Sporting CP 3 Moreirense 1

The warm up

Whilst many in the English media are labelling the current Premier League one of the dullest seasons on record, I don't see the same accusations being levelled at the Portuguese top flight. It's been bat shit for want of a better expression. After Saturday night's hard fought win over Santa Clara you'd have been forgiven for expecting a yo-yo end to the season at the top of the table with the leaders changing positions depending on who kicked off first. Then along came Arouca and put the cat amongst the literal pigeons from across the City with a 95th minute equaliser and by some minor miracle Sporting remain top after their win and the two clubs are once more level on points. Script writers would have readied their fingers over their keyboards for plot twists at some point between now and the last round, few would I'm sure have written correctly that the first would have come so soon. Not that the title has been won or lost for either Lisboa side but a timely reminder for both of the levels that will be required to become champions and how nothing can be taken for granted. 

What happened Saturday night after the final whistle still seems to be shrouded in mystery. Well at the time I wrote this part anyway. We definitely all saw Inácio shown the red card. Fans took to social media all asking the question as to why? Later in the evening the Portuguese press announced that four reds were shown, two to Sporting players and staff, most critically not to Inácio as we all witnessed but to Conrad Harder. I mean they look nothing alike, let's be fair. The other Sporting dismissal shown to Borges Assistant Tiago Aguiar. Luís Rocha also saw red for his part and the finally Press Officer for Santa Clara. Have you ever heard of a press officer getting sent off? What was that for, trying too hard to get an interview after the game? I thought I know, I'll turn to Duarte Gomes column in A Bola. Surely an ex-referee will be able to shed a more accurate light on what happened. His analysis simply - Post-game: ugly and unnecessary. I hope you don't invoice the paper for that. As much help as a chocolate fucking teapot my man. 

Portuguese football seems to both welcome and relish in refereeing controversies at the same time. I've written before that I don't buy into the narrative that there's any conspiracy. We're all human, we all make mistakes, that's why they put rubbers on the end of pencils. Sporting have been on the end of some shocking decisions. Every side has though. You can tell who ran to the teacher as a tell tale tit at primary school though, especially after Sunday night at da Luz. It wasn't just the fans of the dirty pigeons bemoaning the Arouca penalty but the club too in an official statement, comparing it to the decision not to award one Saturday following the challenge by Quaresma. MISS, MISS Eduardo looks like he kicked their players Miss. Do fuck off all you. Grow the fuck up please its frankly pathetic. 

Regular readers will know I do my own litmus test for penalties, namely Would I be pissed if that was given against Sporting? Well for the Arouca penalty the very first frame they show on the replay from behind the goal line has the defenders feet both clearly off the ground by a few inches. You think what follows isn't going to be called as reckless? The ball is played by the attacker behind the defender and then he's left with the choice of what to do? Would you let someone smash into you in that position? If you're in the sea jumping waves, you jump before the impact hits you. The defenders body ends up on his side, the guys not a fucking Olympic hurdler. If he jumps straight up and the player stops underneath him and he comes down on him on his face or head there's an incident no one wants to see. He's not an English gentleman in a Victorian novel - I say, after you my good man. Two footed start ending with arms tucked by the side and out of control. It's a reckless fucking tackle. If one of our defenders did it I'm not defending him. It's stupidity of the highest degree. I'm not complaining though. Last point is that if it was at the other end and wasn't given they'd be making the same fucking argument as to why it was clearly a penalty. You can't have it both ways. No I lie, last point is they showed two angles in slow motion. If you've got a great lump flying at you, you've not got five seconds to come up with a series of options. You'd try to get out of the way with the least amount of pain inflicted upon yourself. That doesn't mean it's not a blatant penalty because he jumps before the wave smashes into him. That's common sense not simulation.

