The team bounce back against GD Estoril Praia

Sporting Clube de Portugal won a Friday night fixture 0-2 against GD Estoril Praia, on Liga Portugal Matchday 5. Coming into the game off the back of two negative results, the team returned to winning ways with a great response, as Jeremiah St. Juste and Marcus Edwards got the goals for Os Leões.

GD Estoril Praia started the weekend fifth in the table, and Sporting CP coach Rúben Amorim adjusted his side with four changes to the starting XI: Matheus Reis, Hidemasa Morita, Jeremiah St. Juste (making his first start) and Pedro Porro (returning from suspension) were brought in, with Luís Neto, Gonçalo Inácio, Ricardo Esgaio and Rochinha moving to the bench. Pedro Gonçalves was brought upfield into the attack and summer signing Sotiris Alexandropoulos was called up for the first time.

Sporting CP monopolised possession of the ball in the first ten minutes, and opportunities arose as a result. From the first corner of the game, Matheus Reis headed against the crossbar. Soon after, St. Juste burst into the heart of the area to open the scoring in Estoril, with his maiden goal for the club.

The home team's Rodrigo Martins almost took advantage of a defensive lapse to level, but failed to score into an empty net. After that scare, Sporting CP immediately increased their advantage: Porro played long to Gonçalves, and he masterfully set up Marcus Edwards. The Englishman rounded goalkeeper Dani Figueira and made it 0-2 shortly after the 20-minute mark.

Once again, GD Estoril Praia tried a response, with an effort from João Carlos that failed to hit the target.

In the 35th minute, Porro broke into the area and shot over, Gonçalves and Nuno Santos saw their dangerous shots blocked, and Edwards was denied by Figueira.

An excellent first part came to an end with Sporting CP 0-2 up and looking strong.

After the restart, GD Estoril Praia advanced their lines and had more of the ball, with ex-Leão Francisco Geraldes the protagonist. Benchimol missed a shot in a one-on-one with Adán, in the closest chance of the early going.

In the 57th minute, Amorim replaced Edwards with Rochinha in the centre of the attack, and little by little the first offensive approaches appeared. The best of them came in the 70th minute, when Porro, from a direct free-kick, came very close to extending the lead.

Sporting CP recovered possession and control, whilst a series of eight yellow cards were shown in the final stages as the intensity increased.

Amorim brought in Esgaio, Fatawu and the debuting Sotiris, with Porro, Pedro Gonçalves and Ugarte making way, for the closing minutes, taking the team through to the final whistle.

After their 0-2 triumph in Liga Portugal action, Sporting CP debut in the 2022/2023 UEFA Champions League with a trip to Germany on Wednesday, facing Eintracht Frankfurt in Group D.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GR], Pedro Porro (Ricardo Esgaio, 89’), Jeremiah St. Juste (Luís Neto, 77'), Sebastián Coates [C], Matheus Reis, Nuno Santos, Manuel Ugarte (Sotiris Alexandropoulos, 89'), Hidemasa Morita, Francisco Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves (Fatawu, 89') and Marcus Edwards (Rochinha, 57').