Sporting Clube de Portugal sweep aside Dumiense FC/CJP II

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat Dumiense FC/CJP II 8-0 in the Fourth Round of the Taça de Portugal, advancing in the cup competition at the expense of the lower division opposition.

Coach Rúben Amorim made several changes to the starting XI for the clash with the team that compete in the fourth tier of the Portuguese football pyramid, with the notable returns of Franco Israel, Luís Neto and Geny Catamo. On the substitutes' bench, Sporting CP handed a callup to Diogo Pinto, a 19-year-old goalkeeper.

Sebastián Coates reached 342 games for Sporting CP, matching Anderson Polga as the foreigner with the most official appearances for the club and entering the Top 10 for all players, level with Pedro Barbosa.

The first half was not much different to what had been expected: Sporting CP dominated, even though the visitors showed good organisation, and found the net in just the eighth minute, when Luís Neto met Nuno Santos' corner with a header into the back of the net. It was the defender's first goal for Sporting CP.

Several attacks from the home team followed, including a move between Geny Catamo and Paulinho in the tenth minute, and Francisco Trincão's two shots that were saved by goalkeeper Pedro Costa.

Afterwards, both Geny Catamo and Francisco Trincão saw their efforts blocked by opposition players, but the second goal nevertheless appeared in the opening half hour.

Again following a corner by Nuno Santos, Matheus Reis headed towards the near post and Sebastián Coates deflected it onto the woodwork. Off the rebound, Paulinho made it 2-0.

Until the break, Sporting CP continued to impress, with chances for Geny Catamo, Paulinho and Daniel Bragança, but the scoreline did not change any further.

In the first minute of the second half, Paulinho received the ball from Daniel Bragança and set up Francisco Trincão with an excellent backheel pass. The number 17 kept calm to score his first goal in 2023/2024.

With Marcus Edwards brought on in place of Ricardo Esgaio, Sporting CP came very close to scoring again in the 52nd minute, when Trincão picked out Morten Hjulmand for a header that Pedro Costa saved.

However, in the corner kick that followed, Santos turned provider again: A cross from the Portuguese was knocked in by Coates for the fourth goal of the game.

Shortly afterwards, Morten Hjulmand crossed perfectly for Paulinho and he also headed to score.

Dumiense FC/CJP II had a rare opportunity in the 62nd minute, when Diogo Ribeiro nodded wide, and Rúben Amorim made adjustments to introduce Dário Essugo and Viktor Gyökeres, removing Daniel Bragança and Geny Catamo.

Pedro Costa denied Paulinho another goal with a notable intervention a few moments later, but the striker completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute, benefiting from great work by Viktor Gyökeres, who set up the Portuguese international's skilful finish with his heel.

With 15 minutes remaining, Gyökeres was brought down by Pedro Costa in the area and referee Bruno Pires Costa signaled for a penalty kick. Santos converted to make it 7-0.

Dumiense FC/CJP II tried to score a consolation goal again in the 82nd minute, but Franco Israel saved Joãozinho's shot with ease.

Gyökeres rounded off the scoring from a ball that appeared to present no danger. With speed, strength and technique, the forward took the defence out of the equation and threw and smashed his strike in to cap the 8-0 triumph.

Os Leões will now travel to Italy to face Atalanta BC in the UEFA Europa League.

Sporting CP: Franco Israel [GK], Luís Neto, Sebastián Coates [C] (Eduardo Quaresma, 76'), Matheus Reis, Ricardo Esgaio (Marcus Edwards, 50'), Morten Hjulmand, Daniel Bragança (Dário Essugo, 62'), Nuno Santos, Geny Catamo (Viktor Gyökeres, 62'), Francisco Trincão e Paulinho.