C.D. Nacional 1 Sporting CP 4

C.D. Nacional v Sporting CP

Saturday August 23rd, 2025

Estádio de Madeira 

Matchday 3 

The warm up 

Sporting travel away to Madeira to face C.D. Nacional who managed to avoid relegation back into Liga 2 in their first season back in the top flight since the 2020/21 season. The two sides met 3 times over the course of the last campaign in all competitions with the lions winning all 3 by an aggregate scoreline of 11-2. For those of you who enjoy a happy coincidence both Sunday's 6-0 win over Arouca and last season’s 6-1 away win over Nacional were both played August 17th. For those of you who don’t enjoy a happy coincidence well, try to stop being so miserable. That away win came on Matchday 2 of last season and for the opening 45 at least I thought that the islanders gave a good account of themselves going in at the break only 2-1 down. Then they capitulated in the second half and the gulf in class and fitness was all too obvious. 12 months on we’ll have a marker on how much they have managed to progress. Like last season they’re playing the current league champions which is no easy feat, a side who have won their opening two games, kept two clean sheets, scored eight times, and sit top of the table. I’m sure they can’t wait for the visit on Saturday night at 6pm. Sporting are now 23 games unbeaten in the league and yet to lose a single game under Rui Borges in this competition.

Sunday's win felt utterly bizarre at points. For those old enough to remember vinyl records, for a long period it felt like someone had put the needle on the edge and everything was spinning round but it couldn't quite get to start playing track one. Sporting finally score with their first two attempts on goal and are awarded the luxury of playing out the rest of the game against ten men. You get to half time at 3-0 and apart from the Trincão finish there wasn't anything else of real substance or note to crow about other than Geny with enough skills on the wing to get a decent Til Tok reel out of but nothing more. The second half whilst better still wasn't much more than a training game against a side desperate for the final whistle to blow. That Trincão barely celebrated his second deflected goal spoke volumes. Still you'd rather be the side handing out a six goal thumping than being on the receiving end of one. Even the support inside the stadium seemed to marry the quality on the pitch. It was like a 1960s album recorded with the vocals on one channel and the music on the other and with all the renovations in the summer someone had forgotten to connect the second speaker so you only got a sense of what the atmosphere could have been like. At 4-0 they had drawn level with Braga at the top of the table and 6-0 cemented their position for now on goal difference. Six attempts total in the first half, a further 13 in the second. 6 goals from 10 shots on target is an impressive ratio mind you. A lot more impressive than Pedro Gonçalves’ contribution which was once again poor. Unlike Trincão who seems to have grown a foot since the departure of Gyökeres, his finishing and body language was to put it mildly woeful. The look of horror at the start of the second half from an old woman clinging onto her drink for dear life as his shot centred in on her will stay with me for a long time. Despite winning by only 2 -0 away to Casa Pia I thought that performance was much better in quality than Sunday nights. I've no idea why they label football fans as being fickle. 

Anyways back to Nacional, they gained their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw away to Rio Ave. That despite going down to ten men in the 39th minute with Rocha picking up a second yellow. Clayton opened the scoring for the home side on 11 minutes. Ramirez equalised with 7 minutes of additional time remaining. That followed their opening day defeat 2-0 at home to Gil Vicente. Every point won this season could be critical for the smaller sides as they battle to avoid the drop. AVS look like they are early favourites for relegation but Alverca, Tondela and C.D. Nacional are all likely to spend a large portion of the season chasing shadows if the results of the first two games are anything to go by. 

Like Arouca, Nacional have had a ridiculously busy transfer window to date.

Incoming 

Joel de Silva (RM) Free from Boavista 

Lucas João (ST) Free from Ümraniyespor 

Witi (LM) Free from Al-Urooba 

Felipe Soares (AM) Free from PAOK Thessaloniki FC. 

I'm already starting to wish I'd copied and pasted these. 

Kaique Pereira (GK) Free from Palmeiras

Pablo Ruan (CB) Free from Londrina EC

Presumably not to be confused with Londrina FC?

