It was a classic game of two halves in the Portuguese capital tonight as Atalanta beat Sporting 2-1 thanks to a dominant first-half showing rewarded with goals by Giorgio Scalvini and Matteo Ruggeri.
Sporting coach Rúben Amorim made three changes at the break and the Lions came out a transformed side.
Viktor Gyökeres pulled a goal back from the penalty spot and Sporting had chances to equalise but it wasn’t to be and the Italians take control of Group D of the Europa League.
Sporting captain Sebastián Coates failed to shake off an injury and started on the bench while Rúben Amorim gave highly rated Spanish right-back Iván Fresneda his full debut. The forward pairing of Gyökeres and Paulinho was restored, with Marcus Edwards dropping to the bench.
Atalanta give Sporting first-half lesson
The home fans were in good voice before kick-off, Sporting having won 7 and drawn 1 of their eight games this season, but the optimism was soon sucked out of all apart from the travelling contingent of fans on a sunny afternoon in Lisbon.
Atalanta dominated the first 45 minutes with embarrassing ease, looking far more like the home team than their Portuguese opponents, with the Lions barely able to get out of their own half.
The Italian outfit were pulling Sporting apart all over the pitch with clever movement and zippy passes leaving the home players completely flummoxed. Ademola Lookman in particular was causing havoc with his pace and trickery.
A two-goal lead at the break was no more than the Italians deserved, Scalvini and Ruggeri translating the Italians’ dominance into a healthy advantage.
All change and Lions roar back
Amorim shook things up for the second half, Nuno Santos, Morten Hjulmand and Paulinho making way for Coates, Geny Catamo and Marcus Edwards. Immediately, it was like being at a different game.
The bursts of pace, sharp turns and dribbling ability of Edwards and Catamo suddenly gave the previously untroubled Italians plenty to think about and simultaneously whipped up the erstwhile subdued home supporters.
Inácio should have pulled a goal back in the 52nd minute, heading a sumptuous Edwards cross inches wide, Gyökeres went on a typical lung-busting run into the box but his shot was charged down by a defender, and Matheus Reis stung goalkeeper Juan Musso’s fingers with a fierce angled shot.
Just when it seemed Atalanta had weathered the storm, Sporting were given a golden chance to equalise. Diomande’s shot seemed to have been deflected for a corner, but VAR called the referee’s attention to a possible handball, and after checking the pitch-side monitor the official duly pointed to the spot.
Gyökeres, fresh from netting two penalties at the weekend, took responsibility and duly dispatched the ball low and hard into the net off the post.
Musso and post deny Sporting equaliser
The crowd erupted once again and the roof almost came down when a minute later Edwards raced through on goal after being put through by Catamo. With just Musso to beat, the Argentine stopper won the one-on-one battle.
Moments later the roles were reversed with Edwards playing in Catamo, who despite pressure got his shot away and was unlucky to see the ball smack against the post, then ricochet off the back of Musso and out for a corner.
That was as close as Sporting came, with the Italians doing a good job at slowing down the final minutes of the game. Indeed, it needed an excellent Adán save to tip substitute Gianluca Scamacca’s 20-yard shot over the bar.
Analysis
I commented to my press-box colleague before the game that Sporting were top of the table and still unbeaten in 2023/24 but had not played particularly well this season. It seems obvious that the Lions have bought well in the transfer market and have a significantly stronger squad than last season
However, Amorim has yet to find the alchemy to get the most out of the new arrivals. Gyökeres and Paulinho have both enjoyed a productive start to the season, but playing with two No9s compromises the system that the young coach has worked on for more than three years.
It may be better for Amorim to revert to a more conventional 3-4-3 with two wide and/or mobile players supporting Gyökeres and playing between the lines, which is not Paulinho’s game. Edwards, Pote, Trincão, or as shown tonight the electric Geny Catamo, have the ability to perform that function admirably.
Despite the disappointment of defeat – the first of the season for Sporting – Amorim has an exciting squad that offers him plenty of options. The question remains: can the young coach work out how to best harness the abundant talent available to him?
By Tom Kundert at Alvalade
Goals:
[0-1] Giogio Scalvini, 32’
[0-2] Matteo Ruggeri, 43’
[1-2] Viktor Gyökeres (pen), 73’
