Moreirense v Sporting CP

Moreirense v Sporting CP

Saturday February 21st, 2026

Parque Desportivo Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas

Matchday 23

The Warm Up

There is a common misconception in regards to Portuguese football that goalscorers are ten a penny. Maybe in the upper echelon that rings true to a certain extent but for every place you go down the league, having someone capable of putting the ball into the net on a regular basis gets rarer than rocking horse shit. So the fact that Moreirense have chosen to sell their top goalscorer in the January transfer window speaks volumes to the fact that having to sell to survive in Portugal is a very real problem and one that is unlikely to ever change. At the time of his departure to Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, Guilherme Schettine had scored 9 in 15 appearances, a marked improvement on his previous seasons tally of 6 in 33. Whilst the fee of £581,000 might not appear huge by todays modern standards, clearly it was an offer too good to refuse for the side from Minho. Where that decision leaves them between now and May we wait to find out. It leaves Sporting-loanee Diogo Travassos as their leading scorer of those who remain with 4 goals to his name in 17 appearances. Unlike similar loans of youngsters in recent years by the lions, this one really seems to be paying dividends for the 21 year old Portuguese who will be hoping the experience puts him up the pecking order when he returns to Lisboa in the summer.

Going into their Monday night game away to Rio Ave, they started the weekend in 8th level on points with Estoril and 2 ahead of Vitória who host Estrela at home on Saturday knowing a win for them would lift them temporarily at least above one or both clubs. After 21 rounds their record reads 9 wins, 3 draws and 9 losses, GF 27, GA 29. Going back to the opening paragraph, selling a player who has scored 1 in every 3 of your clubs goals can surely only have a detrimental impact on them until the end of the season. Their home record reads played 10, won 6, drawn 1, lost 3, GF 15, GA 13. That translates to 63.33% of all their points won coming at home. So many clubs are struggling away from home this season in the top flight. From Estoril with the 7th best record in the division going into this weekends fixtures down, the total points won away ranges from 11 all the way down to just 2 from AVS at the bottom, which covers 12 teams in total. Sporting and Benfica at the time of writing yet to lose a game away, AVS still to win a game home or away. Surely they can’t go an entire season without picking up a single win? If they do that’s one of the worst adverts for Portuguese football you could have. I hope they win at least one, just not against the lions please. I’m generous in nature and spirit, but I don’t want that generosity and spirit crushed.

Of their 27 goals scored 19 have come from open play and 8 from set pieces and they’re outperforming their Xg which sits at 22.1. I’ve already mentioned their top two goalscorers, next on the list is Maracas with 3, Alan has 2 and after that 9 others share a goal apiece. Despite 27 goals seemingly being a rather low number after 21 rounds, as I’ve already alluded to, goals are hard to come by in Portugal and that’s the 7th highest average in the league at 1.3. Their average of conceding 1.4 goals per game the 8th best and they’ve kept 7 clean sheets to date which is only 3 less than the lions. They’re also marginally outperforming their Xg conceded which stands at 31.7. 

They average 3.4 shots on target per game compared to the lions 7 and have failed to convert 23 big chances, again some distance behind the 48 that Sporting’s players have missed between them all. Fifth in the league for most average passes per game with 359.1. Interestingly Braga ahead at the top of that pile by some distance with 546.9 per game. They average just 3 accurate crosses per game, a record only beaten by Rio Ave with 2.2. Sporting’s Sunday night opponents Famalicão with the highest average of 5.2 per game. Moreirense and Sporting have the worst two records for average interceptions per game with 6.5 and the lions bottom of that grouping on 6.4. Top of one table however – most penalties conceded with 10, an unwanted record of ever their was one. Fifth worst accumulation of bookings with 55 in total and 3 red cards in turn.

At the José Alvalade in September they managed to keep the scores level until 15 minutes before the end of the 90 when Suárez scored from the penalty spot. Any hopes of stealing a point were dashed when Gonçalves scored, again from the penalty spot, on minute 89 and Ioannidis rubbed salt in the wounds when he made it 3-0 3 minutes into additional time. The Xg 5.01 to 0.16 and the lions missed 7 of 10 big chances. I think I wrongly wrote that Famalicão had accumulated the most big chances in a single game with 9 but appears I was clearly wrong so my apologies. I may yet uncover a larger total than 10 so if anyone knows any different please drop me a comment below.