The Quaresma argument made by the pigeons is truly ignorant because they're all using the side angle replay. No one is showing the reverse angle from the goal line going - that's a penalty. Can you guess why? Because it's not a fucking penalty. That's why VAR checks from all available angles. Fuck Duarte Gomes claiming it should have been as well. Everyone just watched the side angle. Takes an autistic brain to look at all angles clearly. I get that from the side it makes it look like he's gone through the back of him. He doesn't. The two bodies actually have a huge gap between them and finally he clutches the top of his calf. Quaresma gets nowhere near him or his calf. Critically the reverse angle shows what? Oh … that Quaresma pulled his leg away. Benfica actually put an official statement out about it. Fucking morons. Try watching the video for another five seconds before going a boo hoo, hoo, a boo hoo hoo.

Looking ahead and not backwards…

There are so many different connotations that need factoring into the last five games of the season. Moreirense probably offer on paper the easiest game of the bunch; Mid table and not in danger of being relegated. Gentleman please put on your flip flops and head to the beach, your summer can start now. The one huge advantage they have over Sporting is a comparative freshness in their legs having played 33 games in all competitions. Players will sadly not be on the beach I'm sure and some will be after new contracts, maybe a chance to showcase their talents and earn a move to a bigger club. You cannot afford to take your eye off the ball. 

Then follow Boavista who will have played only 31 times. Bottom of the league and in financial peril its not just their top flight status their fighting for but their very existence. This is a side who are one of five teams to have ever won the Portuguese league. They'll need the points as much as Sporting. Their new coach is 71 which is about the age I felt after Saturday teatimes game. 

Onto Gil Vicente who'll have 35 games in their legs. Again another side trying to avoid the drop into Liga 2. However by the time they play us they'll have maybe saved their season with wins over Nacional and Farense or the shit could have hit the fan for them. Sporting met them in the run in to the title last season and went in four goals to the good if you're looking for good omens. 

Finally the derby and the finale against Vitória who have both at least played equally long seasons as Sporting. However no one can call the result of a Lisboa derby and none of us want to remember the 4-4 in Guimaraes. However I questioned at the time how important could Trincãos equaliser be in additional time? Well here and now it's making the difference. 

Full disclosure sometimes these posts are written in one go, other times they become like a collage blending bits and pieces over several days. Great you're thinking, and you're telling us that why exactly? Well having now pulled the data on Moreirense and having written that this is probably Sporting's easiest fixture in the run in yesterday night, it transpires that we lost to them earlier this season and I had zero recollection of it. ZERO! I have wiped it from my memory entirely. So I'm going to highlight my caveat where I did at least write the word probably. Damn it's been a long season. 

Last time out they lost 2-0 at home to Rio Ave. Similar recent run to Santa Clara in that their two most recent wins came against struggling opponents beating Gil Vicente and Boavista both by a scoreline of 1-0. Last seven; 2 wins, 2 defeats and 3 draws. Broaden that run from the start of 2025 and it starts to make pretty grim reading. Played 14, won 3, drawn 5 and lost 6. Go back to the win over Sporting that I don't even remember and after that game it's Played 17, won 3, drawn 6 and lost 8. Sporting just need to make sure they don't shit the bed this time around. 

Away from home played 14, won 3, drawn 2 and lost 9 times. Averaging just over a goal a game scored with 15 and 23 goals conceded. Overall 11 goals from set pieces and 5 from the penalty spot. The lions cannot afford any drop of concentration in defence. 13 goalscorers contributing 34 in total, 14 if you include the own goal amongst those numbers. Top scorer Alan with 6, Guilherme Schettine and Luis Asué with 5 a piece. Just 6 clean sheets all season mind you and factor in a pissed off Gyökeres who could only find the post on Saturday teatime. Statistics wise if Moreirense were on a motorway they'd be one of those middle lane drivers everyone else moans at. They're neither excelling or failing at anything just poodling along in their own little world. I'm going to assume that Guilherme Schettine is suspended for this game after his late sending off against Rio Ave on Sunday night. 

4 players in during the winter window. Ivo Rodrigues who came in as a free agent seemingly having the most impact. The central midfielder has played 8 times and scored once. Left winger Cedric Teguia 8 appearances after his free transfer from Cartagena. Left midfield Joel Jorquera a free transfer from Eldense, 7 appearances and finally centre back Michel on loan from Palmeiras with just 3 appearances. 

