CD Santa Clara 0 Sporting CP 1

The warm up 

After the disappointment of Monday night's draw against Braga, Sporting head for a trip to see Santa. No presents for their coach Vasco Matos who's been a naughty boy and will be replaced on the touchline by their assistant. I've written it before, I'll write it again - you won't find this level of quality of writing and pre game analysis on the Athletic and this remains free for your entertainment and with no intrusive adverts. What more could you want? Three points against Braga? Oh do fuck off. Sadly that I can't provide. 

Let's be honest Monday night's result pales into insignificance as Sporting begin to mourn the sad passing of Aurélio Pereira aged 77, the man credited with the implementation of the clubs recruitment and youth development programme. Amongst Pereira’s roll-call; Luís Figo European footballer of the year in 2000, FIFA world footballer of the year in 2001 and Portugal's most capped footballer until surpassed by another of Pereira’s finds, a little known player by the name of Cristiano Ronaldo. He's not done too badly for himself since he left Sporting either has he? You cannot argue against the legacy this incredible man left this fine institution and the outpouring of grief and thanks for the lives he touched was almost universal. Obrigado Aurélio, may you rest in peace. 

Back to matters ahead on Saturday, Santa remain the only club to defeat Sporting at home since the beginning of last season; 31 games, 28 wins, 2 draws… 1 defeat. Let's just remind ourselves at this junction that we're still Champions of Portugal in case any of you feel like the floor was wiped out from beneath you earlier this week, a side that went 17 and 0 last season at home. If you want the crown you're going to have to wrestle it out of their hands. The only side Gyökeres has never scored against in the league? Step forward Santa Clara again. On his current form I fully expect him to correct that solitary blot on his record come Saturday teatime. In fact it's harder to envisage he won't score in each of his final appearances as he completes his farewell tour. Enjoy him whilst you can people's because he won't be a lion for much longer now. 

Santa currently sit a hugely creditable 5th place in the table*. Considering that they are one of the island clubs based in the Azores and that this is their first season back in the top flight following their promotion as Champions from the second division having finished 18th and been relegated the season before, that's an incredible turnaround in their fortunes. The only slight on their record is that they've drawn and lost as many games combined as they have won but you imagine sitting 5th come April would have been beyond the wildest dreams of most of their fans at the start of the season. 

So we've touched upon their win at the José Alvalade which finished 1-0 for reference and came during what can be politely described as the 'John Pear Tree Blip' period of the season. Revenge was found in the form of a 2-1 win after extra time in the Taça de Portugal noting Gyökeres scored the winner so it's not like he's incapable of scoring against them and let's be fair he's played 90 minutes of league football against them given they weren't around in his debut season. Whilst the 1-0 defeat may have come as a shock to many it was the literal definition of a smash and grab raid. The islanders scored from one of their four shots, we failed to convert any of our 21 attempts and they finished with an xG for the game of 0.37 compared to Sporting's 1.51. However, expected goals don't win games sadly. All told the win was very much an unlikely one. It was a game plan where everything needed to go right for them to succeed. In the last two meetings between the two sides Santa have recorded 35% and 26% of possession. The 26% was again in the 1-0 win. At half time leading 1-0 their xG was just 0.07 meaning their goal statistically at least shouldn't have been a goal. Even their coach was so bored of watching their 5-4-1 formation and conceding possession that he got himself sent off to end the misery. Today he ensured he was suspended so he doesn't even have to be close to the game. Historically Sporting certainly have the edge over them with 11 wins in the previous 13 meetings. 

Two wins in the last seven for the islanders. Last time out they lost 2-0 away to Vitória. That loss followed back to back wins against struggling Gil Vicente and Nacional. The four games previous to that were quite literally top and tailed with defeats to first placed Benfica and the bottom side Boavista. Santa are proof if ever it was needed that sometimes to win a game of football you just need to score one more goal than the opposition. Winning 8-0 still only gets you the same three points as a 1-0. They've found the net a paltry 28 times. Nice easy maths to work out their average goals per game after 28 games. They lead Vitória in the table by a point*. Contrast their two seasons; Santa have lost ten times, Vitória only five. Vitória have scored 40 goals, 12 times more. Undefeated in 23 of their 28 games but crucially 12 of those have been draws. Where does it get you shutting up shop? Well one point off Santa or in our case two points off the pigeons. Couldn't write it really could you. Might as well just go for it. 

