Jorge Jesus reflects on his third Lisbon derby win of the season

For Jorge Jesus, Saturday's Portuguese Cup win against Benfica, which was Sporting's third Lisbon derby victory already this season, the final result was more than fair reflection of his side's dominance over the full 120 minutes.

“We were fair winners, because we were the team that showed the most quality during the entire game. In the first-half we hit the post and Benfica scored from their only shot. The game was balanced, but then Sporting understood what had to be done. We fought back and the draw was fair at half-time. In the second-half and in extra-time we had the most chances. We played as a team, we were the most aware, the most balanced and the most confident", opened the Alvalade coach in a flash interview at the final whistle.

Jesus went on to reflect on some of his changes made over the course of the evening and how Benfica set out for the encounter: "Why did I move João Mário into the middle? I know why I did of course and it made a difference. I wasn't surprised by Benficca. Gaitán in that position was something I did in a few times, the same with Talisca and Pizzi. Nothing was really new and we were the better organised team. This is a team with soul, discipline and we think as a collective."

To finish, Jorge Jesus affirmed: "Never had I thought that against the champion we would win three times. The Sporting president believed in me and I am doing my job."

First in the Super Cup, then Liga NOS and now in the Portuguese Cup...

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's Portuguese Cup derby, the Benfica coach Rui Vitória, by sheer coincidence, arrived half an hour late and opened his conference after Jorge Jesus had already shared his thoughts. Ten times the Benfica coach said "win", six times the name "Sporting" and another six more "team". It turns out that Vitória was right: Sporting, the better team on the night, won.

With the introduction of Fredy Montero in place of Teo Gutiérrez in the starting line-up, the team from Alvalade got off to the stronger start and on four minutes Slimani hammered a header against the woodwork after a cross from the left. However, Benfica's luck was in from what was their first attack of the evening, when Mitroglou opened the scoring in the seventh minute after a long pass by Gaitán and some good ball control from Pizzi.

The encounter was yet to find its shape, but the goal went on to define what would be the theme for most of the first-half, seeing Benfica drop back and close ranks, breaking forward on the occasional counter-attack. With the evening's visitors inviting Sporting to take the initiative, the game was soon all one-way traffic and after good opportunities for Slimani in the 32nd minute and Jefferson in the 39th, only denied by some heroics from Júlio César, a thoroughly deserved equaliser came just before the break, when Adrien fired in a calculated volley.

Up stepped Jorge Jesus at the restart with his usual magic, introducing Gelson for Montero down the right and pulling João Mário into the middle. A good half-hour of Sporting pressure followed, but a more clinical touch was missing in the final third and the scoreboard remained stubbornly deadlocked. Benfica introduced André Almeida into the action, balancing out the midfield contest, and did have two shots on goal through Talisca and Eliseu, but it was Sporting who were really pushing for the win. Slimani could have finished it two minutes before the regulation ninety, but Júlio César pulled out a memorable stop from point-blank range to take encounter to extra-time.

Ricardo Esgaio and Tobias Figueiredo were introduced for Jefferson and Ewerton, as tired legs took hold in both camps. At last Sporting's technical, tactical, individual and collective dominance got its reward in the 112th minute, when Slimani struck to effectively secure the win. Samaris was shown a second yellow card for protesting the goal, before Benfica also saw claims rightly waved away for a nonexistent penalty.

For the first time in 61 years, Sporting has beaten Benfica for a third consecutive time.

Jorge Jesus ahead of Saturday's Portuguese Cup derby

While recent results and home turf will both play to Jorge Jesus' advantage tomorrow night when his side host Benfica in the fourth round of the Portuguese Cup, the Sporting boss sees form on the day as the decisive factor in the final result. “We have won both games against Benfica, so naturally we are confident, but what matters in a derby is how the teams play on the day. The league table or the past don't make that much difference. It will be a passionate game and I hope that everybody shows the right kind of respect on the pitch", explained Jesus in his usual pre-match press conference.

Following the same logic, the Alvalade boss was keen to brush aside the assertion of a favourite to clinch the result: "I don't think we can say there is a favourite, because both teams have very similar objectives. It is the moment that makes the difference when it comes down to it. Obviously playing in front of our fans, on our pitch, is more attractive for us than playing in the Luz, but the players still have to respond. This is a Sporting-Benfica derby in a knock-out competition which has to be decided tomorrow, so the game takes on other characteristics. The lads have been working as usual, although some of them, Bryan and Slimani for example, are a bit touch and go. Tomorrow I will be able to take a look at them and make a decision, but we are all ready for just another match."

Asked if beating his former employer is that extra bit special compared to any other match, Jesus played it cool: "I like beating every team. I am the Sporting coach and for me every opponent is special, because this is my team. Sometimes one game or another leaves more of a mark, but not because of the opponent."

The Portuguese Cup 4th round between Sporting and Benfica will kick off at 20h00 on Saturday the 21st of November, in Estádio José Alvalade.

Sporting-Benfica in the Portuguese Cup

Turnstiles will open two hours before kick-off for Saturday's Portuguese cup encounter between Sporting and Benfica.

Additional security measures are expected for the match, including further controls on entering the carpark.

We appeal for all fans to arrive as early as possible to the stadium in order to avoid long waits.

Jorge Sousa names for the Portuguese Cup fourth round

Jorge Sousa, 40, from the Porto Football Association, has been named as the referee to take charge of the Portuguese Cup fourth round between Sporting and Benfica.

This will be the referee's second Lisbon derby of the season, having officiates over Sporting's 1-0 Super Cup in in August.

Sporting-Benfica will kick-off at 20h00 on Saturday the 21st of November, in Estádio José Alvalade.