Mootaz Nourani (RW) Free from Demispor 

Martim Watts Free from Estoril 

Devison (ST) £129,000 from Hope International 

They've signed a striker from an airport?

Douglas Nathan Free agent. 

Josué Souza (CB) Free Gremio

Lenny Vallier (LB) Free Guingamp

Kevyn Free from Fluminense 

I hope they got the woman from Home Alone to do his video presentation. Fuck me still going…

Mathias Dias (CM) £1.8m* Internacional 

Not sure what the * refers to. Possibly to check it wasn't a typo before they posted and then promptly forgot to check having lost the will to live after the first 42 signings listed. 

Jesus Ramirez (ST) Free from S.C. Vitória 

More like Jesus fucking Christ will this list ever end. And finally for now at least…

Alan Nunez (RB) Free from Cerro Pontero

You just know their first pre-season game team sheet was put out as 1 through 11 with whatever trialist is in Portuguese. 

Outgoing 

Rui Encarnacao (GK) Free to Machico 

Are these even real clubs now?

Bruno Costa (CM) and Ruben Macedo (LW) Free to Gyeongnam FC

Definitely made up. 

And 

Luis Esteves (CM) Free to Gil Vicente. 

I might ditch that feature for next week. 

If you don't like happy coincidences maybe you'll like perfect symmetry instead as Nacional managed 34 points from their 34 games and if you're needing me to tell you what that is on an average of points per game then it's way past your bedtime and I I'm sorry for the naughty words, don't tell your mummy. They finished 2 places above the relegation zone in 14th but importantly 7 points clear which in relative terms is probably the distance between the island of Madeira and mainland Portugal. Their overall record read 7 wins, 9 draws, 18 losses. Goals for 32, goals against 50. Out of the bottom ten sides in the table they were one of 9 clubs that Gyökeres either outscored or equalled their entire league goalscoring tally for last season. 

Unsurprisingly their success came at home with opposition clubs having to fly out to them. 24 of their 34 points accrued won in Madeira. 7 wins, 3 draws, 7 losses, goals scored 23, goals conceded 27. Whilst the lions topped the table, Nacional came top for most successful tackles per match with 11.2 on average. Well, not every season can be a promotion winning one. Daniel Penha was top scorer with 4 goals. Isaac Aguiar, José Gomes and Dudu Teodora all with 3 a piece. I always think I'm going to be in deep Dudu with some of my jokes every week but amazingly I've still not been cancelled. Plenty of weeks for it to happen mind you. 

Hopefully my summary of the island of Madeira is more exciting than last week's roundup of Arouca which was basically - it's got a fuck off big bridge and not many people live there. So let's give it a shot. Any alcoholic worth their salt will know that the island is most famous for their wines. 

Alongside Madeira wine the island's name lends itself to a famous type of cake and no I don't mean the Belgian Bun. The island is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean. The archipelago includes the Savage Islands which aren't anything to do with Robbie but I would pay for someone to lose him there if there are any volunteers. Well there's a word in archipelago that I bet you never thought you'd read in one of these blogs let alone three times in one paragraph. Madeira is 805 kilometres west of Portugal which is basically 500 miles in new money. Someone tell the speccy twats from Scotland to try to walk it and see if they drown. It's definitely worth noting that Portugal is only 561 kilometres from top to bottom by comparison which is only just longer than the list of Nacional’s summer signings when printed out onto A4 paper and joined together end to end. 

The club is based within the island's capital of Funchal which despite not being on the mainland is considered to be Portugal's sixth largest city. The total island population according to the last census is just shy of over a quarter million. It's a popular destination for the British and Germans who clearly are so similar as nations but of course you're not allowed to say that in public. It boasts a UNESCO world heritage site. I can hear the good people of Arouca going - yeah but does it have a fuck off big bridge? Good point well made by the people of Arouca, I don't think it does. Just rugged coastlines providing stunning vistas over the Ocean. I'd rather have the living crap frightened out of me walking over your bridge. No, I lie. I fucking hate bridges and nearly has to ask a group of schoolgirls to hold my hand to get me over the Millennium Bridge in London one morning. See you won't read that in the Athletic will you now?