I still can't believe I've forgotten that loss. 2-1 the scoreline, Gyökeres had opened the scoring with a 12th minute penalty before a 19th minute equaliser and a 35th minute winner. 

If you're not going to read my write up from the game then I'm guessing I really should at some point. 

https://outsideofthepride.blogspot.com/2024/12/moreirense-v-sporting-cp.html

OK so its coming back to me - Wet game, Inácio stitched up on the opener for a non existent foul. If you want bad refereeing examples then look no further than on that opener. 

In the past 22 meetings that was Moreirense's solitary win. Sporting have won 15 and drawn 6. They're not a bogey team. Well not yet anyway so let's not make this the game to start to make it seem like a thing. Quick start like we did against Gil Vicente in the run in last season. Foot off the gas second half and put put Taça hats on in preparation. 

Off the field suggestions that efforts are being made to ensure Hjulmand remains with the club for another season at least, protected by a termination clause of €80m. That being said if the clause is met then then the player will have the right to speak to any club prepared to pay that sum. Rui Silva will be part of the Captain's team for next season in addition and Simões is set to be rewarded with an upgraded contract now he's turned 18 to tie him into the club until 2030. 

Thursday update - so finally the referees report is out from the Santa Clara game and Conrad Harder was sent off for saying yeah. Now A Bola started off in their article stating it was Yeha which at first made me think Harder wanted to be the Milky Bar Kid but I'm assuming that's an uncorrected typo. Papers presumably don't have spell checkers or sub editors anymore.  But it does appear that genuinely that is what is in the referees report. He said yeah and Rocha lost his shit and grabbed him, locking his arms and that was seen as provocation. I mean you literally couldn't make that shit up could you. Of course being able to appeal in within 24 hours is probably near on impossible so the Dane most likely will serve a one match ban for saying yeah. April Fools is still just on the 1st isn't it? They don't have it on a different day in Portugal like mother's and father's day? Well at least we now know. No refeering conspiracy in Portugal though. Thank Christ because you don't want to add fuel to an imaginary fire. 

In the markets

Sporting 1/4

Draw 19/4

Moreirense 11/1

Team News 

Starting XI

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

Substitutes 

Israel, Reis, St Juste, Fresneda, Esgaio, Felicíssimo, Gonçalves, Arreíol and Biel

This is the closest I think the mister has come to naming the same starting XI for two straight games since he took over. One change with Quenda coming in for Fresneda wide right. With Harder's suspension confirmed with no time for a full appeal the youngster Arreiol comes back into the matchday squad. 

Before a ball has been kicked fans of all sides are bemoaning the choice of Fabio Verissimo as tonight's match referee. Sportinguista's having a pop, then you go onto social media and you'll find photos of his head photoshopped onto a Sporting player who's holding the man of the match award. Well for the record in his last four games in charge of the lions Sporting are undefeated, winning 3 drawing 1 including a 1-0 win in the derby. Someone was even bemoaning the fact he's taking charge of his sixth top flight game this season. Don't they referee in the top flight every week? Wow I didn't know that and they wonder why there's less consistency and a supposed poorer use of VAR in Portuguese football. 

First Half

If you can keep your head when everyone about you is losing theirs…

A huge banner unveiled in honour of the legendary Aurélio Pereira as the stadium rises to its feet in huge applause from all corners. A fitting tribute to the great man whose legacy is cemented with the club for all time. 

Sporting in black with white and green horizontal stripes get us underway and attack left to right. The hairs on my arms are stood up listening to the anthem. 

