Sporting beat Porto 2-0 at Alvalade to go back to the top of the table

Sporting overcame their recent psychological block against their fiercest rivals (10 successive winless games against Porto and Benfica) to earn a thoroughly deserved 2-0 victory against the Dragons in Lisbon this evening.

Viktor Gyökeres scored a brilliant individual goal early on and the Swede was also instrumental in the second goal, laying on a perfect assist for Pedro Gonçalves on the hour mark. In between Porto captain Pepe was sent off. 

Before kick-off there had been doubts about the fitness of Pepe, but the centre-back was apt to take his place in the line-up. His opposite number though, the Sporting captain Sebastián Coates, missed out having picked up an injury in the final training session before the match. Young central defender Eduardo Quaresma was drafted in as a surprise inclusion by coach Rúben Amorim.

Gyökeres torments Pepe

The hosts enjoyed plenty of the ball in the opening minutes and got an early breakthrough thanks to star man Viktor Gyökeres. The Swede picked up the ball wide on the left flank with seemingly nothing on and Pepe in close attendance. Gyökeres cut inside the Portugal central defender and fired a low shot into Diogo Costa’s net at the near post, eliciting an explosion of joy among the home fans.

Pepe was having a torrid time trying to control the Sporting No9, picking up a yellow card for pulling him to the ground as the Swede bustled past him again. Diomande was next to threaten, rising highest to meet a corner but it was straight at Diogo Costa who saved comfortably.

Sporting were cutting through Porto’s defence with alarming ease for the Dragons, the visitors escaping further punishment as Marcus Edwards twice made bad decisions with the retreating Porto backline exposed.

Quaresma shines

On Porto’s few incursions into Sporting’s half in the opening half hour Quaresma defended magnificently, putting a series of perfectly timed tackles to thwart the in-form Galeno, in addition to showing excellent composure and accuracy when passing out from the back

After the half-hour mark Porto gradually began to get a foothold in the game, enjoying more of the ball in Sporting’s defensive third, albeit without creating danger. Evanilson tried his luck from distance in the 40th minute but the ball sailed harmlessly over the bar.

With half time approaching the crowd erupted into a roar of celebration as Sporting looked to have doubled their lead with a thrilling goal.

Eduardo Quaresma embarked on a piece of wing play that his namesake Ricardo would have been proud off, playing a perfectly executed one-two, speeding down the flank and delivering a pinpoint cross for the diving Gyökeres to head into the net. The joy of the Sporting fans did not last however, as a VAR intervention and check of the pitch-side monitor by the referee ruled out the goal for a foul in the buildup.

The deflation in the stadium almost turned to despair as Porto at last created a clear goal-scoring opportunity, goalkeeper Adán producing a superb reaction save with his foot from a close-range Wenderson Galeno header.

Pepe sees red

The second half started with a bang as Pepe’s forgettable night got worse when he lashed out with his arms and caught Matheus Reis. The referee initially took no action but again VAR intervened and after watching the images on the monitor Nuno Almeida produced a red card.

Sporting scented blood with Marcus Edwards going on a mazy run and forcing Diogo Costa into a sharp diving save.

The second goal duly arrived in the 60th minute. Geny Catamo threaded a delicious through ball into the path of Gyökeres, who raced forward before squaring to the unmarked Pote, who had little difficulty in sweeping the ball past Costa. Sporting two goals up and one man up with half an hour to play.

Pedro Gonçalves soon had a golden chance to score a second, failing to beat Costa from ten yards out, with Porto immediately breaking to create a chance for Evanilson, but the Brazilian failed to make a solid connection with his shot and Adán saved his weak effort comfortably.

Porto had the ball in Sporting’s net in the 72nd minute, but Taremi had strayed offside before passing to strike partner Evanilson to finish.

But Sporting always looked likelier to add to their lead rather than see it cut, with the out-of-form Pote wasting another glaring opportunity with a poor finish that dribbled wide. In stoppage time the Lions had the ball in the net again, but Paulinho’s shot was ruled out for a foul by Daniel Bragança.

The win lifts Sporting back to the top of the table, one point clear of second-placed Benfica and three ahead of Porto.

by Tom Kundert at the Estádio José Alvalade

Sporting: Adán, Quaresma (Nuno Santos, 61), Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio, Geny Catamo (Ricardo Esgaio, 74), Matheus Reis, Morten Hjulmand, Morita (Bragança, 84), Marcus Edwards (Paulinho, 74), Viktor Gyökeres, Pedro Gonçalves (Francisco Trincão, 84)

Porto: Diogo Costa, João Mário (Fábio Cardoso, 73), Pepe, Zé Pedro, Zaidu (Francisco Conceição, 73), Pepê, Stephen Eustáquio (André Franco, 84), Alan Varela, Wenderson Galeno, Evanilson (Fran Navarro, 84), Mehdi Taremi

Goals:

[1-0] Viktor Gyökeres, 11’

[2-0] Pedro Gonçalves, 60’