Sporting CP fall 2-1 to RB Leipzig in the Champions League

Sporting Clube de Portugal lost 2-1 to German side RB Leipzig on the seventh matchday of the UEFA Champions League league stage.

A cold night, with temperatures close to zero degrees, greeted coach Rui Borges' debut in the competition. Sporting CP wanted to mathematically guarantee a place in the playoff stage, whilst their opponents were looking to score their first points in the competition this season.

Borges made two changes in the starting lineup to that fielded in Vila do Conde, including  Franco Israel coming in for Rui Silva (ineligible to play until the next stage). Alexandre Brito and Denilson Santos were called up on the bench.

Sporting CP started strongly, showing great personality in the opening minutes. In one of their first attacks, the opening chance arrived: A beautiful passage of play on the left, with Geovany Quenda feeding Maxi Araújo, who in turn served up the ball for Conrad Harder, but the Dane shot over. Soon after, the striker tried his luck from long distance, but goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt saved.

In response, RB Leipzig had shots through Benjamin Šeško and Loïs Openda. They made it 1-0 shortly afterwards, when David Raum appeared in space on the left and set up Benjamin Šeško, who finished at the far post.

The German team continued to apply pressure, as seen in the attacks from Amadou Haidara and Xavi Simons, although both did not result in anything dangerous. At the other end, Sporting CP threatened again when Geny Catamo picked out Maxi Araújo on the far side with a great pass, the Uruguayan denied by Christoph Baumgartner.

Gonçalo Inácio replaced Jeremiah St. Just in the 29th minute, and RB Leipzig put the ball in the back of the net again at the half-hour mark -this time with a goal by David Raum that was disallowed for offside.

Towards the end of the first half, Harder shot over with a deflection off a defender, and there was almost an own goal when Geovany Quenda's hit from a corner clipped Xavi Simons, but the ball went narrowly wide.

Just before the break, Inácio played upfield for Catamo and the Mozambican looked for Harder, but it was Iván Fresneda who found a shot -blocked by David Raum. The Spaniard repeated the feat on the next attack, with El Chadaille Bitshiabu using his head keep the strike out.

In stoppage time, after a great move by Francisco Trincão, a rebound fell to Zeno Debast, who powered a chance very close, but a RB Leipzig defender deflected the ball out for a corner.

In the second half, it was RB Leipzig who began better, and had the first chance when Xavi Simons took advantage of Franco Israel's run out to aim for the goal -shooting over. Shortly afterwards, Amadou Haidara hit the post and Manfredas Lukjančukas went close from a free kick.

In response, Borges brought on Hidemasa Morita, Daniel Bragança and Viktor Gyökeres into to replace Zeno Debast, Geny Catamo and Conrad Harder, and there was an almost immediate impact, as the Swedish striker received a cross from Trincão and tried to head home. Then it was Morten Hjulmand's turn, shooting hard and wide.

Sporting CP continued to get closer and closer to pulling a goal back. Bragança made a dangerous cross to the first post that Maarten Vandevoordt grabbed and Maxi Araújo, from distance, shot well over the top.

Finally, 15 minutes from the end, the goal came: Bragança launched a ball forward to Viktor Gyökeres and the striker snaked away from Willi Orbán before smashing the ball into the net.

RB Leipzig took the lead again thanks to Yussuf Poulsen's goal, and in the closing moments Benjamin Šeško forced a straightforward save by Franco Israel. Sporting CP had two headers wide, from Gyökeres and Inácio, but fell 2-1 on the night.

Sporting CP now play CD Nacional at home in Liga Portugal on Saturday night.

Sporting CP: Franco Israel [GK], Iván Fresneda (Ricardo Esgaio, 76'), Ousmane Diomande, Jeremiah St. Juste (Gonçalo Inácio, 29'), Maxi Araújo, Zeno Debast (Hideasa Morita, 54'), Morten Hjulmand [C], Geny Catamo (Daniel Bragança, 54'), Geovany Quenda, Francisco Trincão and Conrad Harder (Viktor Gyökeres, 54').