Sporting CP lose 1-2 at home in the Taça de Portugal semifinals

A 1-2 loss at home to FC Porto on Wednesday night leaves Sporting Clube de Portugal needing a turnaround in the Copa de Portugal semi-finals. An opening goal from Pablo Sarabia set the team on course for victory, but the visitors responded with two goals either side of the hour.

With 44,231 spectators in the stands, the Estádio José Alvalade was buzzing for another edition of 'O Clássico.' There was a sombre note before the opening whistle, however, as both teams addressed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This included captain Sebastián Coates wearing a blue and yellow armband -the colours of Ukraine.

Although he was without João Palhinha through suspension and the injured Pedro Gonçalves, coach Rúben Amorim once again had Zouhair Feddal, Bruno Tabata and Sarabia available. The latter's introduction to the starting XI was one of two changes made from the weekend's fixture in Madeira, as he and Luís Neto came in for Daniel Bragança and Islam Slimani.

At the beginning of a typically heated game between two arch rivals, the first approach on the opposition goal went to Os Leões: Nuno Santos' cross was cut out on its way into the area. 

From the first minute, both teams tried to build play from the back, but without the ball it was Sporting CP who proved to be more daring, accumulating several recoveries in the opposition midfield.

In possession, the team did not hesitate to launch long passes to their forwards high upfield, and following one of those moves, in the 23rd minute, the first great opportunity arose: After a cross by Sarabia, the ball found its way to Matheus Nunes, who shot just off target.

Shortly after, Paulinho fell very close to the edge of the area – with no foul given in his favour- and Ugarte shot straight at opposition goalkeeper Marchesín. Far more comfortable with the tempo of the match, only Sporting CP were creating danger. Sarabia had his turn at a chance, not quite guiding Nuno Santos' cross towards goal. Pedro Porro hit the side netting before the break, and the score remained deadlocked.

Looking to freshen up the attack, Amorim brought on Marcus Edwards at halftime to replace Nuno Santos and the minutes following the restart couldn't have gone better: In the 49th minute, Porro surprised the defence by playing a low free kick onto the edge of the area, where Sarabia shot first time to score his 13th goal of the campaign.

Shortly after, Luís Neto made a decisive intervention to stop Mehdi Taremi, but the response from the away team would come shortly afterwards: First, Taremi converted a penalty kick, then Evanilson finished off a counterattack, turning the scoreling around in the space of six minutes.

Suddenly, the roles in the game were reversed, and it was Sporting CP chasing an equaliser. One might have come their way had Coates reached a dangerous ball into the area. Amorim took a gamble, partnering Islam Slimani with Paulinho in the frontline, then bringing on Daniel Bragança, but the defensive organisation of the opposition made them difficult to break down.

Nevertheless, Sporting CP nearly made it 2-2 in the eight minutes of added time. Marchesín's decisive save from a header by Coates kept the score at 1-2, and Os Leões will have work to do in the second leg away on April 20th. For now, in their crosshairs is a Liga Portugal game against FC Arouca, this Saturday, at 8:30pm local time.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GR], Matheus Reis, Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates [C], Luís Neto (Islam Slimani 71'), Pedro Porro, Manuel Ugarte (Daniel Bragança 81'), Matheus Nunes, Nuno Santos (Marcus Edwards 46'), Pablo Sarabia and Paulinho.