Sporting CP lose 0-3 to BV Borussia 09 Dortmund in the Champions League

A equipa principal de futebol do Sporting Clube de Portugal perdeu, esta terça-feira, por 0-3 na recepção ao BV Borussia 09 Dortmund para a primeira mão do play-off de acesso aos oitavos-de-final da UEFA Champions League.

Os Leões contaram com três alterações nos titulares, saindo Gonçalo Inácio, Morten Hjulmand e Daniel Bragança para as entradas de Matheus Reis (que utilizou a braçadeira de capitão), Jeremiah St. Juste e Zeno Debast. No banco de suplentes, destaque para as presenças dos jovens Alexandre Brito e Lucas Anjos à procura da estreia pela equipa principal - assim como Biel, reforço da última janela de transferências. Na baliza, Rui Silva fez o primeiro jogo da carreira na UEFA Champions League.

A primeira parte pertenceu ao Sporting CP quase por completo. A pressão alta desde o minuto inicial revelava ambição e a primeira jogada perigosa surgiu quando Matheus Reis procurou servir Conrad Harder, mas o passe saiu muito para trás. Pouco depois, o avançado rematou, mas contra a muralha defensiva do BV Borussia 09 Dortmund.

Aos nove minutos, o Sporting CP ameaçou de forma mais séria: nova ligação Matheus Reis-Conrad Harder, agora com o dinamarquês a tentar o golo e a não conseguir apenas porque Nico Schlotterbeck apareceu com o corte milagroso. Os visitantes reagiram de forma tímida, com Emre Can a cabecear sem perigo.

Estava bem melhor o Sporting CP, que tentou a sua sorte através de um tiro de longe de Francisco Trincão que Gregor Kobel. Logo a seguir, o 1-0 ficou ainda mas perto e novamente numa investida de fora da área quando Maxi Araújo atirou com força à trave do BV Borussia 09 Dortmund. Seria um golaço do uruguaio, responsável pela ocasião mais flagrante do primeiro tempo.

Gregor Kobel, guardião dos germânicos, voltou a ter trabalho na tentativa de João Simões e o Sporting CP continuava a carregar no meio-campo ofensivo. Novamente de longe, foi a vez de Conrad Harder, aos 35', adicionar mais um remate defendido à estatística de Gregor Kobel. A seguir, João Simões fez o mesmo.

Só dava verde e branco até o BV Borussia 09 Dortmund ameaçar pela primeira vez aos 38', num tiro de Jamie Gittens a sair perto do poste. Mesmo em cima do intervalo, Serhou Guirassy assustou com um remate desviado, mas Rui Silva conseguiu afastar para canto. No final do primeiro tempo, ascendente Sportinguista mas 0-0 no marcador

Sporting Clube de Portugal lost 0-3 at home to BV Borussia 09 Dortmund in the first leg of their play-off for the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

Os Leões had three changes to their starting lineup, with Gonçalo Inácio, Morten Hjulmand and Daniel Bragança stepping out for Matheus Reis, Jeremiah St. Juste and Zeno Debast. On the bench, young players Alexandre Brito and Lucas Anjos awaited their debut for the first team, joined by Biel, a reinforcement in the winter transfer window. In goal, Rui Silva played the first game of his career in the UEFA Champions League.

The first half was almost completely dominated by Sporting CP. High pressure from the opening minute revealed their ambition, and the first dangerous move of the match came when Matheus Reis tried to set up Conrad Harder, but his pass went too far behind the striker. Shortly afterwards, the striker did get an effort off, but it hit a crowded BV Borussia 09 Dortmund defence.

On nine minutes, Sporting CP threatened in a more serious way: Another Matheus Reis-Conrad Harder connection saw the eventual effort from the Dane cut out by Nico Schlotterbeck.

A long shot from Francisco Trincão was kept out by goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. then another attack from outside the area had Maxi Araújo shooting hard against the BV Borussia 09 Dortmund post.

Kobel had to deal with a strike by João Simões, as Sporting CP continued to attack through their offensive midfield. From distance, Harder tried his luck in the 35th minute, then João Simões, with the goalkeeper reacting on both occasions.

BV Borussia 09 Dortmund threatened for the first time in the 38th minute, with Jamie Gittens putting the ball close to the post. Then, just before half-time, Serhou Guirassy's deflected shot was pushed away by Rui Silva.

To start the second half, Gittens gave the first warning for the visitors, followed up by Karim Adeyemi forcing a tremendous save by Rui Silva. Serhou Guirassy then opened the scoring with a header to make it 0-1.

In response to the disadvantage, Rui Borges -who had already brought on Viktor Gyökeres for Conrad Harder- replaced João Simões and Matheus Reis with Hidemasa Morita and Daniel Bragança.

 Zeno Debast, in the 64th minute, shot wide, as Sporting CP looked for a response. Just when they were pushing, however, BV Borussia 09 Dortmund made it 2-0 when Pascal Gross appeared in space to finish.

Immediately after Maximilian Beier's shot into the side netting for the German side, Iván Fresneda and Zeno Debast made way for Eduardo Quaresma and debutant Biel.

Ousmane Diomande had a close opportunity in the 74th minute, but BV Borussia 09 Dortmund were comfortable and controlled their lead well. Occasionally they threatened, which happened when Guirassy shot and Rui Silva saved.

Eight minutes from time, a counterattack finished off by Karim Adeyemi took the score to 0-3.

Rui Borges' team will now host FC Arouca in Liga Portugal on Saturday at the Estádio José Alvalade. The following Wednesday, on February 19th, sees the return leg of the playoff in the UEFA Champions League, away in Germany.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Iván Fresneda (Eduardo Quaresma, 73'), Ousmane Diomande, Jeremiah St. Juste, Matheus Reis [C] (Daniel Bragança, 62'), Zeno Debast (Biel, 73'), João Simões (Hidemasa Morita, 62'), Geovany Quenda, Maxi Araújo, Francisco Trincão and Conrad Harder (Viktor Gyökeres, 59').