So 28 goals scored but only 27 conceded. 9 goalscorers…well 10 if you include whoever scored an own goal on their behalf. Top scorer Vinicius with 8. One area they have no problems in racking up huge numbers with is bookings - 83 which is the most in the league. I'm guessing they don't bother with a team photo at the start of the season they just use their criminal mugshots. Estrela are second with 80 but in fairness to them it felt like 30 of those might have come against Sporting a couple of games back. The referee had done the starting XI, all the substitutes used and unused, coaching staff and then moved onto the fans in the stands. 

Most fouls on average in the league with 16.5 per game. Let's also throw in their four red cards, the fifth highest in the league. Oh and my own personal opinion - they're fucking dreadful to watch play. 

26.8 clearances per game on average - 'get it launched my son.' 265.8 passes on average per game which is just shy of 200 a game less than Sporting though those 200 are probably between the back three and Rui Silva anyway so nothing to boast or write home about. Some of them were definitely crabs in their past lives. Least number of accurate long balls on average per game in the entire league with 21.2 meaning it's kick it to touch or just get the fucking thing launched downfield and clear of the box. Told you, you won't read this top level shit, sorry analysis anywhere else. 

Amazingly they've the sixth highest xG in the league. I say amazingly, they are clearly fifth in the table* but it's only 34.7 and as we've previously ascertained they've only scored 28 so someone's guilty of missing a few sitters. Average possession 45.1%. Sporting should just give them the ball and watch them looking confused as if to say - what am I supposed to do with this? 

Ten clean sheets overall and just 12 conceded in 14 games to date at home. This game doesn't scream classic on paper. 

I appreciate as we're coming up to Easter that I'm about to write about the opposition's business in the winter transfer window but in fairness to me I'm not writing about them every week. They put all their eggs in one basket with the signing of Wendel on loan from Porto B who promptly did his hamstring after 3 games and has been out for the last two months. However, and this is why I wanted to mention it, they let Klismahn, Safira, Almeida, Rildo (yes Rildo with an R), Mehring and Reinaldo leave under various guises of loans and free transfers. Klismahn had 20 games under his belt and was pretty much ever present in their title winning season. Safira 19 games, 2 goals and 2 assists. Side note if the Santa fans didn't sing Safira, Safira to the tune of Hips Don't Lie by Shakira then they've been doing something wrong. Anyways, I guess if you're Santa Clara getting some players just off the wage bill is just a basic necessity of surviving day to day financially and 1 in 6 out makes perfect sense to their business model. Contrast that with our own business., the purchase of Rui Silva is unquestionably smart business but Biel has played a total of six minutes in the league and at a time we've been so short on bodies.

Final point on the islanders, if you weren't familiar with Portuguese football and you verbally heard someone talking about CD Santa Clara would you wonder why they were seedy in the same way some others teams are SAD? Why are they so unhappy? Can't we make them cheer up?

With a two point gap to the leaders now Sporting at least know on a basic level what they need to do to retain their title - win every game. Sounds easy doesn't it? If they can go into the penultimate game knowing a win puts them back in top spot then you're going to see a nervous stadium at da Luz and Sporting have to capitalise on that. However we can't think that far ahead. Trip up before then at any stage and we're royally buggered. Any chance of silverware will then rest on getting through to the final of the Taça de Portugal where the neighbours realistically already booked their place in Jamor winning the first leg of their semi final tie 5-0 and they really could now play their U17s in the second leg. The pigeons have to play us, Sporting Braga and Vitória in their run in. It's there to play for, well for now at least. Let's get to full time Saturday teatime with three points under our belts, go back top and put the immediate pressure on them. 

The club is trying to make some positive headlines with Pedro Gonçalves back in training but he's not match fit and his inclusion in the matchday squad. Any minutes he plays between now and the end of the season will be limited and you can't expect him to produce miracles, it's incredibly unfair on the lad. No, all hopes are pinned on Gyökeres. Give him the ball, wind up the key in his back and let him fly. Let's say its 55/45% in the title race as it stands. It's clichéd but it really is one game at a time. Just do what you need to do. We will all care very little if we're bored senseless and win every game 1-0. A few of us might have had heart attacks though in fairness. 