Apparently the locals use instruments called machetes but I find that statement quite cutting and unbelievable. Instruments are used in traditional dances such as the bailinho da Madeira. Actually that bridge walk is sounding more appealing by the minute than watching machete wielding locals dancing. Oh and they also use ukulele’s. Yeah I'm out. 

Nicknamed the Alvinegros or the Nationalistas I'm not sure I'll be asking Grok to help me with the post artwork this week. They play at the 5,200 capacity Estádio de Madeira. They don't overthink stadium names in Portugal do they? I Imagine that naming meeting was over pretty damn quickly. 

As a club Nacional are probably best known for the being one of the clubs that helped form Christiano Ronaldo. Oh you weren't aware of that? It's like Sporting have changed history you say? Sycophantic? Sporting? Never. Like the lions, Nacional have chosen to name their training academy after their most famous son. To the best of my knowledge his mother Dolores is only a Sportinguista but you never know. For any fans of English football clubs reading this not familiar with the notion of Portuguese clubes, like Sporting C.D. (Clube Deportivo) participate in a wide variety of sporting activities alongside football including beach football, boxing, gymnastics, tennis, triathlon, padel, swimming, rallying and muay Thai. 

Madeira airport was famously home to the infamous Ronaldo bust by sculptor Emmanuel Santos although he did apparently make another more successful version which may be one reason no one ever really talks of the connections to C.D. Nacional outside of the island. 

Their biggest rivals are Maritímo who I can lay claim to having watched twice in person. Impressively for a club of their size they've appeared in Europe five times no less, facing off against the likes of Sevilla, Zenit St Petersburg, Athletic Bilbao and perhaps rather randomly, Birmingham City in the 2011/12 edition of the Europa League. 

They're currently coached by the Portuguese 36 year old Tiago Magarido. As if I didn't feel old enough already. Still I'm not only enough to be his dad so that's something I guess. 

As a closing thought I'm wondering if ever time I reference Luis Suárez it should read Luis Suárez (NTO) shortened from Not that One?

Transfer News 

Jeremiah St Juste is back in Portugal considering the offer from Osasuna for his services in a deal reportedly worth €3m for the lions who will be looking to recoup as much investment as they can against the €10m paid to Mainz. His time will sadly be more remembered for the 524 days total spent in the company of the club's medical department.

Thursday update - the deal for St Juste appears to be a non starter despite the player having travelled to Spain over the weekend to meet with representatives of the club. We need to shift him off the books before he takes up his annual reservation in the treatment room. 

Deportivo la Coruña have turned down a new bid for Yeremy. Shades of Ioannidis from last summer and I have to say having moaned about Arsenal's approach over Gyökeres earlier this summer it doesn't reflect well on us as a club for the second summer basically employing the same type of tactics. If it's true we could have gotten him for €20m earlier in the summer then I'd question how serious any offer is to the Spaniards. Has that feeling of - well we tried. I also wonder how much of it is a play for Jota Silva to try force Nottingham Forests hand. I'm still very much of the opinion he stays in Spain. Well at the least doesn't sign for the lions. 

Friday update - Diogo Travassos is off to join Moirenense on loan for the season. The 21 year old recently signed a new contract until 2030 but has found himself further down the pecking order following the signing of Vagiannidis. 

Saturday update - St Juste has rejected the opportunity to sign for Osasuna. With another child on the way the defender is looking for a longer three year deal for more security for him and his family. The Spanish side rather sensibly I might add given his appalling injury record has put forward a two year deal. 

Sporting B 

Liga 2 action returns this Sunday at 11am as the lions travel away to Oliveirense sat second in the table behind Vizela on goal difference going into the weekend. Two 1-0 wins following their promotion, the home side have scored once in their two outings to date. They opened with a 0-0 draw at home to recently relegated Farense having led all the way up until the 90th minute. They drew the second game 0-0 away to Penafiel. I imagine under 2.5 goals in that game could be worth a couple of pennies. 

In the markets

C.D. Nacional 8/1

Draw 5/1

Sporting CP 27/100

In the title odds Sporting CP cut to 6/5 alongside the neighbours to be named champions.

