attack right to left.
1 Less than a minute gone and a speculative long range effort from 30 yards plus by Gomes straight at Kovačević who spills the ball but there's no Nacional player within 20 yards
2 Reis overlaps on the left and puts a ball to the far post cleared for a corner. Flicked header from Reis at the near post brings a diving save from Franca and a second quick corner. Reis has started wide of the back three with Inácio centre. Esgaio is once more on the right.
4 Mistake at the back from Nacional sees Franca racing out of his box to save his defenders blushes .
6 Corner to Sporting finds Hjulmand who's header goes harmlessly wide of the back post. That came about from pressure by Fresneda as the last man wide left.
7 Very surreal atmosphere tonight. I think the claques have boycotted the game in reaction to the proposed changes with the Taça format.
9 Double chance. First Fresneda smashes the ball against the near post from 13 yards and then Hjulmand tries to sneak the ball in from a narrow angle but Franca is equal to it. The Dane was offside in the buildup looking at the replay
10 Another double chance. Harder rides a challenge in the box and gets a shot away from a really narrow angle. Geny then fires wide of the far post.
13 Fresneda actually looks a proper player filling in the Nuno Santos role. I've genuinely been impressed
14 Sporting are calling for handball. I take it there isn't VAR because he looks like he was playing volleyball there blocking Geny's shot. Fresneda had beaten two men running into the box in the buildup. Have I woken up in a parallel universe?
14 Harder fouled in prime real estate for Araújo presumably to have a go...
16 No Geny it is from 23 yards. Found the gap in the wall but the ball travels harmlessly over the bar.
18 Edwards shot blocked from 10 yards. That came about from a Harder flick on.
20 I think I've been fooled into thinking there were more fans in the stadium than there really is as they all stood with scarves outstretched when they sang the anthem. Now it's just vast spaces of empty seats.
21 Just to iterate that point as if reading my mind the TV producer shows the large gap where the claques would be behind the goal behind Kovačević
22 Fresneda caught short with a ball from Kovačević but alert enough to correct the error and clear his lines
22 Araújo goes down clutching his mouth in the box. He took a huge whack from the defenders shoulder. Harder was taken out in the buildup on the edge of the D. No penalty, no free kick. That ladies and gentlemen is why we have VAR in league games
24 Everything good is coming from Fresneda at the moment. Neat little roll of the ball under his foot tricks his marker as he makes space and he aims a ball to the far post but no one there attacking.
26 The only thing shining from the referee's performance so far is his head which he looks like he's had it polished especially for the cameras.
27 The time wasting from Franca is getting all the more ridiculous.
31 Penha wastes the best opportunity Nacional have had since the first minute and blasts over from 16 yards
32 Fresneda goes down in the box. His reaction suggested he felt it was a penalty. Definitely another handball in the buildup but the defender couldn't do much about it. His colleague headed the ball straight onto his hand. Looks like Fresneda may have had a point as his legs were taken.
36 Franca has had treatment twice already this half. Pretty sure this was Nacional's game plan last time to time waste and thankfully Sporting scored before half time to make it 2-1
36 Header flashes wide from Rocha that was never going to trouble Kovačević who watched it sail by
41 Tame shot off the shin looking at the replay straight at Kovačević from Esteves maybe.
42 Franca tips a drilled cross from Geny out for a corner. Surprised he didn't need treatment on his hand there.
Plus three
+2 Finally Franca goes into the book for time wasting to huge ironic applause
Half time
Sporting CP 0 Nacional 0
I'm sure referee's will try to claim that the introduction of VAR hasn't changed how they officiate a game but without it tonight it's obvious it has because this referee hasn't got a single one of the big calls correctly. You can see him almost waiting for someone to help him out and by the time he's remembered there's no assistance he's no idea of what actually occurred. Sporting should have had two penalties and it took until the 47th minute for Franca to be booked for time wasting.
It's a strange old atmosphere tonight. No joy, just an awful lot of whistling. The odd cry of Sporting. I know it's not the reason why fans aren't in the Alvalade tonight but English football should take it as a warning sign that when you treat the fans badly, take away concessions and overprice tickets, fans stay away, you dilute your product and this is the end result. If this is Amorim's last game in charge and will feel like a real kick in the teeth to him I'm sure but he'll support the fans choice. You can't just tout your home competitions to the highest bidder to take them overseas.
Shout out to Fresneda who looks like he's played left wing back all his life. He's been brilliant this half and that's the best performance from anyone in that position this season. Harder has caused a nuisance of himself at times. Edwards has the ball stuck to his feet as if by magic and probably should have done better with this blocked effort midway through the half. At least with Franca being booked it should speed the second half on it nothing else.