No stupid acts of petulance from the crowd, no flares stopping the game and affecting players rhythm and concentration when required the most. Can we win the title still? Of course. Will we win it? Who the fuck do you think I am Mystic Meg? No idea. At the turn of the year I'd have said it was going to Benfica even if it fucking pained me to say it. We've had too many hurdles. At some point your foot gets caught in one and you fall flat on your face. The threat of finishing a season and losing all three competitions to the neighbours surely is fuel to the fire to leave every ounce out on the pitch between now and the final game. The shows not over till the fat lady sings. 

*Correct at the time of original posting. Vitória beat Gil Vicente on Friday night 1-0 to leapfrog the islanders into 5th place. 

In the markets 

Santa 21/4

Draw 13/5

Sporting 3/5

Team News 

Starting XI

Silva, Quaresma, Diomande, Inácio, Fresneda, Debast, Hjulmand, Araújo, Trincão, Gyökeres and Geny  

Substitutes 

Israel, Reis, St Juste, Quenda, Esgaio, Felicíssimo, Gonçalves, Harder and Biel

Two changes to the starting XI and both come on the flanks as Reis and Quenda are replaced by Fresneda and Araújo. the Big news, the return of Pedro Gonçalves to the matchday squad, his absence bookended by the two league games against Sporting Braga. You imagine he'll receive a massive welcome back to the fold. Quenda still with the possibility if he comes on, to have featured in every game this season. 

First Half 

Slight delay as the Santa players wait in the tunnel. Maybe Gyökeres is struggling with his socks again. The two teams are greeted by a mixture of sunshine and a coastal breeze as they finally take to the pitch. One hardy local is in the stands in Bermuda shorts and topless. Might need to breathalyse him given Borges has his gillet on. Sporting wear t-shirts in tribute to Aurélio Pereira. The graphics claim the islanders are set to line up in a 3-4-3. I call bullshit before a ball is kicked. T-shirts removed and Sporting once more in black with white and green horizontal stripes. Their graphic of 3-4-3 you can believe. Fans rise to their feet in a mix of applause and dignified silence for in a minute in memory of the late Pereira. Nice touch to see Santa fans join in. 

Finally with the time 1807 we're underway. Sporting kick off attacking left to right. Rather unhelpfully no one has switched on the onscreen graphics with the match timer. Not like they had seven minutes extra time to sort it with the delay to the start. Just saying. 

2 Finally the graphics come on showing the time … 61:30 - you had one job. Free kick inside the Santa half to Sporting played long towards Diomande whose flick on goes out for a goal kick. 

4 Santa sitting back in a … oh yeah a 5-4-1. I called bullshit on the 3-4-3. 

6 The mister might have changed but Borges is facing the same issues as Pereira did at the Alvalade, namely Santa Clara packing bodies behind the ball when defending. 

7 Tame effort scuffed wide from 20 yards by Silva goes harmlessly wide of the left post 

8 Diomande is involved in a tussle. I think it's Silva who goes down holding his face like he's been hit. The referee isn't buying it.

10 Pereira shown the yellow for Santa. Not sure what that was for. 

11 Borges hammers a shot over from 20 yards. Pereira was down inside the box following a slight connection with Quaresma, again you'd have thought he'd been pole-axed by the reaction. Perhaps they're all angling for Hollywood post football careers 

13 If you thought the first league game was shit then this one is providing you with that sense of déjà vu. Oh finally 13:38 into the game the game clock is on the screen. 

15 Sporting falling into the same trap again. Back 3 is encamped on the halfway line. You've got 21 players cramped into one half and then wonder why there's no space to operate in. 

20 Sporting still to register a single attempt in this game. Corner to the home side as Diomande heads behind under no pressure. Silva claims but Sporting too slow to get moving and the islanders back in position 

21 If you're not familiar with the stadium its bowl shaped with no coverage on the stands so sound dissipates largely meaning the atmosphere matches the quality of what's on the pitch. That is to say non fucking existent 

24 Sidney booked for hauling down Gyökeres inside his own half 

25 More playacting this time inside the Santa box. Are you Porto in disguise? 

27 Too strengthen my argument that possession is a worthless statistic, Sporting with 75% and still not a single effort on goal 

28 Silva down clutching his face. OMG it's a miracle. Sweet baby Jesus he's jumped up as if touched by the hand of Christ and cured. 

