Bas Dost hattrick sinks Sp. Braga

An injury, a missed penalty and five goals made for an emotional afternoon in Braga this Sunday, with Sporting CP coming away with the three points on Liga NOS matchday 31 courtesy of a hattrick from none other than Bas Dost.

Jorge Jesus' side were dealt an early below with an injury picked up by Alan Ruiz in the 25th minute, which saw the striker carried away to the dressing rooms obviously suffering with his right knee. Not to worry though, as Bas Dost was of course on hand to compensate. With another hattrick added to his personal tally, Dost has now netted on 31 occasions in 28 Liga NOS appearances, totalling 50% of all of Sporting CP 's goals scored in league matches so far this season. The three strikes also keeps up the pressure on Lionel Messi in the race for this season's Golden Boot.

Despite the Dutchman's masterclass, it was a hard afternoon's work for the team from the Portuguese capital, who battled through to secure three points in tribute to Jorge Jesus after the Alvalade boss lost his father during the week. On 13 minutes Ricardo Horta opened the scoring after capitalising on a shot from Rui Fonte that fell into his path after hitting the woodwork. Trailing, Sporting CP rallied on the attack, but possession was proving difficult to translate into chances.

With Podence thrust into the action in place of the injured Ruiz, Sporting CP's first chance to equaliser soon materialised. The number 56 was brought crashing down for a penalty and Adrien Silva stepped up for the spot kick, which he uncharacteristically put wide. Despite a good string of chances, led mostly through the restless Gelson Martins, Sp. Braga held on to their slender lead until the break. However, the second-half was a completely different story, with the starting gun fired from the penalty spot by Bas Dost as Marcelo Goiano fouled Gelson Martins in the area.

Jorge Jesus' charges needed just another 15 minutes to go 2-1 up, when Bas Dost did the business after a pass from Zeegelaar. Braga responded four minutes later when Rui Fonte made the most of a defensive mix-up, but Sporting's Dutch assassin wasn't about to be out done and Dost rounded off his hattrick with a header from a cross whipped in by Schelotto.

Bas Dost sits down the with Dutch press to reflect on his time at Alvalade

Bas Dost spoke with the Dutch press this week about his experience in the Portuguese capital so far, reflecting on everything to his brilliant form and Jorge Jesus' influence.

"I have never had a coach who knows so much about what I can and can't do. Jorge Jesus knows me inside out and he knows how to convince the lads to play in a way that will get the best of my characteristics. I get exactly the passes that I want. If Jesus didn't have such an important role at the club then I wouldn't be here, because Wolfsburg had already refused two offers. Then the Wolfsburg president said he had another offer, from a club with fantastic coach. I took the chance, but I am scoring the goals and that is down to the coach", said Dost.

Speaking with Dagblad van het Noorden, the Dutch striker drew a comparison between Burno de Carvalho and Wolfsburg's Francisco Javier Sanz: "The president is almost always in our training sessions here. All that is missing is him actually leading our sessions, because he is there for everything else. He is on the substitutes' bench and the fans re-elected him in record numbers. I never actually saw the Wolfsburg president, except at our Christmas party."

Bas Dost speaks with Sporting TV after netting four against Tondela

Liga NOS top scorer Bas Dost spoke with Sporting TV after bagging four goals against Tondela this weekend.

"It was a great feeling. I wasn't totally happy, because I had a chance to score five, but I was really happy the next day. I am really happy with the four goals and the result. I had some great passes to finish. Daniel Podence did a good job as a second striker and it is important to be the top scorer in the league", said the Dutchman, adding a word on the race for the European Golden Boot: "I don't think about it that much. Our priority is the league. A lot of family and friends have mentioned it and I didn't think I could score four goals. Five will have to wait until next time and with this team, it is possible."

To finish, Bas Dost saved a word for the fans: "We play away in small stadiums a lot of the time, but we always have fans there. It gives us extra strength and it is like playing at home. I couldn't even hear the Tondela fans. Now I want to score against Nacional."

Bas Dost nets four with striking masterclass supported by Matheus and Podence

Bas Dost was the star of the show in Saturday night, dispatching Tondela with four goals on Liga NOS matchday 25, with the help of some brilliant ball control from Daniel Podence and Matheus Pereira.