Team News 

Starting XI

Silva, Fresneda, Debast, Inácio, Mangas, Hjulmand, Morita, Geny, Trincão, Gonçalves and Suárez 

Substitutes 

Virgínia, Vagiannidis, Travassos, Quaresma, Quenda, Kochorashvili, Simões, Harder and Allison 

This has never happened to me since I started these posts but the entire starting XI and substitutes bench is as you were for the Arouca game. Araújo and Diomande both still missing from recent injuries picked up in the game against Casa Pia. Nuno Santos and Daniel Bragança still not back from long term injuries. Matheus Reis continues to serve out his suspension. Interestingly Travassos is amongst the substitutes despite a deal supposedly having been done for his services out on loan. 

Nacional 

37 Franca, 2 Aurélio, 34 Santos, 38 Vitor, 5 Gomes, 28 Liziero, 6 Dias, 15 Labidi, 11 Boia, 9 Ramirez and 99 Ruan

First half 

Sporting in their new third kit attack left to right. Nacional get us underway 

1 Just 10 seconds gone and Suárez appeals for a penalty under the challenge of Léo Santos but appeals turned down 

2 Geny concedes a corner on the near side 

2 GOAL Nacional 1 Sporting CP 0. Nightmare start for the lions as Léo Santos heads into the bottom right hand corner. Silva appears to get a hand to the ball but could only push it onto the post and watch as it rolled back into the net

4 Suárez pulls the ball back from the right across the six yard box and a defender clears for a corner which is fortunate as he had no one in support 

5 For the second straight season the lions choice of shirt is appalling in the sunshine of Madeira as the cameras struggle 

8 Cross to the near post from Fresneda wide right, Suãrez connects but can only steer the ball out for a goal kick 

9 Dias concedes a corner nearside 

10 Gonçalves rattles the crossbar from 16 yards 

11 Morita undersells a pass to Fresneda and Nacional counter attack but the Spaniard does well to recover and the lions regain possession 

13 Geny the latest player guilty of a sloppy pass gives away possession in the centre 

14 Ball into the centre slices clear for another corner to the lions. Morita heads back across goal which is cleared by Léo Santos for another corner 

16 Free kick centrally 30 yards out for a foul on Gonçalves 

17 Gonçalves tries to find Inácio on the corner of the six yard box but headed clear for a corner 

18 First chance on target from Geny from 18 yards but his effort is low and without pace and easily saved by Franca 

20 Fresneda with an impressive sliding tackle breaks down an attack on the left 

21 Gonçalves tries a shot from 25 yards which was blocked and then went down asking for treatment 

22 Close up of Pote receiving treatment. He took an incredibly large chunk of pitch with his shot. That looks like his evening is done 

24 Sporting now with ten men as Gonçalves continues receiving treatment off the pitch on the far side 

25 Yellow shown for a foul on Inácio by Pablo Ruan who was late challenging for the ball

25 Gonçalves whistles loudly to the referee who finally acknowledged his presence and allows him back on the pitch. OK so maybe his evening not done. He did pull up again in fairness to me when he first tried a run over three or four yards  

26 Mangas picks out Trincão but he cannot get a decent connection from ten yards and the ball sails out harmlessly wide right for a goal kick 

29 Double foul on Trincão finally results in a free kick 

29 Yellow to Gonçalves presumably for dissent or possibly for an off the ball shove on Liziero which the cameras didn't fully pick up on, just the player going down 

30 Debast is down in the area holding his head as the free kick goes out for a goal kick. Nothing given again 

31 ➡️⬅️ Morita for Kochorashvili. No obvious signs of an injury to the Japanese international 

33 Gonçalves slices wide of the right post from 17 yards. Poor effort again 

34 Nacional despite being 1-0 up have an XG of 0.03 currently 

35 Foul on Geny wide right by Vitor. He's built like a tree trunk 

36 RED Pablo Ruan shown a second yellow. Kochorashvili header saved by Franca initially from 19 yards. The forward connected trying to make a challenge on the Georgian midfielder and that's his night done as he trudges off the sidelines looking dejected and down the tunnel 

39 Free kick 19 yards out inside the D. Draught excluder on the wall formed of six players. Finally after the best part of sixty seconds Debast drives the shot straight into the wall. 

