Sporting CP 1 FC Porto 0

Sporting CP v FC Porto 
Tuesday January 7th, 2025
Estadio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa
Taça da Liga Semi Final

The warm up

You have to imagine Porto would have preferred to be playing this game at home considering they've won all nine league games to date at the Dragão conceding only two goals in the process, whereas they've come to the *Jose Alvalade already this season and lost 2-0. That being said, this is now the Taça da Liga and we are well aware of Porto having the upper hand in the Supertaça and the Taça de Portugal in recent memory and things come in threes. However they also say that the third time's a charm. Maybe whoever said them originally could have gotten around a table and chosen different numbers so they didn't contradict each other? Must have been men who came up with both, that's all I'm saying. 

Do I start with Friday's 4-4 draw against Vitória or with Braga's 2-1 away win on Saturday against the dirty pigeons to leave them three points behind in the table still? Jesus both seem like a cheese dream and too daft to actually have been real events. Unless I'm sleep typing (as opposed to my normal sleep walking) I'm guessing they both did happen and I'm not about to wake up and go - I had the weirdest dream last night…

This season the league really could go down to the wire and be separated by head to head records. Benfica had won all 8 home games before Saturday's defeat. Despite Sporting's draw on Friday night they still have the best away record at the halfway stage and that's having dropped seven points on the road. You'd be an idiot to even think of calling it at the halfway stage. OK fine I'm an idiot I know, but I'm not that idiot. Well not today anyway. 

If I think back to the opening move on Friday night where Sporting cut through the entire Vitória team like butter and then scored less than a minute later, that game really should have been a walk in the park. All through my last post I kept referencing that Vitória kept conceding late on and with twenty minutes to go I even wrote that Sporting will get their fourth in the 95th minute so it wasn't a surprise we scored in additional time. The fact we conceded four in that game was mind boggling though. The passing move that led to the third goal for Gyökeres was such a thing of beauty. I know it was a tap in at the end but at times during the game like that example, Sporting made it look so easy. Then at other times you could easily believe someone that told you that this was their first time playing together - well defensively at least. 

In a game where Sporting scored four it was a game of very few chances for us which surprised me I have to say, with just five shots on target. Thankfully Gyökeres was back on form where he converted all three chances he had on the night. In all Sporting had 9 attempts, that's the lowest figure in the league in the entire first half of the season. The lowest in all competitions was against Club Brugge with 8. Against Manchester City and PSV we also had 9, otherwise it's always been in double figures. The season high came in the 3-0 away win to Famalicão where they registered 33 attempts. Against Farense they had 29 and Rio Ave 27. Those games against Famalicão and Farense and also the one against Arouca had the most shots on target during the 90 with 11 in total. Truthfully though it's like possession statistics, they really count for nothing if you're not taking the chances or keeping the opposition ones from hitting the back of the net. 

Are we missing Sebastián Coates? I think we most definitely are now. Are we missing Coates more than Amorim? I'm going to go out on a limb and say the answer to that question is yes. That calm head in the middle, that voice that guided the youngsters, the player that embodied that never say die attitude more than any other during the two league title wins. That's not to say I don't think Hjulmand is a great fit as captain by the way. You can see his passion and commitment to the cause. Danish player of 2024 to boot to go alongside Gyökeres who was the Swedish player of 2024. It's like having preschoolers from a nursery at the back sometimes. They all seem to be cursed with a moment of madness, a misplaced pass, a lack of awareness… whatever you want to call it. Kovačević was supposed to be good with the ball at his feet but somehow contrives to find an opposition player on a more regular basis than his teammates. Israel is hopeless with the ball at his feet. Neither seems to actually be any good as a goalkeeper. That always blows my mind in modern footballer, that coaches are more concerned with having a keeper who can operate as an extra man out on the pitch but who can't fucking save a shot. 

Debast, Quaresma and Inácio all have that rick in their game. The latter for me certainly garnered his reputation because Coates walked him through 90 minutes. Diomande’s issue isn't as much talent, it's his temperament. Reis at present just seems to be auditioning for the remake of the Benny Hill show taking out assistant referees and sliding off the pitch and into the dugout. I can't tell you what St Juste is doing because I watch behind closed fingers waiting for him to break again. It's horrible knowing the next collision could set him back again. 