30 You'd think with so many comments this game has something to write about. It doesn't. I'd just rather watch this screen when I'm typing than the actual game. 

32 If kids are naughty in the Azores I think parents threaten them with having to watch Santa Clara if they don't start to behave 

36 Hjulmand pulled back in the centre. He's cutting a frustrated figure as he barks at the referee. Free kick to Sporting 

37 Debast from fully 36 yards beats the two man wall and brings a one handed save from Batista for the first shot on target and only attempt for Sporting. That one thing moves him ahead in my search for a Sporting man of the match 

39 Another foul on Hjulmand this time Borges is shown the yellow for the offence. Debast tries a different tactic this time and picks out Geny on the far right of the area but his header goes up and out for a goal kick 

41 Long free kick into the box sees a Santa header and a Silva save low to his left. Poor attempt from Vinicius from ten yards. Just couldn't get any power behind the ball

42 Trincão turns and fires wide or the right post from 30 yards or more 

43 Another break in play as two Santa players clash heads together. Fucking irony there, the first genuine injury to their players comes from their own players. Karma. We don't need another five minutes of this shit after the 45. 

Plus two. 

45 Two minutes too many in my book.

46 Geny tries from 20 yards and brings a save once more. 

Half time 

CD Santa Clara 0 Sporting CP 0

I might copy and paste halftime from the José Alvalade and see if anyone can tell the difference just removing the part about Santa scoring and swapping João Pereira for Rui Borges. Pardon my French but fuck me that was a hard watch. Irony as the Rolling Stones starts playing over the tannoy with Start Me Up. Should be a reference to the game which never got started in terms of quality. You make a grown man cry - you're so right Mick Jagger. That was fucking awful to watch. 

The free kick from Debast the solitary piece of quality in that half. So much so they showed it four times from all angles, one replay of the header from Vinicius and that's the first time highlights done. 

If you were asked how you thought Santa would play before kick off you'd have said with eleven men behind the ball. If it's that obvious why aren't you trying to counteract it? You're just playing into their game plan. I can only remember Gyökeres so far because he was felled for a free kick. You're going to need a moment of individual quality to break the deadlock at this rate, or a wicked deflection, or just a good old fashioned howler. Credit to the referee who at least isn't buying their play acting. Monday I wrote more of the same at half time or words to that effect. Borges needs to switch it up early. I'd make changes at half time. Quenda on for Geny or Fresneda, neither have made any real impact. Perhaps Gonçalves could start to write his come back story. He's not going to last 45 though I hasten to add.  

Second Half 

The Clash blares over the Tannoy - Should I stay or should I go now? A question every home fan must ask themselves during every half time. A young Sporting fan claps the players, maybe just for something to do given the away team aren't even out on the pitch yet to save his mind exploding from the boredom that was the opening 45. U2 now on the PA System - I need you to elevate me now. Top trolling from whoever picks the music. 

45 Santa get us back underway. No changes from either side. Sporting's title hopes about to wash away in the North Atlantic Ocean located not far from the stadium as things stand 

47 Huge cheers as the referee takes a tumble after knocking into Hjulmand..game highlight number two 

47 Diving header from Nunes but his massive mop of hair cushions the ball well wide from six yards and out for a goal kick. With that much hair would he be playing someone onside? If he played for Braga would Gyökeres disallowed goal Monday have stood?

49 GOAL Who said take Geny off? What a dick head. Debast stole the ball back in midfield, passed it to Trincão who played a ball with the outside of his boot into the area to Geny who slots it into the bottom left hand corner to make it Santa Clara 0 Sporting CP 1

51 Santa rocking as the keeper is left stranded outside his area as Nunes took the ball past him but somehow they got it clear with the Santa net wide open.  

53 Sporting now living up to the moniker of Lions,  hungry for a second and suddenly with space to operate in. 

54 Silva with a wild swing from eight yards straight out for a goal kick. That went straight as an arrow and his starting position was ten yards wide of the right hand post 

55 Quaresma shown the yellow as he slid in. I thought he won the ball, especially given the route it took after out of play. That looked harsh to me 

57 Vinicius hooks the ball goal wards from 20 yards straight into the arms of Rui Silva. Ambitious 

59 Cultured hoof from inside the Santa half goes all the way to Silva in the Sporting goal. The stats don't lie that I alluded to in my opening 

59 Trincão and Geny combine again, the Africans first touch takes him too close to the goal line and his shot is straight at the keeper. Not sure if that was meant as a shot or an attempt on goal. Gyökeres was open in the centre. I think it was meant more to try find him

61 I've said frequently I think Trincão should drop deeper and he's the playmaker right now, the metronome making Sporting tick. Santa are merely hanging on. 