42 Mangas finds Hjulmand who heads a yard wide from 8 yards. Would have been given offside had the attempt done in I'm sure 

43 Free kick to Nacional midway inside the lions half on the nearside. Header over the bar from 5 yards from Dias. Think that should probably have been 2-0

45 Corner far side for Sporting. Hjulmand shot blocked from 7 yards on the edge of the six yard box nearside. Gonçalves effort from 8 out for corner 

Plus three indicated 

+2 Nacional happy to concede another corner and given the lack of quality from Sporting at set pieces that's not a bad option 

Half time 

CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 0

Well I thought Sporting were pretty woeful last week in large parts and yet managed to win 6-0. This week they've been woeful and find themselves 1-0 down to a side who've managed two attempts all half and in truth should have gone in 2-0 up. The locals certainly enjoying the stadium announcer giving the scoreline as shouts of zero ring out from their fans. 

Last season the lions went in 2-1 to the good and the gap in quality was vast in the second 45 so we can only hope the same happens this time around though I've seen very little evidence to suggest it will happen. 

Suárez started brightly but has been a virtual passenger in the last 25 minutes of the half. Fresneda looked impressive as well in the opening 20 but thankfully him drifting out of the game is because he's not had any extra defending to do especially after the home side went down to ten men. 

Morita looked a yard off the pace before he went off so whether he wasn't fully fit anyway and taken off as an extra precaution or it was tactical we'll have to wait for Borges to confirm. 

Sporting will have the benefit of playing against ten men for 45 minutes. They need an early goal back and then pile on the pressure. Nacional have been happy to concede 8 corners in the opening 45 because the quality of the ball in as usual has been severely lacking. We've known that's been an issue for a few seasons but more worrying is the lack of quality defensively when defending them. Nacional will be kicking themselves this game isn't 2-0. 

Gonçalves went closest with his effort that went onto the bar. Trincão hasn't been involved enough. Geny is likely to be replaced by Quenda soon into the second half again I'd imagine. Personally, this game is tailor made for Harder in my opinion. Float the crosses in high and let the kid attack them with his head. 

Second Half 

➡️⬅️ Change for the visitors Soares for Labidi

Lions get us back underway 

45 First attack breaks down and Hjulmand penalised for handball. Sums up the lions evening so far 

46 Geny easily dispossessed on the far side. He's not long for this half 

47 Mangas passes straight to a Nacional player allowing the home side to go on the attack. Rui Silva plucks out a cross from the nearside to get Sporting off the hook

47 Franca rushes outside his area to clear with Gonçalves bearing down on goal

48 Suárez shanks an effort high and wide from 20 yards 

49 Poor from Mangas again as his cross is straight to a defender 

49 Free kick a yard outside the area for a trip on Geny

50 Sporting need to make this count … Trincão fires into the wall. I said make it count.

50 Suárez blasts over from 19 yards. Nacional could well be coming away with all 3 points at this rate 

51 GOAL Trincão on defensive duties superbly wins the ball back and Sporting go on the counter attack and the move ends with Gonçalves scoring from 8 yards high into the net. CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 1. My reverse psychology working a treat above. I do love when they make me look a complete idiot.

54 Gonçalves manages to miss place his pass to Mangas from 5 yards and out for a throw in 

55 Kochorashvili tries from 20 yards and his shot is deflected for a corner 

55 Inácio header from 8 yards falls into the arms of Franca 

56 Suárez with a first touch like a trampoline and the ball goes out for another goal kick 

57 Trincão lofts a ball into the six yard box, headed away. Sporting finally looking dangerous after nearly an hour played 

58 Yellow for a foul on Geny by Boia. That was cynical 

59 If I'm Harder I'm doing stretches under the nose of Borges right now to get on the pitch. Shouts for a penalty as Kochorashvili goes down inside the area but nothing given 

60 Yellow shown to Mangas for a foul on Soares. Not sure there was much he did wrong there having won the ball and with no where to go 

61 Yellow shown to the Nacional coach Magarido on the sidelines 

62 The lions fail to find a way through a crowded area and ball goes out for a goal kick. Like watching a game of pin ball minus the flippers 

63 ➡️⬅️ Fresneda, Mangas off Quenda and Vagiannidis on

64 GOAL. Suarez with a horrible miss first of all from 8 yards. His second chance from 4 yards hits the defender's hand before going into the net. CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 2. Checking for possible offside against Vagiannidis in the buildup. His header to Suárez sets up the chance. 