We've seen two games under Rui Borges where for 45 minutes you can't fail to have been impressed… followed by 45 minutes where you're thinking this really isn't the best game plan to sit back and defend. If you did it in reverse say on Friday and sat back and conceded the goals the other way around with 3 in the first half you'd go that was a really stupid fucking idea, you've got all this attacking talent at your disposal so why aren't you fully utilising it? I get that Rui Borges leaving Vitória raised the game of his old players and the crowd gave them an extra 10% on top but Vitória really were utter dog shit at times during that game especially defensively. Sporting either walked through their entire team or were afforded enough time and space to not only have built a yacht but then sailed it through after. You watch the reaction of Araújo when he came on and the Vitória players knew instantly that they could throw him off his game and wind him up. Maybe a lot of Sporting players were equally as guilty at times? It just so happens I've singled him out because they happened to show the replay of the two events where you could clearly see he'd been rattled. What's done is done, you can't change it. 

In the Supertaça, Sporting absolutely played Porto off the park until the point that they didn't. At 3-0 you're already counting your winnings, you imagine the trophy being lifted and the excitement for the season that lies ahead is unparalleled. You're champions of Portugal, you've got the first silverware of the season in the bank…. Life's great as a Sportinguista. The next day was like the Saturday after Vitória going how the fuck having Sporting conceded four times in that game? This is a semi final which awaits which I'm not sure I've actually mentioned up until this point meaning two games away from potential silverware for one side of the remaining four. Benfica and Braga meet for the second time this week in tomorrow's other game. Sporting fell at the same hurdle to Braga who are the reigning champions of this competition. If Porto and Vitória are games where I'm going how did we concede four times, then Braga from last season is the game where I'm still going how the fuck did we lose that? I mean I do know the answer which largely centres around the fact that everyone kept taking their anger out on the woodwork and not on the net. 

Will we see the Sporting that lost the Supertaça or the Sporting that won 2-0 in the league? I genuinely have no idea. I think I sold my soul before the Braga game and wrote that I'd take a loss if it meant we lifted the league title. Problem is I've no soul left to sell this season and with Portugal being such a devout Catholic country means I might be short on volunteers if I say it's your turn. Well like Friday night, what will be will be. I'll settle for it being another game closer to getting some more bodies back from injury and hope we don't lose anymore. 

Porto should be the more refreshed of the two sides after their Friday night game was abandoned although having said that on one of the betting sites the game clock was still showing and had gotten up to 1,420 minutes played at one stage so if Porto players do look a little leggy that'll be why.

So 72 hours after the Vitória game I'm going to summarise by saying that I still can't quite get my head around that result and be honest enough to admit that I've zero excitement ahead of the third Classico of the season. It's not quite a malaise but it's definitely as the French would say je ne sais quoi. 

I'm staying away from the transfer rumour mill other than what A Bola have printed this week, namely that Como are apparently in for Fresneda. Last season I couldn't have gotten rid of him fast enough whereas the cameo appearances in the cup this season wide left have suggested that actually there is a player in there somewhere. That being said, if they can recoup the fee paid for him and he's the chance of regular first team football then you would have to wish him well. The fact he's come on as a substitute the last two games suggests that Rui Borges wants to look at him. The fact Edwards hasn't gotten on once suggests the complete opposite for him. 

* Apologies, being a semi final it's not a home fixture and the game is taking place as it did last season at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria. Just in case anyone thinks I edit these after to make myself look clever. NOPE. You get the warts and all so sometimes I occasionally read like I know what I'm talking about and times like these my heads away in the clouds.

In the markets

Sporting 17/10

Draw 21/10

Porto 7/4

To qualify

Sporting 4/5

Porto 19/20

Team News

Starting XI

Israel, Reis, St Juste, Diomande, Fresneda, Araújo, Hjulmand, Morita, Geny, Trincão and Gyökeres

Substitutes

Kovačević, Debast, Inácio, Quaresma, Esgaio, Brito, Simões, Quenda and Harder

With a question mark hanging over the future of Fresneda he's given the chance to impress I'm his preferred position of right back with Quaresma named amongst the substitutes. Araújo comes in wide left for Quenda.