1 Moreirense on the back foot straight away. Gyökeres ran to the goal line on the left, cut the ball back to Trincão who got his first touch all wrong and his shot from 8 yards was blocked 

2 Geny does the same as Trincão from ten yards having been found in clear space by Trincão. That's incredible. In fact he has two bites at the cherry and fluffed his lines on both  

2 Diomande with a yellow card 

3 Ofori brings down Araújo. Free kick in a dangerous position to Sporting 

4 29 yards to goal. Quenda picks out Diomande at the back post. Gyökeres is felled in the area but nothing given. Poor execution all around from the lions on that set piece

6 Geny brings a save from 16 yards. The space Sporting are finding in the box is incredible 

7 The visitors have actually made it across the halfway line but the move is quickly broken down 

8 Trincão gets his lines wrong again from 8 yards and his effort goes out for a goal kick. Again the space in the centre. Oh to have had Gyökeres on the end of any of these chances 

10 Corner Sporting. It's been a frenetic opening ten minutes with the traffic all one way. Diomande heads back into the space Sporting had benefited from so much in this game already only to find a sea of green and white shirts this time as if the penny had finally dropped 

11 GOAL it wasn't pretty but it is Sporting CP 1 Moreirense 0. Who else but Gyökeres. Hjulmand shoots from the right bringing a save which found its way out to Geny. His effort from ten yards was blocked and finally the ball came to Gyökeres who poked it home through a crowd of defenders from 5 yards. They all count 

14 The visitors find themselves 30 yards from the Sporting goal and that's the closest they've come. They're in for a long night 

15 Quenda fires in a shot low to the right hand corner from 24 yards stopped by Lincon 

15.53 Rui Silva gets a backpass and that's his first touch of the ball. Surprised he's not fucked off into the stand behind when no one was looking 

16 Gyökeres causing carnage again on the left, finds Trincão surrounded who tried a deft flick goalwards from six yards but was never going to trouble Lincon in truth 

18 This I think is the first time we've seen an Amorim type performance since his departure. They're just showing a replay of the opener and it went through the final defender's open legs. Probably the worst looking goal Gyökeres has scored in a Sporting shirt. He won't care and neither do I. 

20 Gyökeres running away from goal in the box does a full 180° now with two defenders trying to mark him and fires over from 12 yards. 17/2 he was to score a hat trick. I'm starting to wish I'd bet it now 

22 Geny pops one over the bar from 24 yards. Moreirense are trying to hold a defensive line 36 yards out as their starting point which is frankly madness against this Sporting side 

24 GOAL Sporting CP 2 Moreirense 0. As I was saying about that high defensive line... Mistake inside the Sporting half as the visitors conceded possession. Trincão carried the ball from the Sporting half up field to have a strike from 24 yards which deflects to Gyökeres who makes it 2-0 from 9 yards level with the right of the six yard box 

27 Gyökeres tries with a header flicked goalwards but harmlessly over the bar. The visitors still to even register an attempt with nearly a third of the game played 

30 I think Sporting will be kicking themselves if they don't win this by at least 4 goals tonight 

30 Geny tries to find Gyökeres 3 yards out but the ball is just nipped off his toes 

31 Fine run from Araújo in the centre. He passed to Trincão in the end unselfishly when maybe he should have fired in a shot from 25 yards, it would have been one hell of a goal had he scored after that initial move 

36 The hunger, desire and pressure to force errors from the visitors has been top rate this evening. 

37 Trincão fires in a low shot from the edge of the D as the rain is now pouring down 

38 Lincon comes to his sides rescue as he beats Gyökeres to the ball from an Araújo cross

38 Alan fires well wide from 25 yards or more for the visitors first attempt of the game 

39 The first five or six rows of the stands are mysteriously empty now one presumes because they offer no cover from the pouring rain and those fans have retreated sensibly 

41 Trincão looking to play the conductor again, sees his attempted cross somehow go through a crowded box and not find a single Sporting shirt 

