Last week Sporting threw away a two-goal lead and they threatened to go one worse in Lisbon tonight. Winning 3-0 at the break and seemingly cruising to victory against Vitória, the Guimarães side came roaring back, scoring two goals and causing plenty of anxiety among the home fans before the referee blew the final whistle.
Sporting won 3-2 but it will be the away team who take more positives from the match. Tom Kundert reports from the José Alvalade stadium.
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Sporting fans did not have to wait long to celebrate the first goal of the season at Alvalade. In the 9th minute Geny Catamo played a clever ball behind the Vitória defence, Fotis Ioannidis showed strength and persistence to latch onto it, dribble into the box and set up Flávio Gonçalves, who lashed the ball into the net from close range.
The lead was soon doubled with the same trio involved. Gonçalves sprayed a cross-field pass to Catamo, who cheekily chipped the ball over João Mendes before laying it off to Ioannidis, who turned neatly and struck the ball into the roof the net.
Sporting’s third goal came moments after Samu Silva had fired Vitória’s best chance of the half wide. The ball broke to the other end of the pitch, and with Vitória’s defenders all standing off, Sergi Altimira needed no second invitation to fire a superb long-range shot into the corner of the net.
Half time and Sporting in control having found the net with all three of their shots on target in the opening 45 minutes.
Second-half collapse by Sporting
As had happened at the Reboleira last week, Sporting completely switched off, allowing themselves to be dominated by the visitors in the second half.
In front of an increasingly agitated home crowd, Vitória got the goal they had been threatening in the 66th minute when Samu Silva struck powerfully into the net after a quick passing sequence.
Three minutes later Vitória scored again, Tony Strata’s precise cross thumped into the net by Alioune Ndoye with his head.
At this stage Sporting looked all at sea, Gustavo Silva firing an effort just over the bar. But the home team managed to weather the storm as Vitória tired. Nevertheless, when the six minutes of stoppage time elapsed to confirm Sporting’s victory the referee’s final whistle was met more with relief than elation.
On this evidence there is plenty of work for coach Rui Borges to do to bring consistency and defensive solidity to Sporting’s game.
Tiago Margarido, on the other hand, looks to be building on the fine reputation he earned after good work at Nacional da Madeira. His Vitória team outshot Sporting 8-0 in the second half - no mean feat. It may be two defeats out of two for the Vimaranenses, but both against Arouca and Sporting there were plenty of signs that he is building a promising team.
