A late Coates goal gives Sporting CP an equaliser against FC Midtjylland

On the return of European action to Alvalade, Sporting Clube de Portugal drew 1-1 with Danish side FC Midtjylland in the first leg of the Playoff for the Europa League Round of 16. A 94th minute equaliser from captain Sebastián Coates left things wide open for the second leg next week.

Their opponents were the team currently seventh in the Danish league, who had not played in official competition since November but who arrived in Portugal after a series of friendlies.

Sporting CP made five changes to the lineup used against FC Porto: Jeremiah St. Juste, Ricardo Esgaio, Nuno Santos, Arthur Gomes and Paulinho came in for Gonçalo Inácio, Héctor Bellerín, Fatawu, Francisco Trincao and Youssef Chermiti, who all took up spots on the bench.

Looking to take the initiative right away, Sporting CP sent in some early crosses through Nuno Santos, but the first dangerous approach came from the visitors -Sebastián Coates producing  two well-timed challenges inside the area.

Marcus Edwards had the home team's first chance of note on 24 minutes, as he met a long ball and crossed to the back post, although Arthur could not manage to finish off.

Pedro Gonçalves struck two shots only slightly over the crossbar, as it seemed as if a goal was close. At the end of the first half, Paulinho lost his marker and took a defender out of the equation, but failed to complete the final pass, and the game went into the interval with Sporting CP enjoying 70% possession but no joy in front of goal.

The same script was seen to start the second half, and Sporting CP even had the ball in the net through Arthur, but the goal was disallowed as Paulinho was caught offside.

FC Midtjylland stayed organised and tried to waste time, but close to the 70th minute they caused problems for goalkeeper Antonio Adán, who had to stretch to block a shot from newly introduced Emam Ashour.

Francisco Trincao and Héctor Bellerín, then Chermiti and Inácio, were all brought on during the second half in attacking switches.

The opening goal came very much against the run of play, as the visitors took the lead. Ashour took advantage of a bad pass from Adán and, from distance, made it 0-1.

FC Midtjylland threatened again through Kristoffer Olsson, who shot wide, then shut up shop in the defence in order to preserve their lead.

Nevertheless, Sporting CP got their reward. After four minutes of stoppage time, a cross from Edwards found the head of Inácio, who flicked into the area for Coates and the captain finished off.

With the score at 1-1, everything is open for the return leg at the MCH Arena, in the Danish city of Herning, next Thursday. Before then, the team play on Monday against GD Chaves in Liga Portugal.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Ricardo Esgaio (Héctor Bellerín 65'), Jeremiah St.Juste, Sebastián Coates [C], Matheus Reis (Gonçalo Inácio 78'), Nuno Santos, Manuel Ugarte (Mateo Tanlongo 86'), Pedro Gonçalves, Marcus Edwards, Arthur Gomes (Francisco Trincão 65') and Paulinho (Youssef Chermiti 78').