43 Geny with an audacious attempt with the outside of his right boot from 20 yards brings a diving save from Lincon 

Plus 1

45 Debast brings a save at the near post from 18 yards 

Half time 

Sporting CP 2 Moreirense 0

Trincão and Araújo have both been in fine form this first half which has helped make it the best watch of any opening half since Amorim was last in charge. It's been brutal at points on the visitors and the very definition of one sided. Sporting within half hour were 1/500 to win the game which shows how utterly ridiculous their dominance was in the game. The visitors with an xG of 0.03. Sporting registered 16 attempts in total over the course of the opening 45. Literally the only thing you could criticise from Sporting is some of their finishing. At 2-0 they probably are out of sight already but they truly should have been out of sight. It's been all too easy for them and the visitors don't look like they're capable of mounting anything remotely resembling a comeback. Apply the same pressure for twenty minutes, add a third, make five substitutions to save some legs and say over to you Vitória tomorrow and hope Rui Borges old charges can do Sporting a huge favour. 

Rui Silva has not had an easier game all season since his arrival in January. The back three could set up deckchairs and have a front row seat to the show Gyökeres, Araújo and Trincão are putting on. Mind you when the rain came down it would have been like sitting too close to the ocean though it's not dampened the players or fans spirits. More of the same please second half. 

Second Half 

No surprise to see the visitors making two changes. They get us back underway. Ismael and Rodrigues on. 

46 Geny stood on by Alan for an early free kick. Gonçalves warms up as a precaution down the touchline 

47 Benny with the first shot on target from the visitors from 24 yards but Silva never in any trouble got his body behind the ball and took it easily into his chest 

49 Yellow shown to Benny who chopped Gyökeres down on the edge of the D in full flow 

50 Free kick from 20 yards. Gyökeres over the ball. Moreirense have the draft excluder having watched his goal against Braga 

51 GOLAZZO Sporting CP 3 Moreirense 0. Should have taken that 17/2. Gyökeres fires it into the bottom right hand corner. What a free kick. Is there no end to this man's talents? You'd not bet against him scoring a fourth. Moreirense are not coming back from this. It's now the case of how many Sporting will score

55 GOAL Sporting CP 3 Moreirense 1. Long ball from the left to the far post headed back past Silva into the far corner from Cedric Teguia. They're still not coming back from this. The rain couldn't dampen Sporting's spirits and nor will that goal 

59 Van Lincon heads wide from 10 yards. He should have scored there. OK so maybe my heart rate has risen a little in the last five minutes. 

63 Referee books Gyökeres for simulation. To be fair he's got that spot on. The Swede with that famous death stare. 

65 Van Lincon scissors Araújo and is shown a yellow for his troubles. 

66 Borges gives Gonçalves instructions on the bench. Meanwhile on the pitch Sporting get their lines wrong from the free kick. Inácio with the last touch inside the box and the ball bobbles harmlessly to Lincon

67 Sporting look set for a double substitution 

68 Geny and Quaresma are replaced by Gonçalves and St Juste. Pote receives the largest cheer of the night. Van Lincon replaced having not long been booked. One substitution remaining for the visitors 

71 The air seems to have gone out of this game. Sporting probably very sensibly conserving energy with the return leg of the Taça to play on Tuesday night ahead of them 

73 Dinis shown a yellow as he rolled his boot over the ball and then catches Gyökeres with the follow through 

75 Hjulmand smashed from behind. No free kick and no yellow card shown. Utterly bizarre as that was right in front of the referee. Fine if you play the advantage but surely you book him after 

76 Geny hooks a shot high from ten yards to the right of the box after a poor clearance straight to him 

77 Moreirense have now made all their substitutions, no more rolls of the dice left 

78 Nonchalant shot from Geny from a tight angle wide right with the outside of his boot saved by Lincon

81 Trincão brings a save from the foot of Lincon from a ridiculously tight angle wide right. Corner Sporting 

82 Corner to the visitors. Fresneda and Reis set to come on 

83 Trincão given a huge round of applause as he departs. Actually we've a treble change. Esgaio also on with Fresneda and Reis. Araújo and Debast the other players withdrawn 

84 I do always like the way the fans applaud themselves when they announce the match attendance over the tannoy. Oh didn't we all do well 