68 By the cheers I'm guessing disallowed for offside. 

69 ➡️ ⬅️ Ramírez off João on 

69 Well at least another four minutes to add on for the time to clear that all up. Correct decision by all accounts. Suárez should have done better with the first effort. As you were then Nacional 1 Sporting CP 1. You'd still not really know the lions are playing against ten men 

70 I feel it's a real misnomer to say Sporting play with a back 4. I've seen plenty of instances of a 2 and a 3. None of 4

72 Quenda tries to pick out a man in the six yard box but Franca clears with his legs. The youngster had so much time and space there and should have done better for me 

73 The ball crosses the half way line but is soon back inside the Nacional half where it has pretty much lived for the entirety of this half 

74 ➡️⬅️ Witti for Liziero and Silva for Boia 

75 Harder ready on the sidelines 

75 GOAL Nacional 1 Sporting CP 2. Gonçalves completes his brace like he's just putted for the US Masters low into the bottom left hand corner from 20 yards 

77 ➡️ ⬅️ Harder for Geny 

78 Harder fouled far side as the Sportinguista's in the stands do the Posnan in response to the home side doing it having gone 1-0 what seems like a week ago. I bet he won't do the scoreline over and over several times like he did for Nacional 1 Sporting ZERO 

78 Harder keeps the ball in as a defender tries to shepherd it out. Came to nothing but you can fault his commitment and desire 

80 Vagiannidis concedes a corner far side 

80 Cross to the far post headed back into the six yard box. Header from 3 yards by João deflected off a defender's head and out for another corner. Squeaky bum time 

82 GOAL Said this half was set up for Harder as he makes it Nacional 1 Sporting CP 3. Gonçalves turns provider with a ball into the six yard box which the Dane slides to connect with and guides into the bottom left hand corner. Felt this was a game tailor made for him. Announcer definitely not going to do Nacional 1 Sporting THREE over and over for the away fans in attendance. That's called Karma my son 

84 Somehow it remains 3-1. Ball in from the right and Quenda looked set to make it 4. No idea how that didn't end up in the net. Good job I don't get paid to write these 

86 I think we're looking at an additional 6 or 7 minutes at this rate 

86 Trincão with head in hands as his effort is off target from outside the area as we're treated to a shot of Harder thumping the lions crest on his shirt in front of the travelling fans post goal as rumours persist about a possible transfer to Rennes 

88 Suárez gets his pass to Gonçalves all wrong having beaten the last man and a defender cuts the ball out for a corner. Should have been 4

90 Kochorashvili celebrates like he's scored a goal as he puts the ball out for a throw 

90 ➡️⬅️ Watts for Dias

Plus five 

Think that's a sympathetic plus five given the stop for VAR and all the substitutes made 

+1 Fucking awful ball from Quenda straight out for a throw in far side 

+2 GOAL finally the fourth goes in. CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 4. Pedro Gonçalves I take it all back. Smashes the ball in bottom right hand corner to complete his hat-trick from half a yard outside the area inside the D.

+4 Corner nearside Sporting. Lions now just knocking the ball about 

Full time 

CD Nacional 1 Sporting CP 4

The final word 

Well it wasn't pretty, it wasn't a game that can be noted for its quality, but the record books will show another three points for the lions and that's all that matters. It's been a long time since we've seen this level of finishing from Gonçalves who let's not forget once upon a time in a land before Gyökeres was the top scorer in Portugal.

