Goal in 82nd minute hands Sporting CP 0-1 win

A late goal from Tiago Tomás earned Sporting Clube de Portugal the three points against CD Tondela, in a hard-fought away trip on Matchday 23 of the Liga NOS season.
Sporting CP welcomed Pedro Porro back from injury to feature in the starting lineup, with he and Nuno Santos replacing Matheus Nunes and Bruno Tabata.

The first shot came precisely from Porro after just five minutes, as he struck an effort into a defender. Sporting CP enjoyed more of the possession than their opponents, who mostly held back with the strategy of hitting on the counter.

After a first quarter of an hour without much activity from either goalkeeper, Sebastián Coates headed a corner towards goal that was kept out by Trigueira. Shortly afterwards, it was Zouhair Feddal who glanced a Porro cross off target. Between the sticks for Sporting CP, Antonio Adán made his first stop on 25 minutes.

The team came close once again before the half hour, as Tiago Tomás and Nuno Santos had shots closed down and go wide, respectively.

The best chance of the first half was produced by another cross from Porro, which Tiago Tomás was inches away from nodding in. Thus, the team went into the break with 6 shots to CD Tondela's 1, and 68% possession, but no reward.

CD Tondela were stronger when the action resumed, and Adán had to save a Murillo shot early on. There was a let-off when Mario González,  completely alone just metres out, failed to connect.
In the 55th minute, referee Nuno Almeida showed a straight red card to João Pereira, who was on the bench, meaning he will miss the team's next fixture.

Rúben Amorim made changes with half an hour to go, bringing on Daniel Bragança in place of Nuno Santos and switching João Mário switched to the right.

Coates was denied an almost certain goal when his header was kept out by Trigueira, as the crosses continued to be floated into the box. Tiago Tomás and Gonçalo Inácio would nod efforts wide, before Amorim shuffled the pack again: Zouhair Feddal, Pedro Porro and João Mário left were replaced by Matheus Reis, Bruno Tabata and Jovane Cabral, and the latter two combined for another dangerous header off target.

The persistence finally paid off in the 82nd minute, finally converting one of the constant crosses delivered in: Nuno Mendes sent the ball in from the left, Pedro Gonçalves tried to finish, and it instead fell to Tiago Tomás. The youngster finished clinically, for another massively important goal.

One save from Adán from a Tiago shot later, and the final whistle was blown. Sporting CP kept another clean sheet, and continue standing firm at the top of the table ahead of their meeting with Vitória SC at the Estádio José Alvalade Stadium next weekend.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates [C], Zouhair Feddal (Bruno Tabata, 72'), Pedro Porro (Jovane Cabral, 72'), João Mário (Matheus Reis, 72'), João Palhinha, Nuno Mendes, Pedro Gonçalves (Matheus Nunes, 85'), Nuno Santos (Daniel Bragança, 60') and Tiago Tomás. Unused substitutes: Luís Maximiano [GK], Luís Neto, João Pereira and Vitorino Antunes.