A returning name amongst the substitutes as Inácio is fit enough to return to the matchday squad. Esgaio is also back having served his suspension. Edwards is reported to be injured albeit Rui Borges pre game press conference answer on the Englishman's absence was somewhat cryptic.

First Half

If the Portuguese FA were going for a statement opening they've somewhat fallen short. This has all the feel of a pre-season friendly and not the semi final of the Allianz Cup. Sporting in their black, green and white horizontal striped kit, Porto will play looking like eleven tangerines. Vítor Bruno the Porto mister sits on the bench looking like a man who would rather be anywhere else at that moment. Porto get us underway. Sporting will attack right to left.

1 Porto start in a bizarre 1-2-7 formation and punt the ball long. Sporting turned defence into attack and only the final ball from Geny stopped that from being one of the worst kick offs the competition will have ever seen. Brentford they're certainly not.

7 Geny penalised for a foul on Pepe. You'd think by his reaction he'd been shot. He barely touched his foot. Free kick 30 yards out. Sporting easily clear their lines. Karma. I see Porto still have the same acting coach even if they've changed the mister.

10 Tepid opening on and off the pitch. Very little atmosphere from those in attendance and in fairness nothing for them to shout about on the pitch either. I'm already crossing everything that this doesn't go into extra time.

11 Despite having two men against six Porto somehow manage to get a corner from an attack. Fresneda the man who came across and took no chances after St Juste and Trincão failed to clear their lines.

13 Quenda is hurriedly stripping off as Reis receives treatment for an injury. Substitution is made. How many times will I write the revolving door comment this season where we get one player back only to lose another? Inácio clearly not considered fit enough for 77 minutes of football with Quenda coming on.

17 Trincão catches his foot in the flat advertising panel behind the goal and tumbles in the hoarding in front. Does no one ever consider player safety? Thankfully he's OK.

18 González goes close for Porto from 16 yards as his effort narrowly goes wide of Israel's left post. Sporting fortunate he hit it as he slipped. That came from a neat turn in the box from the baby faced youngster Mora.

22 You can tell the game is that exciting when I've time to look up how old Mora is. 17 apparently and doesn't look a day over 15.

23 I'm really hoping after the frenetic opening 45 minutes to Borges’ first two games that tonight we'll see the reverse based on what we've seen so far. From memory the game at the Alvalade was just as bad in the first half. This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time

28 Mora strikes wide from 20 yards. Poor finish but Sporting need to keep an eye on him because he looks dangerous in and around the box. Enjoy him while you can Porto fans and hope he's not signed to Jorge Mendes

31 Professional foul on Trincão. No yellow shown. That's poor from the referee. That's was blatant from Otavio.

32 Geny tries from 18 yards but his shot is blocked.

38 Israel comes to collect a hopeful ball into the box. Takes the faintest of touches to the hip and goes down like he's auditioning for the role of Porto keeper. That was poor form on his part just in case the ball fell to a Porto player after he'd basically fluffed his lines.

39 Quenda with a shot from 18 yards blocked. Just delayed the chance to see if something better would open up. Definitely the right idea but a tad desperate in the end.

40 Gyökeres has had enough. Cuts in from the left, beats two players and curls one a yard wide of the far right hand corner. It's taken almost the entire first half for the first bit of quality from Sporting.

Plus two shown

+1 Quenda effort from 22 yards deflects off a defender and almost catches the keeper Ramos out as the ball changed trajectory

+2 Hand in the Porto box as the ball flicks up off the defenders foot and onto his hand. Referee says no penalty which is spot on.

Half time

Sporting CP 0 Porto 0

If this was an English semi final the commentators would probably be banging on about players from both sides being nervous. I guess they could be but in reality that would just paper over the cracks of a game of very little quality. The only real thing of note from a Sporting point of view was the Gyökeres chance five minutes short of half time.