It should be noted that the lions lost this same fixture last December albeit under dear old John Pear Tree who couldn't have caught a cold at that point let alone a break. Gyökeres opened the scoring from a penalty on 11 minutes but we're unable to find an answer to goals from Pinto (18) and Schettine (34) who sent the lions packing with their tail between their legs 2-1. 

As I’m writing this ahead of the Famalicão game on Sunday, what follows will clearly already be out of date but should make interesting reading all the same. In all competitions including the Supertaça, the lions in 36 games have recorded a staggering 624 attempts on goal which have resulted in 90 goals scored. That figure is slightly skewed by the totals from the Paços de Ferreira and AVS games which both went into additional time and resulted in 69 of those recorded attempts, but still 534 attempts that didn’t hit the back of the net does take a moment or two to get your head around. Exact data for the early rounds of the Taça da Liga isn’t available past the total team attempts so I don’t know individual player data, but where it is known, Luis Suárez has accounted for 132 of those attempts. Despite missing 12 games through injury or non-selection in the Taça da Liga, Gonçalves has recorded 63 attempts, only 7 less than Trincão. Geny 36 and Araújo 34 make up the remainder of the top 5. Most blocked shots – Suárez and Trincão with 24 apiece. Suárez with the most shots off target with 47 which is more than the total combined for Trincão and Gonçalves (40). No surprise to learn the Colombian has the most shots on target with 60. In terms of big chances across all competitions where data is shown, Sporting have created 110 big chances. Lets take the total chances figure of each player where I do know the data of 544 and that averages out to just under 1 big chance created for every 5 attempts. That reads much better than looking at it that they’ve missed 534 attempts. Yet still of those 110 big chances, they have only scored 46. Again I'm sure it won’t surprise you to read that Suárez with the most big chances with 44 of which he has missed 25. Next Gonçalves with 15 big chances of which he has missed 9. Trincão and Araújo presented with 7 apiece and Ioannidis with 6. Still despite all those big chances missed the Colombian is outperforming his overall Xg of 21.4 and the league Xg of 15.29. 

As I type the dirty pigeons have just beaten Santa Clara 2-1 away to draw level on points with Sporting. I'm starting to worry that the wheels come off for both us and the grape crushers and we both end up with egg on our faces. We should all keep telling ourselves they didn't have a pre-season and had to play in the Club World Cup. Porto of course lost Aghehowa to an ACL injury in the Clássico which will keep him out for the rest of the campaign. I don't want to see any player injured in fairness but it does feel like karma given their shit housery which reached new lows even for them. 

Moreirense's campaign to date 

A reminder of how their campaign began before the two sides met on Matchday 6 - with 3 straight victories! First up a 2-1 home win against newly promoted Alverca with goals from Schettine (26) and Lincon (90+4). Milovanovic equalised from the penalty spot (43). Xg 0.93 to 0 97, Moreirense scored 2 of their 3 big chances, Alverca missed their only one. A Schettine goal after 7 minutes good enough for all 3 points in a 1-0 win away to Santa Clara. Xg 1.51 to 0.63. They missed a whopping 4 of 5 big chances but importantly prevented the islanders from creating a single one. Vitória at home won 2-0 as Schettine scored a brace in just 3 second half minutes (49 + 51) and the goals meant he'd scored in each of their 3 opening games. Xg 1.44 to 0.29. Their 2 big chances converted by Schettine. For the second straight game the opponents without a single big chance and a second clean sheet. 

Back to earth with a 2-0 loss to Gil Vicente with second half goals from the now departed Pablo (48) and Varela (90+1). Xg 0.73 to 0.86, Gil scored their big chance, Moreirense missed theirs. Back to winning ways against Rio Ave at home 3-1 with goals from Travassos (46), Marcelo (60) and Alan (68). They were denied a clean sheet when Luiz scored a consolation goal 7 minutes from time. Xg 2.25 to 1.17, Ave missed 3 of 4 big chances, they converted 2 of their 3. So with 4 wins from their opening 5 games and having just recorded their highest Xg of the campaign hopes would have been high going to the José Alvalade but as we've already learned earlier, those were dented with the 3-0 loss and an Xg against higher than their opening 5 games combined. 

