The team lose to Club Brugge KV 2-1 on the road

Sporting Clube de Portugal lost 2-1 to Club Brugge KV in their sixth UEFA Champions League game of the season, conceding a late goal in the 84th minute after a positive start.

On a freezing night at the Jan Breydelstadion, the team took on the side currently second-placed in the Belgian league, unbeaten in ten games and coming off a 1-0 win at Aston Villa FC and 1-1 draw against Celtic in the Champions League.

Sporting CP were missing midfielders Daniel Bragança and Hidemasa Morita, and made five changes to the starting lineup. Franco Israel returned in goal, with Eduardo Quaresma, Geovany Quenda and Maxi Araújo joined by 17-year-old João Simões. Gonçalo Inácio was injured in the warm-up and was replaced at the last minute by Matheus Reis.

A dream start saw Sporting CP take the lead in the third minute, when Viktor Gyökeres turned on the edge of the area, found Maxi with a pass and the Uruguayan smacked a shot against the crossbar. The ball fell to Geny Catamo, who only needed to tap in the rebound -to the delight of the 1500 travelling Sportinguistas.

High, intense pressure and a monopoly on possession in the first 20 minutes kept things comfortable, whilst Gyökeres was the target man for quick breakthroughs. On one such move, he set up Quenda for what ended up being a tame shot.

Afterwards, however, the home team peppered in some crosses and approaches to the Sporting CP area. After a threat from Maxim De Cuyper, they found the equaliser off a low cross from the right, as Christos Tzolis' shot in the area deflected in off Quaresma.

In the minute thereafter, Maxi Araújo was knocked down when entering the area and a penalty was initially awarded, but VAR indicated a direct free kick. From the set piece, Gyökeres shot hard but just over the crossbar.

Close to half-time, after Skov Olsen forced Israel to make another save, then Sporting CP suffered another setback: A collision between Tzolis and Quaresma resulted in a yellow card for the Greek and the central defender having to go off injured - replaced by Jeremiah St. Juste.

In the second half, Club Brugge KV had a glimpse on goal close to the hour mark, but Tzolis' arching shot went just wide of the post before their momentum cooled.

Sporting CP also found it difficult to create opportunities and trouble goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. Amidst the deadlock going into the last 15 minutes, Gyökeres made a run, but his cross was not met by a teammate.

A defensive lapse cost Os Leões dearly. A ball deep into the space left by the defence was met by Club Brugge debutant Casper Nielsen, who made it 2-1 in the 84th minute.

In response, Sporting CP immediately created their best chance of the second half, but Trincão's shot in the area off a header by Gyökeres went straight to Mignolet. Shortly afterwards, Conrad Harder came on and one last effort was made, but there would be no equaliser.

In the UEFA Champions League, the next stop is Germany to face RB Leipzig in the penultimate round of the league stage. Before that, Sporting CP meet Boavista FC at the Estádio José Alvalade in Liga Portugal.

Sporting CP: Franco Israel [GK], Eduardo Quaresma (Jeremiah St. Juste, 45'), Ousmane Diomande, Matheus Reis, Maxi Araújo (Ricardo Esgaio, 81'), Morten Hjulmand [C], João Simões, Geny Catamo, Geovany Quenda (Conrad Harder, 87'), Francisco Trincão, Viktor Gyökeres.