Araújo has offered nothing on the left this half. He definitely is the new Arthur. It appears to be a question of whether he fancies it tonight or not and tonight so far is one of those games where he doesn't. Geny has certainly looked brighter on the other wing and has found Quenda wide open in the centre on a couple of occasions. We don't generally get to see the pair of them link up during a game so nice to see they have a good understanding together which could pay dividends.

This game could go the way of last year's semi-final and end in a 1-0. Let's just hope it's to Sporting. Also let's hope someone takes the microphone from whatever knobhead is trying to drum up interest in Domino's Pizza at half time.

Second half

Shot of Nuno Santos in the executive box looking like he's auditioning for the remake of eight mile. Don't let him too close to the glass. Paulinho lurking in the tunnel like a frustrated Dad waiting for his kids to get their arse in gear. Porto have taken to the field and Sporting are nowhere to be seen.

Sporting get us back underway. Please no extra time.

50 Galeno is cutting a rather forlorn figure tonight. Every time they show him close up his head is down. He looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. Know that feeling.

52 Just a reminder that the goals in the 2-0 home win came in minutes 72 and 93.

53 Quenda plays a clever ball to the near post trying to find Hjulmand but it's cut out by the defender.

54 Quenda tries the same approach but this time it's cut out by Galeno who heads clear

55 GOAL Sporting CP 1 Porto 0. Who else but that man again Viktor Gyökeres who lifts the ball over the keeper from 7 yards. Quenda with a superbly weighted pass cut open the Porto defence and the Swede still with work to do made it look easy. Three times in three minutes it's been the youngster who's looked to create the opening and this time it pays off.

62 Galeno clearly been given licence to now venture forward heads over from 8 yards

62 Morita shown the yellow card as Hjulmand sold him short with a pass and very little option but to bring down González

63 Porto free kick outside the area as Hjulmand makes the challenge. The ball had broken loose and Porto were claiming for a penalty in the second phase but the referee had already blown for the earlier challenge

65 Let's hope Israel has learnt from Friday night. Free kick played wide right instead of a shot on goal and the chance is blocked. Waste of a free kick

66 Vieira booked for a foul on Araújo. His reaction is one of disbelief. Little bit of pay back which is ironic given Porto's histrionics every time one of their players is ever fouled

66 Simões being readied on the bench. Could be for Morita having already been booked. The referee has finally decided to start penalising challenges this half

68 Gyökeres taken down a yard outside of the box. No foul given. He's been checked by the defender and whilst he exaggerated the fall it was definitely a foul. One of the technical staff from Sporting is shown the yellow.

69 Simões for Morita. The Japanese midfielder is all smiles and receives a big hug from Borges.

70 Israel sells St Juste short with a pass and he concedes possession to Porto. Comes to nothing thankfully but Israel would be better off just wellying the ball clear more often than not

70 Gyökeres combines with Araújo who cut the ball back perfectly for Trincão but somehow from ten yards he gets it all wrong and can only put the ball out for a goal kick

71 Eustaquio shown the yellow for a foul on Gyökeres I think. There were two fouls in the same play, one on him and one on Hjulmand.

72 Simões shown the yellow. Referee has been playing the in-play cards market at half time clearly. Imagine he's a good friend to have at Christmas and keeps the Portuguese postal service in business if this is anything to go by.

75 Simulation in the box from Galeno who felt Hjulmand's arm and went down like Jenga. Why don't they book players in that situation?

76 Hjulmand booked for a shirt pull. I say shirt pull, by the end it was maybe more akin to a poorly executed rugby tackle around the waist. He won't be swapping disciplines any time soon

78 I think with the two captains wearing headphones prior to kick off that two of the mascots must be autistic. The fans in attendance doing a really admirable job of providing no atmosphere as if everyone got the memo.

80 Samu blasts over from 17 yards. I'm sure Chelsea were in for the lad for an awful lot of money in the summer. Blimey 13 goals in 14 league games and 5 in 6 Europa League games. Who knew. Clearly not me and nothing to indicate on tonight's performance he'd been doing that well.