62 Double change for the home side. Pereira, the ex-Sporting academy product is withdrawn. 

65 Gyökeres fires wide when open from 8 yards. That's a collectors item. Fresneda put that on a plate for him. 

66 Quenda and St Juste replace Quaresma and Fresneda. The latter should now be walking around the pitch with an assist to his name. I'm still trying to figure out how Gyökeres missed that shot a minute ago 

67 Gyökeres wins a free kick with a push in the back. GOAL Debast played it into the box and thanks to some awful defending it's Santa Clara 0 Sporting CP 2. The ball bounced once and evaded every defender into the path of Diomande who headed home from 5 yards. 

68 VAR check ongoing. Presumably to see if the Ivorian was offside. 

69 Diomande ruled offside. Looks correct on the freeze frame his shoulder was just off to the naked eye. As you were Santa Clara 0 Sporting CP 1 

72 Gyökeres knocked to the ground with force ten times that of when he was awarded a free kick and this time nothing given. 13 cms the maths replay on Diomande. It was an inch Monday and today a joke that would get me cancelled 

74 Third change for Santa as top scorer Vinicius is withdrawn. For a side who've scored on average one a game that seems an incredibly bold move 

75 With 15 to play Geny's goal still the difference. Sporting need that second but I did like an idiot say I'd take a 1-0

76 Geny roundly applauded as Harder actually afforded time to come on and make a difference today. He scored against Santa last time out let's not forget

76 Harder wins a free kick within seconds of coming on. He's the nuisance you need in a game like this. Now the defence have two big hulking Scandinavians to contend with 

78 It doesn't look warm out there now the sun has gone in. We've not seen the guy in just his Bermuda shorts again 

79 MT sends Harder to the floor. That's the name on his shirt. How do you say MT? 

80 Santa now have made all five substitutes as the final two changes made. 

80 Araújo screams in agony inside the Sporting box. Deary me. That was pathetic. Hjulmand shown the yellow. Araújo should have done for simulation. I've moaned about the Santa players doing it but none were as bad as that. 

82 Rocha booked as he took out Gyökeres a yard outside the box. Harder and the Swedish star were in the same space. Harders movement opened up the space for Gyökeres to run into. Great combining between the two forwards

84 Debast with free kick duties. Went for the near post past a two man wall. Keeper with a great save and out for a corner 

84 Gonçalves is ready on the sidelines 

85 Araújo beats his man and thought his teammate was running behind and back heeled it to a defender. Deary me 

86 Trincão flattened. Free kick awarded. Sporting wind the clock down 

86 Huge applause as you'd expect as Trincão replaced by Gonçalves. Reis on for Araújo 

87 Reis shot blocked inside the area and rebounds out for a throw. That would have been an introduction and a half 

88 João Costa header from 8 yards flies harmlessly wide. 

Plus five shown 

90 I can feel how sweaty my plans are. Wild swing from 25 yards by Silva takes an awkward bounce but goes wide. Our Silva had it covered 

91 Sporting counter, Gyökeres found Gonçalves whose pass went straight to a defender. Gahhhh. That was on

92 I'm not sure I can watch. I'm six years old watching Doctor Who again petrified 

93 Goal kick to Sporting. Surprised Silva has not been booked for time wasting yet. Debast is down in the centre with cramp. 

94 Someone dressed as the Pope with a drum in the Santa end. Seen it all now. I won't knock him. Not with 30 seconds left. That would be karmedic suicide. Have I made that term up? Maybe 

95 Referee blows for a free kick on the edge of the Sporting area for a foul on… Harder. Breathe...

95’42 Final whistle has gone. It's all kicking off on the pitch as both teams square off in the Santa half. Harder runs to lead the Sporting fans in celebration. They respond in kind with the Santa players still surrounding the referee. He's shown the red to Inácio**. Fuck me coverage ends. Well I've no idea if he was about to show it to a Santa player in addition. Whatever the offence was for Inácio it came after the final whistle had blown. 

