Sporting CP, 4-Estoril, 2
24 Sep, 2016
Sporting CP put four past Estoril courtesy of Bas Dost (2), Coates and André
Sporting brushed off two consecutive defeats (Real Madrid and Rio Ave) in the best possible fashion this Saturday, with a convincing performance against Estoril that saw Jesus' side bag four goals.
The game got off to a more or less balanced start, but it wasn't long before Sporting took cntrol of the action with some high pressure and a defensive back line virtually playing in the Estoril half. It took just 13 minutes to break and concede after a move triggered by one of Gelson's blistering bursts down the wing and a pin-point cross that Bas Dost headed home.
Sporting would have been forgiven for easing off after the early strike, but Jesus' side had other ideas and kept turning the screw with some fantastic tackling and calm passing in midfield. Chances, however, were largely few and far between and Sporting took in just a narrow lead at the break. Jesus responded with one of his typically genius substitutions, bringing on André in place of Alan Ruiz with a move that started an avalanche of attacking football.
A deserved second goal came one minute before the hour mark, when Coates won the areal duel with the Estoril keeper to head in. It took just three minutes for Sporting to strike again, this time with William Carvalho picking out Bas Dost's serging run through the middle for the Dutchman to slot a cool finish from just inside the area. Sporting could have completely ran away with the result after Dost's second, but André came up painfully short of a pass from Markovic in the 73rd minute and William blazed his effort over the bar after sprinting the length of the pitch with the ball at his feet.
The last few minutes of the game brought with them their fair share of drama, starting with an 84th minute goal from Estoril through Bruno Gomes after a move down the right. Seconds later Bruno Gomes fired in his second after a lapse in defence, before André secured the three points just before the whistle after a pass from Bryan Ruiz.
The win moves Sporting into the Liga NOS top spot on 15 points.