84 Porto still searching for an equaliser. Samu with the chance again heads over from 6 yards

86 Fresneda cuts out a cross for a corner kick. St Juste with a cultured hoof clears Sporting's lines.

88 Harder and Quaresma swap out for Fresneda and Trincão

89 Long ball into the box goes all the way through for a goal kick. Unsurprisingly Israel in no hurry to take it.

Plus four shown

+1 Otavio tries from what must have been fully 30 yards out. Brings a diving save from Israel

+1 Throw in from Quaresma except he throws it straight out. Never seen that before. I say straight out, I don't think he even threw it in. Just always out down the line.

+1 Quaresma now concedes a free kick wide left in a dangerous position. Israel punches clear. Not his best 30 seconds in a Sporting shirt

+3 Gyökeres pulled back by González who picks up a yellow card. Sporting again in no hurry to take it

+4 Amazingly the referee blows exactly on four minutes. Sporting progress through to the final at the weekend.

Full time

Sporting CP 1 Porto 0.

Whilst no one put the Classic into Classico we care very little when you finish on the winning side. That definitely a game where if you didn't watch it and the club put out a paltry highlights video of 1:31 then you're the beneficiaries and the real winners because you've missed nothing.

After the chaos of Friday night a clean sheet was most welcome and the new mister can boast a win in both his first derby and Classico and he's only three games in. Amorim never had the best of records in either head to head so he can chalk that one down for anyone who will undoubtedly look to compare the two as time goes on.

If Porto were all the fresher for having their game abandoned because of fog Friday night then it didn't show. Overall in terms of quality, of which there was very little, they shaded it. There no point in me trying to sell anyone that didn't watch the game the notion that this was a complete Sporting performance because it wasn't. But it was professional and in Gyökeres they have the man that can make the difference when it's needed. He had a sighter in the first half which was all of his own volition as it so often is and then when the best chance came he took it. Ultimately I and everyone else from a Sporting perspective at least will be grateful it didn't go to extra time because no one needed more of that game.

I look at the league table (and I'm acutely aware this was a cup game) and I worry about both Porto and the dirty pigeons. In truth though Sporting's biggest danger in the league right now is themselves. If it comes down to a head to head record I've not seen anything from either team that leaves me thinking they're good enough to beat us. We just simply cannot afford to drop points elsewhere.

Back to tonight's game … Hjulmand must have covered every blade of grass and led by example. We might not have seen an awful lot from Gyökeres up front but he makes Cold Palmer at Chelsea look warm bloodied when he's in this type of form in front of goal. That's four down for 2025. 59 to go if he's to better his record in 2024. I think only he would pressure himself to go one better.

Quenda was key in the second half. He looked much more effective wide left than Araújo did during the game. Three times in the past two games he's over hit passes and I've been left groaning but the weight of pass and the accuracy for the goal was spot on. Oh and in fairness he did get two assists on Friday night and he seems to be regaining his confidence after the miss against Boavista I think it was?

My man of the match goes to Fresneda which might be a bit left field as a choice but he was everywhere at the right time and especially at the points where it counted the most. He had a disastrous game against Atalanta last season but at the end of the day they went on to lift the Europa League so a number of players across Europe did during the campaign so he's not alone. That didn't do him any favours and I was highly critical at the time. However he really impressed me in the two earlier rounds playing left wing back out of position from his favoured side on the right. The fact he's come on in the last two games suggests that Borges has seen something he likes coupled with the start tonight and he's repaid that faith. He's clearly over his injury, has a great attitude and motor on him. Life in Como you'd imagine would be nice but I don't think he'll want to swap a title charge for a relegation dogfight. He'll be looking for assurances over playing time but he's fully warranted a start in the final on that performance.

So the dirty pigeons take on Braga tomorrow night. Braga will be in a buoyant mood after their 2-1 over the weekend in the league and look to make it a double. Selfishly I'd love that game to go into extra time. I'll probably discover it goes straight to penalties and I'll have had nothing to worry about tonight had Porto equalised.

It's not Sporting's trophy to lose but they've ensured that ahead of tomorrow night

they're won of three teams who can still fight to win it.