Sporting breeze past V. Guimarães on I Liga matchday 7
Sporting put in the best performance of the season so far with a 5-1 thrashing of V. Guimarães this Sunday night. Slimani was the encounter’s main instigator, netting a hattrick in what was a brilliant showing all round.
With five changes relative to the side that took on Besiktas mid-week (Esgaio, Jefferson, Adrien, João Mário and Slimani), Sporting dominated right from the off, with William in particular bossing play with a midfield masterclass. Long spells of possession went largely uncontested, as Jorge Jesus’ side smartly went about exploiting the space out wide. In was only a matter of time before the ball was in the back of the net and it was Slimani who obliged, heading in a cross from João Mário.
After quarter of an hour Slimani pulled a fine save out of Douglas, before Teo Gutiérrez headed an effort against the cross bar two minutes later following a Jefferson corner. A second was only a matter of time and it was the Colombian who struck in the 24th minute, picking up a loose pass from Montoya and rounding the keeper to slot into an empty net.
Despite having netted twice early on, Sporting continued to pressure and push forward. Bryan Ruiz was next to try his luck, tricking his way past two before being denied by Douglas in what was the Costa Rican’s last showing of the night as he was forced off by injury in place of Gelson Martins). Five minutes later, Teo had another chance, after some superb link up play between João Mário and Gelson.
The second-half actually started off with Sporting looking more cautious in attack, but a harsh tackle from Saré on 55 minutes saw Guimarães reduced to 10 men and signalled the start of wave after wave of Sporting attacks. Slimani made it three in the 58th minute following a pinpoint cross from Jefferson, before Adrien scored with a kind deflection following a free-kick on the edge of the area.
A series of set pieces followed for the visitors, while Sporting continued to throw numbers forward. After a decent chance for Gelson in the 78th minute, only cut out by a past ditch tackle from Josué, Slimani rounded off his hattrick with a simple finish after a driven cross by Jefferson. Sérgio Conceição’s side did grab a consolation in the 82nd minute, but it did little to overshadow what was a brilliant showing from the team from Alvalade.
The result keeps Sporting in 1st with FC Porto on 17 points, three ahead of Rio Ave and four ahead of Sp. Braga.
Sporting-V. Guimarães, 5-1
I Liga matchday 7
Estádio José Alvalade, 31.295 spectators
Referee: Rui Costa (AF Porto), substituted in the 52nd minute for Hélder Malheiro
Sporting: Rui Patrício; Ricardo Esgaio, Tobias Figueiredo, Naldo, Jefferson; William, Adrien (captain, Aquilani, 61’); João Mário, Bryan Ruiz (Gelson Martins, 35’), Teo Gutiérrez (Montero, 66’) and Slimani
Coach: Jorge Jesus
V. Guimarães: Douglas (captain); Bruno Gaspar, Josué, João Afonso, Dalbert; Saré, Cafu, Tozé (João Pedro, 62’); Montoya (Licá, 35), Ricardo Valente and Tomané (Ricardo Gomes, 62’)
Coach: Sérgio Conceição
Goals: Slimani (12’, 58’ and 78’), Teo Gutiérrez (24’) and Adrien (60’); Josué (82’)
Cards: Yellow, Adrien (20’), Montoya (32’), Bruno Gaspar (59’), Gelson Martins (67’), Dalbert (75’) and Licá (90+2’). Red, Saré (55’)