** post game correction - Red cards shown to Conrad Harder, Luís Rocha as well as for Tiago Aguiar, the Lions' assistant, and João Sobral, the Azorean team's press officer according to A Bola.

Full time 

CD Santa Clara 0 Sporting CP 1 

The final word 

I said on paper it wasn't going to be a Classic. Santa averaged roughly a goal a game offensively and defensively before kick off so it's no surprise that a single strike should be the difference. Sporting did to be fair find the net twice but for the second time this week we saw a goal ruled out for offside. Thankfully this time it didn't cost the lions all three points. 

Tough watch. Santa really are shit on the eye. No, make that fucking shit. I'd usually say no disrespect to Santa fans but if you're dished that shit up every fucking week you're not going to argue against me. They are fucking crap to watch. It's Wimbledon in the 1990s. At least they had some proper hard men who collected their bookings. 

Thankfully the second half at least opened up which made it a slightly better watch that the opening 45. Look if it gets you results then fine. You do what you have to do, but I'm not going to do a dot to dot and try sell you it after as a Monet. 

At half time I'd have been hard pressed to give you a man of the match. Debast would have edged it literally by virtue of having had a shot on target. In fairness overall he did have a good game throughout. Gyökeres will be waking up in a cold sweat thinking about that miss in the second half. He's the one player you'd have bet your life on in that situation to have found the net. We're all human. Apparently it hit the post and I won't lie if that's true I missed that during the game. It's not easy typing onto a phone and watching the game on another phone. 

Great applause and appreciation for Gonçalves return. First it was January, that came and went and it was February, same with March and finally in April his wait is over. We'll never fully appreciate what a player goes through when trying to rehabilitate. Let's hope he is fully fixed and is ready come August. I'm not counting on him between now and the end of May. The one pass that was on for him was full of ring rust. Still if you shake enough off maybe he'll have a telling contribution somewhere. He comes on four minutes before the end of time and he's 2 minutes behind Biel's total league game time and he's been available for every game since he signed. There's some irony for you. 

Harder is going to be big for us next season. He's a wind up merchant, he was the one who kicks off the huge melee at the end of the game after the final whistle and then runs too the fans like nothing ever happened and they gave him a huge reaction. That's the sort of commitment you need to go on top of the talent and something we all love and gravitate to in our own players. 

Trincão in that deeper position was instrumental in that win second half. He was like the quarterback dropping bombs with Geny the wide receiver. When you both occupy the same space it makes sense to put that distance between the two of them because they clearly have a great connection of where each other should be. Yes regular readers will be aware I am a broken record on this subject but if you want proof then today you finally got it. I called Debast in midfield long before it happened so whilst I'm daft, I'm not totally daft. 

The defence had about as much to do as they did Monday night. There was just one difference between over the 180 minutes and it was that one split second lapse of concentration. That's top flight football. No one said it was easy. We're all human though, all equally as fallible and capable of mistakes. We win together and we lose together. 

I'm always thrilled for Geny whenever he scores. I used to love watching Raphinha play at Sporting and when he's cooking on full gas he brings me the same level of joy. We've gotten to see a different side of his game in the last few outings and credit to Rui Borges for putting him into the front three. Certainly looks better than Quenda has done played in the same position over the course of the season. 

Santa had one shot on target out of ten attempts. They finished with an xG of 0.67. as an indicator of how big a chance the Gyökeres miss was, that was 0.5 on its own. I think I'm going to be waking up in a cold sweat over that one as well. Sporting a point clear. The dirty pigeons play tomorrow and we expect them to leapfrog us again. Moreirense up on Good Friday for Sporting next. The lead could change hands several times between now and the end of the season with the neighbours playing Vitória on the Saturday night. 

So I guess all that leaves is my man of the match. Debast? Trincão or Geny? I'd say it was a coin toss but a coin doesn't have three sides. Despite the goal I'm not going to go obvious like a pundit would do so Geny, I love you man but you're out. Trincão I think runs the Belgian very close, comes away with an assist but Zeno just edges it for me. His tackle wins the ball that led to the goal so it's the assist to the assist. He had two good free kicks and was instrumental in midfield. Debast is my man of the match.