We pick the trail up after the loss to the lions - 

Matchday 7 - Casa Pia (H) Livolant put the visitors ahead with just 6 minutes of the game gone. Schettine equalised 7 minutes later with the winner from Martins (69). Despite the 2-1 scoreline the visitors Xg 1.7 to 0.99 and they missed 2 of their 3 big chances as the home side scored their only one. 

Matchday 8 - Nacional (A) Their second island visit didn't go the way of the first as they ended up the wrong side of a 3-2 scoreline. They would have had high hopes when Sousa put then ahead after just 3 minutes. Ramirez equalised front the penalty spot on 20. Kiko restored their advantage on 55. However that lasted all of 4 minutes when Santos brought the game level at 2-2. Sousa was shown the red card on 61 minutes. Their misery was compounded by conceding a second penalty, again converted by Ramirez with 7 minutes to go. Final score 3-2, Xg 2.64 to their 1.97. Nacional scored 3 of their 4 big chances helped of course with 2 of them being penalties. Moreirense scored 2 of theirs, sadly for them missing the other 3.

Taça de Portugal- AD Fafe (A) What must have seemed like a plum tie before kick off proved to be anything of the sort. Little did they know they'd end up losing 1-0 to a side who are now only one game away from a possible final against either the lions or FC Porto. Batista with the only goal on 66 minutes as the lower league side proved to be giant killers, if Moreirense could ever be labelled as such. In this context, sure, why not. Might soften their blow. 

Matchday 9 - FC Porto (H) What you really don't want after a cupset is to host the league leaders the game after. A third straight loss as the game ended 2-1. Alan gave them hope after 17 minutes. Another penalty conceded, converted by Aghehowa (45+3). Gül with the sickener 3 minutes before time. Xg 0.27 to 1.87. Interestingly Alan's goal was just 0.05. Unsurprisingly no big chances created for them, Porto scored both of theirs.

Matchday 10 - Arouca (A) A big opportunity to arrest their slide which they took as Schettine remembered where to put the ball with a brace (11 & 35) in a 2-0 win. Xg 0.59 to 0.68. Doesn't exactly scream classic does it? Arouca missed all 3 of their big chances, Moreirense scored their only one. After taking Alverca to promotion the season before you have to imagine Vasco Botelho da Costa's new employers more than happy with the misters 18 points from their first ten games. 

Matchday 11 - Braga (A) Another penalty conceded and converted. Zalazar opening the scoring on 12 and Horta made it 2-0 on 70. Braga shaken by Maracas' goal with 9 minutes to go but it stayed 2-1. What? you think I'm going to walk past that pun and not bury it? Xg 2.22 to 0.83. Braga scored 2 of their 3 big chances, Moreirense 1 of their 2. 

Matchday 12 - Famalicão (H) Zabiri put the visitors ahead on 20 minutes. Schettine leveled a minute into the second half. Sá restored the leaf for Fama before a leveller from Pinto 11 minutes from time made it 2-2 and the home side had their first draw of the season. Xg 1.41 to 2.25. Fama left to rue missing 3 of their 4 big chances. Moreirense scored 1 of their 2. Maracas was sent off 3 minutes from time for a second yellow card. 

Matchday 13 - Estoril (A) You know what they say, draws are like buses. You wait ages for one and two come along at once. What a bonkers way to share a point as well. Sporting loanee Travassos with the opener with 1 minute on the clock. de Paula (18) made it 1-1. Sanchez (53) and it was advantage Estoril. Begraoui (57) makes it 3. Never score in the first minute, isn't that what they say? I believe they also say never rest on your laurels. Assis (61) and it's now 3-2. 90th minute - plus 6 shown on the board. Cometh the 92nd minute, cometh Semedo and the circle is complete as the game finished 3-3. Xg 1.93 to 2.32. Just 8 chances to 9. Both sides scored 2 of their 3 big chances. 