Second half
➡️⬅️ Gyökeres is stripping off. Trincão already stood on the side ready to come on. Debast stands alongside him. Fresneda has already sat back down. Ironic given he was the best player for Sporting that first half. Finally the Swede is ready. Edwards and Inácio the other two players to make way.
Sporting get us back underway. Stadium announcer gives the fans a helping hand with the start of e dia de jogo. Finally some sort of atmosphere.
46 Sporting put four past Nacional in the last second half between the two sides. Repeat would be nice after a goalless first half.
47 Whistles from the home fans once more to remind the referee Franca is taking his time with the goal kicks.
48 Gyökeres first chance as he heads over from 8 yards. Too much height and pace on the pullback from the byline
49 Gyökeres bundled off the ball on the edge of the 18 yard box. Referee waves away his protests
50 First goal is coming. Geny loses his marker and his shot from a narrow angle on the right deflects for a corner
51 Ironic applause as Nacional attempt a shot from the halfway line
52 GOAL Sporting CP 1 Nacional 0. Said it was coming. Like dark rain clouds on the horizon it was a only ever a matter of time before it fell. Morita cut back hit the defenders heel and came to Hjulmand on the edge of the six yard box and he smashed it home low into the far corner. The floodgates should now open with the resistance finally broken
55 Great play from Nacional who played their way out of defence with a series of neat and crisp passes. Just a shame we have to put up with their bullshit time wasting.
56 Harder whips in a ball from the left to Gyökeres on the penalty spot but he can't connect despite throwing himself at the ball. Second goal cannot now be far away
56 ➡️⬅️ Quenda replaces Geny
59 With the amount of attacking talent on the pitch even with just over half an hour to go I'd be disappointed if they don't put four past this Nacional side this half
60 Save from Kovačević low to his right. Curled effort from the right 20 yards out possibly from Dias. Whoever is doing the DOGs isn't helping me
62 You have to wonder if the referee has been told he should have awarded two penalties in the first half as Gyökeres has his legs taken by Rocha. No hesitation there. Penalty Sporting CP.
63 Gyökeres the man with the ball, places it on the spot. GOAL Sporting CP 2 Nacional 0. Never in doubt as the keeper dived to his right and watched as the ball stayed central and nearly took the net off.
65 GOAL Sporting CP 2 Nacional 1. Strike from 26 yards deflects off another Nacional player to leave Kovačević wrong footed. Macedo is credited with the goal. The Serbian cannot catch a break in the Sporting goal.
68 Free kick awarded for a trip on Trincão.
69 Free kick 23 yards out. GOAL and what a fucking goal. I don't ever remember seeing Gyökeres take a free kick and you have to ask why not. I was bemoaning our lack of talent at set pieces last week. He smashes that into the far right of the net. WOW! GOLAZZO! I said I think we should get four last them this half. Well that's 3 and there's still 21 to play. Sporting's goal of the campaign so far. Sorry Debast. You'd not bet against the Swede completing a second half hat trick. Sporting CP 3 Nacional 1
73 ➡️ ⬅️ Big round of applause for Reis as he jogs off to be replaced by St Juste.
74 Free kick to Nacional inside the Sporting half found a yellow head but it goes wide and out for a goal kick
75 Trincão with the effort from 25 yards deflects to safety
77 Nacional corner found Gomes unmarked at the far post having stolen a march. Inexplicably he heads wide from maybe 3 yards. Huge let off for Sporting. He knows it as well from his reaction.
80 Quenda having some fun out wide right lost his marker and burst into the box only to see his effort blocked
82 Strong claim from Kovačević from a long ball into the box. Quick throw saw Sporting counter with pace and the move ended with a good chance for Harder from 20 yards which didn't miss by much. That will give the Bosnian some degree of comfort at least come the final whistle.
85 Big chance missed from Araújo who just needed an extra touch too many. Quenda with excellent play wide right whipped in a ball to the Uruguayan who elected not to hit it first time into an empty net
86 Esgaio cross headed clear straight to Hjulmand who pulls his shot wide of the left hand post from 20 yards
87 Sporting have got their tails up and if this game was heading into half time rather than full you could well believe they'd finish with 7 or 8. There's real arrogance and swagger for the first time in weeks. If this is a send off to Amorim they're doing it style for the boss
Plus three shown
+2 Sporting are in no hurry now. Pointless substitution for Nacional. It's amazing they ever catch a plane on time off the mainland with all their time wasting.
Full time
Sporting CP 3 CD Nacional 1
The final word
Well if you were looking for a clue from Amorim as to his intentions he's not giving anything away as he embraces the Nacional coach and makes for the exit.
