A devastating first-half display by Sporting saw the Lisbon club ruthlessly dispatch Braga in tonight’s Taça da Liga quarter-final at Alvalade.
Goals from five different scorers (Inácio, Paulinho, Pote, Trincão and Edwards) made it 5-0 at the break, and rendered the second half a training-ground snore-fest. Sporting will play either Moreirense or Arouca in the semi-final.
Along with FC Porto, the winner of this tie would be installed as one of the favourites to win the Portuguese League Cup. A bet on the Lions could well be as profitable as using mostbet aviator, with Sporting gunning to make it three triumphs in a row in this competition.
Electric Porro
The hosts gave warning of their intentions from kick-off, Porro twice threatening the Braga goal with shots from outside the box. And on 5 minutes the early pressure told. Porro’s corner was met by Paulinho, whose header deflected off Fabiano and forced a sharp save from Matheus, but Gonçalo Inácio was on hand to tap in from point-blank range.
The lead was soon doubled. Porro’s well-directed long diagonal pass to Trincão was met by an astute cushion header from the winger into Paulinho’s path, who produced a deft finish over Matheus. Eight minutes gone, 2-0.
Things soon got worse for Braga as Edwards won the ball near the halfway line, sprinted directly towards goal and was taken down in the box by Tormena. Penalty. Pedro Gonçalves stepped up, Matheus guessed correctly but the shot was too well-placed and firmly struck. 3-0 with not 20 minutes on the clock.
Braga coach Artur Jorge tried to shake things up, taking off Fabiano and André Castro for Víctor Gómez and André Horta on the 30-minute mark.
Braga leave gaping holes at the back
The change saw Braga perk up from an attacking point of view, Ricardo Horta forcing Adán into a sprawling save, but the visitors were leaving themselves wide open to the counter-attack.
An excellent driving run by Paulinho down the right flank looked certain to result in another goal, but Pote’s goal-bound effort was blocked by Paulo Oliveira. The extremely interventive Paulinho then spun and shot but the ball somehow stayed out.
Sporting 5-0 Braga highlights
It was no surprise when Sporting found the net again from a rapid counter-attack in the 41st minute.
Nuno Santos found himself in acres of space on the left flank, sped towards the box then played a perfect low pass to the unmarked Trincão who smacked the ball past the exposed Matheus to make it 4-0.
There was still time for the home supporters to celebrate another goal before the break, more Marcus Edwards trickery drawing a foul in the box from Paulo Oliveira. Edwards himself got up and duly dispatched the spot kick into the net to make if 5-0 as the half-time whistle went.
With the result beyond doubt, the second half was a non-event as Sporting lowered their intensity levels and Braga were simply grateful to escape further punishment.
Analysis: Break does Sporting good; Artur Jorge on thin ice
Sporting’s disappointing start to the season meant the World Cup interruption came at the right time for Rúben Amorim to try and right the ship.
The young coach appears to have used the plentiful time available to work with his squad profitably. With only Taça da Liga matches to play, Sporting won their four games in the competition in the last month 6-0, 2-0, 5-0 and 5-0.
It is a competition that has helped make Amorim’s name, the coach winning it for the last three years running (once at Braga, twice at Sporting). He will be hoping the positive vibes from the winning run will act as a springboard for a strong second half of the season, starting with the chance to win this trophy again, but more importantly to enable Sporting to make a tilt for direct Champions League qualification.
His opposite number, Artur Jorge, is now under real pressure to keep his job. Rumours were already circulating that the trigger-happy Braga president António Salvador was considering removing the coach from his position.
It sounded harsh following Braga’s superb start to the season, but the Arsenalistas have fallen away badly since the end of September, and their defensive organisation tonight was shockingly poor. Braga host Benfica when the Primeira Liga resumes on 30 December, and a poor performance from the northerners could spell the end for Jorge.
By Tom Kundert at the José Alvalade stadium
Goals:
[1-0] Gonçalo Inácio, 5’
[2-0] Paulinho, 8’
[3-0] Pedro Gonçalves (pen), 20’
[4-0] Trincão, 41’
[5-0] Marcus Edwards (pen), 45’
