A goal in each half from Luis Suárez and Issa Doumbia gave an impressive Sporting a 2-0 victory in Lens this afternoon to clock up a second successive victory in this season’s Champions League.
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Coach Rui Borges pulled a couple of surprises with his starting lineup, giving Brazilian goalkeeper Kaique Pereira his debut for the club and also handing young midfielder João Simões his first start since his long injury layoff.
Lens started strongly in the backdrop of a tremendous atmosphere created by their fans at the packed-out Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Matthieu Udol, Florian Thauvin and Junior Kadile tried their luck from distance, but although on the back foot, Sporting were restricting the French team to long shots.
Lethal counter-attack
Midway through the first half Sporting broke out of the home team’s stranglehold and did so to devastating effect.
Simões picked up the ball in his own half, progressed 50 yards up the pitch and played in Nestory Irankunda, the Australian sending over a perfectly directed low cross for Suárez to score from inside the six-yard box. It was the eighth successive match in which the Colombian has scored for Sporting.
The goal settled Sporting, who were now looking more threatening. A long pass over the top by Sergi Altimira sent Suárez racing towards goal, his powerful shot drawing an excellent save out of Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser.
Ivanovic hits the post
Back came Lens and the visitors enjoyed a stroke of luck in the 34th minute when Serbian striker Franjo Ivanovic, on loan from Benfica, smacked a vicious 25-yard shot against the post with Pereira beaten.
Sporting were increasingly dangerous on the break, though, Doumbia, Geny Catamo and Irankunda unable to make the most of half chances that fell their way.
The Portuguese team remained well balanced after the break, not allowing Lens to create chances and attacking with intent when they had the chance. Maxi Araújo forced Risser into a reflex save and Simões was close to doubling the visitors’ lead after a superb team move opened up a shooting opportunity, but again Risser was equal to it.
Nevertheless, with just a one-goal advantage Sporting could not relax and were twice grateful to debutant Pereira, who tipped a long-range Amadou Haidara shot over the bar in spectacular fashion and saved sharply from substitute Odsonne Édouard.
Substitutes combine, Doumbia scores
Sporting could finally breathe easier in the 74th minute when Issa Doumbia made it 2-0. The goal was constructed by two substitutes that had just entered the action, Jesse Derry doing well to evade the attentions of two Lens players on the touchline and play a horizontal pass to Silas Andersen, who slid a perfect through ball to the Italian, who in turn finished coolly with the outside of his right foot.
Rui Borges has come under heavy criticism for his team’s bad habit of letting one-goal and two-goal leads slip, but tonight Sporting kept up their concentration levels and in the final 15 minutes the victory never looked in doubt.
Champions League campaign on track
Sporting now have a week to prepare for their next Champions League encounter, at home against LASK Linz, where a victory will leave them well placed to fight for a top-eight finish and automatic qualification for the round of sixteen for a second successive year.