Ticket sales for Portuguese Cup 4th round

Fourth round draw sets up Lisbon derby

Sporting will host Benfica in the Portuguese Cup third round, on the 21st or 22nd of November (subject to alteration).

This will be the 35^th time the two Lisbon giants face off in the Portuguese Cup, with Sporting holding a slight advantage (17 wins to Benfica’s 15).

“A draw is a draw and we have to accept it. It will be a good show, like it always is between these two clubs. We still have a lot of games until this one”, said Sporting’s director of football, Octávio Machado, speaking at the draw.

Draw in full:

Farense (II)-Sp. Braga (I)

SPORTING-Benfica (I)

Trofense (CPP)-Académica (I)

Nacional (I)-Cova da Piedade (CPP)

Malveira (CPP)-Feirense (II)

Benfica Castelo Branco (CPP)-Gil Vicente (II)

Desp. Aves (II)-União (I)

Fafe (CPP)-Penafiel (II)

Portimonense (II)-Belenenses (I)

P. Ferreira (I)-Rio Ave (I)

Casa Pia (CPP)-V. Setúbal (I)

Boavista (I)-Operário (CPP)

Arouca (I)-Desp. Chaves (II)

Caldas (CPP)-Estoril (I)

Angrense (CPP)-FC Porto (I)

Amarante (CPP)-Marítimo (I)

Jorge Jesus on his side's 4-0 win against Vilafranquense

Jorge Jesus was clearly happy with his side’s dominating performance against Vilafranquense (4-0) in the Portuguese Cup third round this weekend. However, the key to a comfortable afternoon for the Alvalade boss was an early goal.

“Obviously when you win it feels all the better if you can do it by a good margin. We faced a team from a lower division and they did what they could. For them our pace was completely different to what they are used to. Scoring early made it easier and kept Vilafranquense from starting to think they could keep the dream alive. Psychologically an early goal takes it out of these teams. We won by four and we could have scored more”, opened Jesus.

The afternoon was also a chance for Jesus to make a wealth of changes, which the Sporting coach saw as an extremely positive opportunity: “It is good to see our four goals scored by three of the young lads. I liked how we played collectively and I was really looking forward to seeing Bruno Paulista. It was his first match and you can see that he isn’t a normal player. All that he is missing is an idea of how we play and he will be an option for me. Matheus Pereira was also good and Gelson came on well. Aquilani is also really creative and I wanted to give him time further up the pitch. He has a lot of experience and a lot of quality with his passing.”

Sporting book fourth round place with win against Vilafranquense

Sporting moved comfortably into the Portuguese Cup fourth round this Saturday, with a 4-0 win over lower league minnows Vilafranquense in Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, courtesy of goals from Matheus Pereira (2), Bruno Paulista and Gelson Martins.

Sporting, in what was Bruno Paulista’s first official senior start and a return from a lengthy injury spell for Ewerton, burst out of the blocks for the opening whistle and could have had the ball in the back of the net after just four minutes, when Matheus Pereira was put through on goal by Montero, only to put his effort wide. Aquilani was next, but the shot ended up just off target.

Dominating in the final third, it was only a matter of time before Sporting opened the scoring. Matheus Pereira obliged on 12 minutes, when William Carvalho put in a wire-guided pass into the area which the youngster rounded off with a left footed strike. Vilafranquense could do little but bunker down under the attacking storm, before Matheus Pereira hit his second in three minutes after a brilliant pass from Jonathan Silva.

Although the early blitz essentially finished the game off, Sporting continued to press. Aquilani came close to his first Sporting goal in 19 minutes, but his guided shot was unable to catch the goalkeeper off balance and another effort two minutes later lacked any real sting. Vilafranquense did eventually have a foray forward close to the half-hour mark with a dangerous cross from Lucas Linhares, but Marcelo Boeck comfortably rose to gather. Aquilani again tried his luck on 29 minutes, this time with a header, but it just wasn’t the Italian’s day in front of goal as the ball ended up inches wide.

Carlos Mané tried a cheeky chip from the half-way line just before the break, but the Vilafranquense keeper managed to scramble back and tip over for a corner, before Bruno Paulista scored from a header after a cross from Aquilani to mark his first official start with a goal and take Sporting in 3-0 up at half-time.

The second-half saw Tanaka tally up his first outing of the season (on for William Carvalho) and Aquilani again trying to open his account and again off target. The game continued with one-way football from Sporting and Montero was next to fire towards goal with a shot smothered by Nélson Pinhão, before Gelson Martins burst into the area to latch on to a pass from Tanaka, only to be denied by the Vilafranquense keeper.

Wave after wave of Sporting attacks followed, with Montero and Gelson Martins both coming close, before Vilafranquense had their first real opportunity of the evening after a slip up by Jonathan Silva that saw Bernardo Carlos break into the box, but Marcelo Boeck was on hand to stomp out what was effectively the lower league’s side clearest chance of the encounter. There was little Vilafranquense could do but struggle on, while their goalkeeper continued his fantastic showing, denying Montero on 66 minutes and Ewerton on 70 minutes.

Montero blazed high after being picked out by João Pereira, before José Lúcio fired an effort towards Marcelo Boeck from range, with the shot eventually ending up wide. Gelson Martins rounded off the final score later on from inside the area, but the damage had effectively been done in the first-half and Sporting comfortably move on to the fourth round.

Sérgio Piscarreta to take charge of Portuguese Cup third round

Sérgio Piscarreta, 32, from the Algarve Football Association, will take charge of Sporting’s Portuguese Cup third round encounter with Vilafranquense.

Vilafranquense-Sporting will kick off at 17h30 on Saturday, in Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, Estoril.