Sporting miss out in Europa League last-32 first-leg

Sporting will face the unenviable task of attempting a first win on German soil next Thursday, after missing out 1-0 in the Europa League first-leg in Alvalade to Bayer Leverkusen.

The encounter got underway with two consecutive corners for Sorting, but it was the visitors who most threatened goal in the early stages, with Mehmedi (3’) and Kiessling (5’) testing their aim from range. On the quarter/hour mark, Calhanoglu came close with a header at the far post following a corner.

The way most of the rest of the evening panned out essentially played into the Germans' hands, with compact blocs starving Sporting of space to move the ball around. However, the odd chance for Jorge Jesus' side did materialise, namely in the 18th minute when Jefferson tested Leno's reflexes.

The effort on goal settled Sporting for a while and it looked as if the game would balance out, however Bayer struck in the 26th minute, when Kiessling set Jedvaj away down the right and the resulting cross managed to find its way across the face of goal Bellarabi at the far post for the easiest of finishes.

Down the other end, the usually inspired Bryan Ruiz managed to find an inch of space and send a pass towards João Mário, only for a defender to scramble away at the last minute and save what would have been a certain equaliser.

The second-half was much of the same, with Kramer and Brandt controlling most of the action down the middle and Sporting struggling to assert a foothold going forward. Bayern on the other hand were having a better time of it and efforts from Mehmedi (58’, put into the side netting after a free-kick) and Papadopoulos (70’, with a header following a corner) came close to extending the lead.

Rúben Semedo was given his marching orders on 74 minutes for a second bookable offence, just a minute after Jorge Jesus had used his last substitution bringing on Ewerton for Coates, seeing William fall back and Adrien left to battle in midfield.

Although far from impossible, Sporting will now travel to Germany next week and attempt a first win on German soil.