Matchday 14 - Benfica (H) Again when you need to end a run of 3 games without a win, completing Os Três Grandes on your bingo card is hardly ideal and so it proved. Pavlidis (35, 56 and 69) leaves with the match ball under his arm. Aursnes compounds their misery with a fourth after 75. Despite losing 4-0 the Xg 0.51 to just 1.00. No big chances created, Benfica missed 1 of their 3. 

Matchday 15 - Estrela (A) No win in 4 became no win in 5 as a point shared in a 0-0 draw, the first Moreirense game where neither side had found the net in all competitions. Xg 0.87 to 1.14, 13 attempts to 16 so it wasn't from a lack of trying. The star men missed their 1 big chance, the visitors both of theirs. 

Matchday 16 - AVS (A) When you really need a win whose door is better to knock on than that of poor old struggling AVS. Travassos with the opener again (11). Schettine made sure of all 3 points (49). Xg 0.35 to 1.99, 0 big chances for the home side, 2 of 3 missed for Moreirense.

Matchday 17 - Tondela (H) The other newly promoted side book ended the opening round of 17 which began against Alverca. Another win as the visitors shaken in the 61st minute by Maracas. OK fine I'm getting my monies worth. A 1-0 win, Xg 0.53 to 0.48. 2 big chances missed by the home side but importantly 0 given up. Two straight wins, 2 clean sheets. 

Matchday 18 - Alverca (A) We start again in reverse and Moreirense hoping to complete the double. Alverca hadn't read the script and were helped when the visitors conceded another penalty, converted by Touaizi (59). Not to worry as Rodri equalised 2 minutes later. Lima however made it 2-1 just 7 minutes later which did for the visitors. Xg 2.43 to 1.36. Both sides guilty of not being able to hit a cows arse with a banjo from 5 yards. Alverca missed 3 of 5 big chances, Moreirense 3 of 4.

Matchday 19 - Santa Clara (H) Shake, shake, shake… shake, shake, shake, shake your booty…Maracas. The only goal coming four Minutes from full time. Moreirense complete the double over the islanders. Xg 0.23 each. Moreirense with a whopping 3 attempts. Christ - 1 every half hour. That game will stick in the mind as 90 minutes people will never get back. Unsurprisingly no big chances created across the 90 from either side. Maybe starting to regret the sale of Schettine? 

Matchday 20 - Vitória (A) Another penalty conceded, another penalty scored, this time through Samu (65) to give the side from Guimarães a 1-0 win. Xg 1.79 to 0.57. Moreirense missed both their big chances, Vitória had just the 1 with the penalty. 

Matchday 21 - Gil Vicente (H) Despite the loss of their top scorer Pablo to West Ham, the visitors took the lead through Murillo (42). Want to guess how he scored? Yes you're correct, well done you, from the penalty spot. That coming after Alvaro Martinez was shown a straight red card in the 38th minute. The ten men equalised on 66 when our favourite lion popped up to score his 4th of the campaign. They were so close to seeing the game out despite all odds when Hernández popped up with the winner 3 minutes from time. The mister Vasco Botelho Da Costa clearly wasn't enamoured with David Silva's decision to award a penalty and followed his left back down the tunnel. Presumably he'll be back on the touchline for the game against Sporting. Their Xg their lowest of the campaign at a measly 0.12. Gil's was 2.40. Depending on how you see your big chances glass it was either half full or half empty with 2 of 4 chances converted or missed. You take your pick, plus a total shut out for Moreirense. And so after a rocket start with 3 wins from 4, the reverse fixtures reversed their fortunes with 3 losses from 4. The moral of the story clearly - don't sell your top scorer. 

Matchday 22 - Rio Ave (A) 

Winter transfer window 

Incoming 

Kevyn Monteiro from Red Bull Bragantino on loan

Nile John from Feirense for free

Leandro Santos from Benfica for £664,000

Outgoing 

Gabrielzinho to Shanghai Port for free

Bernardo Martins to Kifisia FC for free

Marcelo to União de Leiria for free

Guilherme Schettine to Tianjin Jinmen Tiger for £581,000

Lawrence Ofori to Casa Pia for free

Joel Jorqeura to Real Murcia on loan 

Wallisson to Cortiba either for free or £830,000. Both listed unhelpfully. 

In the markets 

Moreirense TBC

Draw TBC

Sporting CP TBC