It was not smooth sailing, but Sporting put in one of their most convincing performances of the season tonight at Alvalade to give themselves a boost ahead of the final stretch of matches before the World Cup season interruption.
The hosts created and spurned a hatful of chances in the first half and were punished when Clayton pounced to give Casa Pia a half-time lead. But the Lions kept up their intensity after the break and ended up with an entirely deserved victory thanks to goals from Paulinho, Nuno Santos and Pote.
Sporting came into the match under huge pressure having lost 4 of their previous 6 matches, culminating in an embarrassing Taça de Portugal exit versus third-tier Varzim last weekend. Casa Pia, on the other hand, made the short trip across the north of Lisbon looking to continue their sensational return to the top flight after an 83-year hiatus that has made them one of the stories of the season.
The Lions started like a team set on making amends for recent disappointments, tearing into Casa Pia, the front three of Edwards, Pote and Trincão combining well and Nuno Santos especially active on the left wing.
Glaring miss
With just five minutes on the clock Sporting missed a golden opportunity, a Pote corner finding its way to Edwards, all on his own at the second post, but the Englishman put his header wide with the goal at his mercy.
Soon afterwards Ricardo Batista made the first of a series of impressive saves, athletically turning away Pote’s deflected shot. Pote then won a free kick on the right-hand corner of the box, Nuno Santos firing a low effort towards goal but Batista was there to pouch the ball.
Casa Pia’s game plan was obviously to try and release Godwin on the break, but it was Clayton who escaped to create their first moment of danger, the Brazilian doing well to twist past Nuno Santos and fire in an effort that struck the outside of the post.
Sporting were soon back on the attack, Edwards dribbling past a raft of defenders but unable to find the best angle for his shot, with Porro’s ensuing header easily gathered by Batista.
Trincão then contrived to produce the second scandalous miss of the match, carelessly leaning back and skying his shot over the bar after a beautifully worked move had given him a perfect scoring opportunity in front of goal.
Brilliant Batista thwarts Sporting
The chances kept coming for Sporting, Ricardo Batista denying Pote and Morita in quick succession with two outstanding saves.
And things got even better for Casa Pia as they stunned the home supporters by taking the lead shortly before the break. Morita’s sliding interception fell to Godwin who played a lovely first-time throughball to Clayton, the Brazilian striker showing excellent composure to drive towards goal and confidently stroke the ball past Adán.
Sporting’s centre-back injury jinx struck again as José Marsà was forced off at the interval, replaced by 19-year-old Chico Lamba.
No doubt Rúben Amorim told his charges to continue playing as they had been and their luck would change, and the pattern of the game did not alter, with Pote fizzing a shot just wide, and Trincão then showing good trickery to dance his way into the box and get his shot off, the winger unlucky to see the ball bounce back into play off the post.
Amazingly, Casa Pia were then a whisker away from doubling their lead. Godwin’s pace got him past Lamba and his cross-shot brought a sharp save out of Adán, with Clayton close to heading in the rebound, Inácio getting back in the nick of time to save the day for Sporting.
Porro takes centre stage
It would prove a pivotal moment as just a couple of minutes later Sporting finally got the ball into the net. Porro was seeing more of the ball in the second half, and when the Spaniard cut inside and curled a 20-yarder towards goal, Batista could only parry the ball into the air, with recent substitute Paulinho pouncing to dive and head the rebound into the net.
Having finally broken through, the crowd came to life, Sporting sensed blood and just two minutes later they took the lead. Porro was again at the heart of it, his superb cross met by an equally impressive first-time volley from Nuno Santos that skidded low into the net.
Porro was on fire, the wing-back’s vicious shot from the edge of the box whistling just wide.
Sporting 3-1 Casa Pia highlights
The hosts had all the momentum and it was no surprise when a third goal arrived. Edwards’ close control and dribbling ability proved too much for Casa Pia, Eteki bringing him down for a penalty that Pote confidently dispatched into the net.
With the game won, Amorim took advantage to give two more youth players some senior experience, Flávio Nazinho and Mateus Fernandes, the latter, like Lamba, making his first-team debut.
The game petered out somewhat as Casa Pia also made a series of substitutions, with a Nazinho chance and a late penalty shout for the visitors that was turned down ending the action.
Analysis: Sporting stabilise, Casa Pia serene
Coming into the match in the face of widespread criticism, Sporting produced probably their best domestic performance of the season. Rúben Amorim would have been particularly pleased at the mental fortitude shown by his side, who somehow found themselves losing close to the hour mark despite creating chance after chance to score and defending reasonably well. The fact his young players kept at and turned the score around augurs well for the future.
Of the debutants and youth players thrown into the fray, Chico Lamba stood out, the teenager looking comfortable as part of the three-man back line and also producing a peach of a throughball to set up a chance for fellow academy graduate Nazinho. Giving youth players a chance was a feature of Amorim’s start to life as Sporting coach and it is good to see the Lisbon club again trusting in their home-grown talent.
Casa Pia have been making headlines this season by completely exceeding all expectations. Although they were well beaten tonight, they made life difficult for Sporting and it was another demonstration of how Filipe Martins is getting the most out of a squad with no little talent. Godwin may be the star man, the Nigerian again making himself a nuisance for Sporting throughout the 90 minutes, but tonight his partner in attack Clayton Silva was superb, making the most of the few opportunities that came his way to almost ruin Sporting’s night single-handedly.
by Tom Kundert, at Alvalade
Goals:
[0-1] Clayton, 43’
[1-1] Paulinho, 57’
[2-1] Nuno Santos, 59’
[3-1] Pote (pen), 64’