I can't lie to you all and say that was an impressive performance anymore than I can with last week's result but that's ten goals in two games. Gonçalves now draws level with Trincão with 3 goals as top scorer. Harder has gotten off the mark. Certainly positives to take even if I'd be loath to watch a repeat of the game if offered the chance. 

Silva should have done better with the opener but then again his defence should have offered him some form of protection from the corner. The sending off was for two soft yellow cards but it's hard to argue by the letter of the law they weren't both yellow cards and therefore the red was the correct decision and at that point it's going to be an uphill struggle. At some point as we saw last week the lions would click into gear. 

Some of the passing tonight was woeful from Sporting and too many players guilty of the same offence. We're not talking raking long balls either, but simple passes sometimes no more than 4 or 5 yards. The lions need to do better there, with their defending of set pieces and taking of them too. Nacional had three attempts in 90 minutes and truthfully could have scored with all 3 headers. On another night Sporting could have walked away with a bloody nose and it wouldn't have been the first time. 

Kochorashvili is a very, very wily and clever player. He's got that level of street smarts that Sporting have been missing and I think he's going to have a big season for us. Definitely something we've been missing in midfield in recent seasons. Really pleased for Harder to get his goal. I like this kid I really do and would be genuinely gutted to see him leave. Vagiannidis could have gotten his second assist in a week and probably should have been more alert to the fact he was offside but then again Suárez should have done better with the first effort and in truth the shot for the disallowed goal was poorly struck in addition. The Colombian started well but really struggled to make an impact for the rest of the game in terms of quality but was still a pest. Some what of a contradictory performance poorly summed up in words by me. 

Geny not at the races again. Is speculation getting into his head as he's linked to moves away? Possibly. Yes we've got Quenda who'd prefer to operate in that area before he departs next summer but he is departing. We know what Geny can deliver and for me it would take a huge offer for us to sell him this summer, it makes no sense. Given the club had said they wouldn't sell any starters I wonder why news of bids is leaking out into the press. I've not mentioned them here because I try not to deal in gossip and speculation but I'm assuming they are true. 

Hjulmand has looked a little off the pace last two outings. Morita before he went off wasn't really in the game either. Fresneda looked decent again as he tries to keep Vagiannidis at arms length. Debast again looks comfortable with the ball at his feet and playing out from defence. I'm still never convinced by Inácio in fairness but I doubt that will ever change. Mangas with a performance more akin to the one he gave against Casa Pia, gives the ball away far too cheaply in attack. Felt he was harshly booked but never mind it didn't cost us.

Huge well done to Trincão for his tracking back in midfield to win the ball back with a shoulder barge that turned defence into attack and led to the goal. He really has impressed me with his performances this season. They might not be for a full 90 minutes but his attitude is spot on and he's grown as a player and taken on the responsibility of being part of the captain structure. I'd envisage Hjulmand leaves next summer and he takes the armband. Maybe we should let this season finish before I start making predictions for twelve months time. 

My four picks for potential man of the match; Kochorashvili just for his overall contribution to the game having come on as a substitute. The win owes as much to him in midfield and defending as it does to anyone else. Fresneda again supported well in attack and did his defensive duties to the letter. Suárez was a nuisance in large parts of the game but let down by his touch at times but does enough to make my final four just for being like a wasp at a family BBQ in summer. Leaves one spot and my actual man of the match, a hat-trick and an assist from Pedro Gonçalves could only really give me one final option. He's like a classic motor car, obviously needs time to warm up the engine and get going. Had the shot which rattled the bar, then two poor efforts, one of which I thought was going to cause him to go off injured. Then everything clicked for him. I don't know if he has ever scored a hat-trick for Sporting before. Plenty of braces. I seem to remember him missing a penalty once when he could have gotten one. Someone cleverer than me will tell you I'm sure. However Gonçalves to be clear is my man of the match. Wonders will never cease. 

Sporting hopefully just shaking off the ring rust ahead of the Clássico next. They won't get away with playing this way for a third week on the spin. However for now the lions remain top with a goal difference of plus 11 currently level on points with Moreirense who have a goal difference of plus 4 by comparison. Benfica, Porto and Braga all still to play this weekend.