Sporting CP dominate to win 4-0 at home

Sporting Clube de Portugal went provisionally top of the Liga NOS table with a 4-0 win over CD Tondela, on Matchday 6 of the season.

Missing Bruno Tabata and Vitorino Antunes due to injury, Rúben Amorim brought João Mário into the starting lineup and returned Tiago Tomás and Andraž Šporar to his first XI, in a decision that almost paid dividends after five minutes of play.

Following a free kick from the right side of the attack, João Mário found Coates completely unmarked in the heart of the area, but the Uruguayan's header missed the target by a matter of a few centimeters. Soon after, Tomás tried his luck with a low shot, but it was saved by the goalkeeper.

After 20 minutes of play, Sporting CP enjoyed two back-to-back opportunities. First, Pedro Gonçalves came very close to opening the scoring after an excellent combination move, and then Nuno Mendes, with a strong shot, provided a scare for the CD Tondela goalkeeper.

In complete control and never letting the opposition go on the attack, Os Leões mounted the pressure and Pedro Gonçalves forced another save from Pedro Trigueira.

Eventually, on 45 minutes and after numerous attempts on goal, Pedro Gonçalves finally broke the deadlock, meeting Pedro Porro's cross with a well-placed header at the far post. It was the third consecutive game in which he had found the net, and came after a dominant first half display.

Just four minutes after the restart, Andraž Šporar got to the line and played in a perfect ball, met by Pedro Gonçalves for his second goal, taking the score to 2-0.

Tiago Tomás took advantage of a lapse in concentration by the CD Tondela goalkeeper to create danger, and the situation was repeated again seconds later, with Šporar forcing another great intervention by Trigueira.

Sporting CP were not allowing any opposition chances, and added to their goals when, on 79 minutes, Nuno Santos guided a cross to the feet of Pedro Porro. His first touch found its way into the net to make it 3-0.

In the final minutes, Rúben Amorim brought on birthday boy Gonzalo Plata for Nuno Mendes, but it would be Andraž Šporar who put the icing on the cake: After an initial shot from him was saved, he put in the rebound to cap a resounding 4-0 triumph.