I'll start with getting my moans out of the way. That was by a country mile the worst piece of officiating by a referee in any game I've seen this season. His performance in the second half was of a man who's been told at half time he's gotten some big calls wrong and he then tries to correct it by then overcompensating. I get why VAR isn't popular but if it was used tonight Sporting go in at half time in theory two goals to the good and ironically that probably means we don't see the half time changes which led to that Gyökeres wonder goal so maybe we should thank the man but with tongues pressed firmly in cheek.
Second moan goes against Nacional who will make no friends in this league with their constant time wasting. They can clearly play, have a good crop of skilful players who have the ability to pass their way out of trouble from the back. It's just ruined by this one tactic. People pay their hard earned money to be entertained and they should come away tonight with credit for their part in an entertaining game but instead it's tarnished with criticism once more in relation to their negative tactics. They tried it at home and got hit with four second half goals. Tried it again and got hit with another three here. Fine try it against an AVS but it's not going to pay dividends against a Sporting side. You wouldn't poke a rottweiler in the bollocks with a large stick so why antagonise the league leaders?
Okay moaning over. Despite the time wasting Nacional did play their part once more in an entertaining game and if that's to be Amorim's swansong then they finished with real aplomb. They looked good enough that second half to have scored the four I predicted and in the second 45 especially they were a joy to watch.
Special praise to Fresneda. It's not hard but that's his best 45 in a Sporting shirt. That's a 45 that surpassed anything Nuno Santos has done in that same roll this season. 48 hours ago I've him walking out the door in January. 48 hours later I've him penned as the solution to Nuno Santos' season ending injury. Did not see that coming and if that's what he's capable of producing on the wrong flank then you'd keep him every day of the week. Gutted for the lad that he was pulled at half time because he would have been a strong shout for man of the match.
In my head Adán only let in two types of goal; screamers and dodgy deflections where you're left thinking how the fuck has that gone in and with Kovačević it would appear to just be the latter. So far there's been no harm done as I'm still not counting the Super Taça but having been brought in as the number one keeper he looks like he's no chance of actually claiming that mantle from Israel. The Uruguayan will have to literally start throwing the ball into the net for the Bosnian to become the number one choice between now and May.
Morita was top drawer again. The problem he has is when you have Gyökeres really at the races that type of performance can get lost. If Gyökeres second 45 was a 9 then Morita's over the 90 was an 8 and would have been good enough in any other side to come away with man of the match. Araújo struggled first half because Fresneda was so effective in the space he'd maybe have occupied. He should have won a penalty for the shoulder into the face first half that left him flattened. I expected the replay to show he'd made a meal of it but watching it in slow motion I think the words that came out of my mouth were among the lines of 'oh fucking hell!' as I winced. That really looked painful. Second half he was just off. For all I find fault with Nuno Santos he scores that same opportunity from the whipped in ball from Quenda that Araújo couldn't adjust his feet for. He just fluffs his lines. Never got going. Where as Quenda was loving life out on the right. That was his thank you note to Amorim for giving him that first opportunity in the Supertaça.
Edwards did enough to remind us there's a good player in there still and he will without doubt be there during the season at points when it counts. Reis again with a solid if unspectacular performance. Overlapped well early on in the first half as a reminder he can play not only in the Nuno Santos roll but the Inácio one too. Harder was industrious, full of hustle and bustle and he'll grow in confidence every week whilst Gyökeres plays out his swansong before he inevitably finds the move to a bigger club hopefully in the summer and not in January. Potentially losing Amorim mid season is one thing, losing Gyökeres in January would be fucking disastrous. The free kick he scores makes you seriously question why he hasn't been allowed to take them on a regular basis before. That was Shearer-esque and that's the first time I've likened him to the Premier League's greatest ever forward. High praise indeed. He's man of the match for me even having just played the 45 minutes.
So like the Clash famously sang "Should I stay or should I go now?" That's the question facing Amorim. At the end of the day Manchester United can still claim to be the biggest team in the world and those opportunities don't come knocking every day of the week. The reported £7 million per annum on offer is more than doubling his salary. But what you're giving up is a side who look capable of a back to back title wins. A side performing in the highest echelons of European Competition. If he goes to United he's inheriting nothing but problems. You wouldn't begrudge him the opportunity if he goes, it's just the timing. If it was the summer then great. He owes us nothing. He'd leave with an amazing platform to hopefully build on and moreover he's brought the club success it hadn't seen for 19 seasons before his arrival. I started this by saying if you were looking for clues at the end of the game then they weren't obvious. You could suggest if it was goodbye he'd have walked out to all four corners and taken the applause of those in attendance. But then he's not really that sort of man. It's not about him. He knows he's not bigger than the club, no man or woman is.
This is Sporting Clube de Portugal.
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