Spoils are shared in a 2-2 draw with AVS Futebol SAD

Sporting Clube de Portugal drew 2-2 on their visit to AVS Futebol SAD, on Matchday 23 of the Liga Portugal season.

Rui Borges made several changes to his starting lineup, with Iván Fresneda, Zeno Debast, Alexandre Brito, Maxi Araújo, Viktor Gyökeres and Francisco Trincão in place of Ricardo Esgaio, Morten Hjulmand, João Simões, Matheus Reis, Conrad Harder and Biel -who had played in the Champions League in Dortmund.

For Brito, it was his debut as a starter, while Lucas Anjos, Afonso Moreira, Eduardo Felicíssimo and Manuel Mendonça were on the bench - the latter two seeking their first minutes for the senior side.

Sporting CP started the game well, looking to dominate the game, and created danger for the first time in the seventh minute. Gyökeres appeared on the left and tried to play the killer pass, but the attempt was cut out for a corner.

Soon after, Ousmane Diomande met an excellent cross from Francisco Trincão with a header into the back of the net. The goal was initially disallowed for offside, but VAR changed the decision and awarded it.

AVS Futebol SAD reacted and threatened through Zé Luís, who on two different occasions required saves from Rui Silva. Shortly afterwards, Gyökeres advanced down the right and held the ball up, with possession eventually falling to Brito, who shot just wide.

The Swedish striker created an even clearer chance in the 21st minute, when he was played through by Francisco Trincão. He snaked through the opposition defence and forced Ochoa to make a spectacular intervention for a corner.

The home team also had an approach on goal, but Aderllan Santos missed the target.

On 33 minutes, Sporting CP doubled their lead. Trincão combined with Gyökeres, before a delivery to Maxi Araújo. He in turn helped Gyökeres to convert with a classy finish with his left foot. It was the 23rd goal of the season in Liga Portugal for the striker, and the 35th in all competitions.

Before the break, Diomande headed over the crossbar, and both Trincão and Debast's shots wide, and Sporting CP went into the interval 0-2 in front.

Rui Borges replaced Eduardo Quaresma with Matheus Reis for the second half, in his only change.

Getting the action back underway, Debast shot well off target, and Zé Luís did the same at the other end.

From there, things went south for Sporting CP. AVS Futebol SAD were awarded a penalty for a foul by Diomande, and Zé Luís converted to take the score to 1-2.

The task of maintaining the advantage became even more difficult for Sporting CP in the 78th minute, when referee Fábio Veríssimo, again with the help of VAR, showed a second yellow to Diomande, leaving the team down to ten men for the final moments.

In the 83rd minute, 18 year old Eduardo Felicíssimo debuted in place of Trincão, at the same time as Alexandre Brito was also replaced by Ricardo Esgaio.

Conrad Harder came on for Geovany Quenda in the first of seven additional minutes of stoppage time.

Late on, almost immediately before the final whistle, AVS Futebol SAD made it 2-2 through Gustavo and denied Sporting CP all three points.

Os Leões will play again at 8:45pm on Thursday, visiting Gil Vicente FC in the quarter-finals of Taça de Portugal.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Eduardo Quaresma (Matheus Reis, 45'), Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio [C], Maxi Araújo, Iván Fresneda, Zeno Debast, Alexandre Brito (Ricardo Esgaio, 83'), Geovany Quenda (Conrad Harder, 90+1'), Francisco Trincão (Eduardo Felicíssimo, 83') and Viktor Gyökeres.