89 Wonderful link up between Reis and Esgaio down the left but sadly the move breaks down 

Plus three shown 

91 Fresneda with an audacious first time lob from 15 yards goes over the keeper and onto the top of the roof of the net, that would have been some goal 

Full time 

Sporting CP 3 Moreirense 1 

The Final Word 

I had in my head before kick off a two goal margin for Sporting tonight. Would never have predicted a 3-1 final score mind. I was thinking 2-0. Three massive points to the Lions. I mean three points is three points is three points but you'll hopefully know what I mean by that. It'll be one of those games where the opposition coach comes out with a load of old flannel in the press conference avoiding the fact that Sporting had their foot on their necks and could have chosen to continue in that manner but wisely didn't. They were troubled twice in 90 minutes. Sporting could and more importantly should have been 3-0 up in the opening ten minutes had they remembered to put their shooting boots on. Let's hope Gyökeres leaves a few pairs lying about when he departs in the summer. Where do you even begin to look to replace not just his total number of goals scored but his industry and work rate as well? 

Gonçalves will benefit from another 22 minutes of football but he's a country mile away from being of any benefit which begs the question as to why Biel wasn't afforded the same time on the pitch. Maybe the draw at Braga still too fresh in the memory. I wrote this time last season that Koindredi would be out the door in the summer and you can't envisage that Biel won't be out as fast as he'd arrived. Both signings just seem utterly bizarre in hindsight and that's in excess of €10m out the club coffers with no guarantee of recouping their investments on either player long term. 

Trincão complete with strapping on his fingers from an injury sustained during the second half of last Saturdays game was a joy to watch tonight as was Araújo. Could the latter have done better for the goal? Maybe but he's been converted into a wing back and he's not a natural defender. Had it been Inácio there I'd have expected more. Definitely the best performance from both players in a while. If Debast stays next season you wonder where his future lies as he continues to impress in midfield. Talk abound of both Diomande and Inácio being allowed to leave if the price is right. St Juste too though you wonder what the market is for a player so injury prone. It's one thing saying he can go, another finding someone willing to take the risk on the Dutch defender. Such a shame because he's clearly a talented player but his Sporting career will be remembered as being one continually hampered by injuries. 

I enjoyed the little cameos from Esgaio and Reis. Sometimes the simple things done well are a real joy to behold and they're the sort of moments you'll also maybe need to see out a game and get it over the line. Quenda flattered to deceive again tonight but even having been rested the last couple of games and brought on as a substitute he must be now running on fumes at 17. Geny on another night should have had a match ball of his own. For now when you've got Gyökeres taking the ball home it's not important. Next season he won't get the same pass. Well not from me anyway. Last week I was talking in what ifs. What if we had beaten Braga? We'd all be sleeping that little but easier tonight that's for certain. Can Vitória do us a favour tomorrow? It's a big ask but they put four past us at home so it's a distinct possibility especially given then neighbours are leaking goals in games. For now it's been the literal definition of Good Friday. Happy Easter Sportinguista's. Last year I stupidly moaned about the Gil Vicente second half and I apologise profusely. I won't be making that mistake here. The game was won at 3-0. OK so they conceded. OK so maybe it could have also gone 3-2. It didn't and Sporting had more than enough in the tank to go through the gears and to have found a fourth goal if it was warranted. The huge plus was the space they found time and time again inside the box in the opening 45. Do that every game between now and the last and they'll be laughing. We've not seen that from this side for an awful lot of months. They came out with a point to prove and they proved it. Are they the best side in Portugal? When they play like that they are. They just have to keep applying the same pressure to the opening 45 and put the game out of reach for the opposition. Next up Rio Ave in the Taça, in the league, Boavista who moved off the bottom of the table with their 1-0 win over Farense earlier who they leap frogged. Sporting will be a much tougher test than the side one place above them in the table going into the game. Doesn't mean the lions can be complacent.

That leaves the man of the match. Hard to argue against Gyökeres when he scores another hat trick and walks off with another match ball for his collection. For entertainment purposes I'd have given it to Trincão. For industry maybe Hjulmand or Debast.