​The coach responds to the 1-4 win against Belenenses SAD

After the 1-4 triumph over Belenenses SAD, coach Rúben Amorim analysed the match and praised Sporting CP's performance.

"We had several chances and should have scored more goals. What makes me more satisfied is that the team didn't let up, even after the satisfaction of winning the Taça da Liga. The players know that every game is difficult, but we made the game easy."

"At 0-2 up, we conceded an unavoidable goal and then Adán stopped a one-on-one. Other than that, we had many opportunities, we controlled the game well, we went into the break 1-3 up and that goal gave us some peace of mind," he told journalists in his press conference.

"Afterwards, we killed the game off and maintained a good pace, but we could have scored more goals. It was a deserved victory, and the players knew how to interpret what needed to be done."

Asked about the possible effects of the competition up front between Islam Slimani and Paulinho, Amorim stressed that "it is good for the team", before heaping plaudits to the forward for his performance against Belenenses SAD.

"Paulinho has known that Slimani was a possibility for more than a month. He was the first person to know. He is very grown up and he knows the confidence I have in him. Slimani has come in because we need a different player and it is good for the team. Paulinho was very good in his link-up play, scored two goals and the fans are behind him."

Speaking about the debut of Marcus Edwards, he noted that "He will adapt to our team. He can play on the wings or closer inside, if we want more involvement there. We had a lot of possession and I decided to bring Edwards on. He's an intelligent player and he's got his debut out of the way now. He has felt the affection of the fans and now he has to work hard because the other players are in very good form."

Finally, Amorim  addressed the performance of Pedro Gonçalves. "I like that he feels pressure, because he plays better that way. Every time we say he's not involved, he scores. The way he plays and presses, he is a very important player even without scoring," he concluded.