With Daniel Podence making his first senior start and Zeegelaar and Matheus Pereira down a new-look left wing, Sporting CP focused much of their attacking attention out wide. The trio of Podence, Martins and Pereira were a constant source of danger for the Tondela back line, as the three youngsters forced depth against a defence more accustomed to man marking. However, it was actually the hosts who created the first chance, when Jailson fired a shot towards goal following a corner.

Bryan Ruiz responded after 10 minutes with a shot that pulled a save out of Cláudio Ramos and from then on Sporting CP controlled the action. Short link-up passing down the flanks defined the Alvalade approach, while Tondela looked to do damage through the pace of Murillo down the left, countered by Paulo Oliveira dropping in behind Schelotto whenever the the Argentinean probed forward. Despite the one-way traffic, Tondela created another pair of chances, both from dead-ball situations through Pedro Nuno (22’ and 30’). 

As the clock ticked over Matheus Pereira found his feet and Podence began turning the screw with some fantastic dribbling skills. On 34 minutes Zeegelaar triggered a break down the left, Podence darted into the box and pulled a cross back a cross goal and who else but Bas Dost to slot home a half volley to open the scoring.

The game opened up after the break and Matheus Pereira began to show what he can really do, finding Bas Dost with a wire-guided cross that the Dutchman came close to converting on with a diving header. Trailing and in desperate need of points, Tondela pushed forward and managed to pull level three minutes before the hour, when Murillo rounded off an excellent team move. 

Just a minute after letting one in, Sporting CP struck. Of course it was Bas Dost who did the business, keeping is calm under pressure to slot home after Matheus Pereira did well to go around a couple of defenders. Not to be outdone by his fellow Sporting Academy graduates, Gelson began testing luck and was able to win a penalty after breaking into the box. Up stepped Dost and dispatched from 12 yards, before doing the same again six minutes later after being pushed in the back in the 6-yard box.

Sporting CP striker scoops nomination after typically brilliant month

Bas Dost continues in unstoppable form in front of goal, with seven in just four games so far in 2017. Understandably, the big Dutchman picked up the Liga NOS Player of the Month award for January. Dost tallied 12.88% of the vote, ahead of Danilo Pereira (FC Porto) and his teammate Daniel Podence.

Bas Dost strikes late to secure three points in Estádio do Restelo

A tireless away support pushed Sporting CP over the finish line in Estádio do Restelo this Thursday night, with Bas Dost netting from range deep into injury time after a brilliant cross floated across to the far post by Joel Campbell. Who better than the Dutch hitman to collect on the Costa Rican's pass, with Dost already having proved his credentials in front of goal with nine Liga NOS goals in 12 outings.

The goal was enjoyed both on and off the pitch, with William Carvalho even jumping up off the bench and running to join his colleagues to celebrate in front of the fans. The win was exactly what was needed, with Sporting CP coming into the evening on the back of three less positive results. Credit to Belenenses however, who put up a spirited display to deny Sporting CP right up until the death.

Sporting CP certainly tried to break the deadlock on several occasions (12 shots compared to Belenenses' 9), claiming 13 corners and holding down 58% of possession, however some disciplined defending from the hosts help chances to a minimum. Going forward, Belenense largely relied on counter-attacks and their was a real sense of justice as Bas Dost secured the result three minutes into stoppage time.

Strike form Bas Dost secures passage into Portuguese Cup quarter-finals

Sporting CP claimed a place in the Portuguese Cup quarter-finals this Wednesday, courtesy of a 1-0 win in Setúbal secured with a goal from Bas Dost.

The team from Alvalade made the better start to the game of the two sides, holding down spells of possession against a Vitória de Setúbal side that began to venture forward as time ticked over. Some at times brave attacking saw chances on Patrício's goal begin to materialise, like on 14 minutes when Edinho came close to beating the Sporting CP keeper after a scrappy pass by Rúben Semedo.

Sporting CP responded and six minutes later Adrien could have put his side ahead, but the Alvalade skipper was unable to find the back of the net from the penalty spot, being denied by a fine save from Trigueira.

With the cold setting in, chances started to thin out for both sides. Jorge Jesus' side continued to control proceedings, while Setúbal preferred to sit back and wait for the occasional chance to hit on the break.

The deadlock was finally broken with quarter of an hour left on the clock, when a diving header from Bas Dost connected with a cross from Marvin Zeegelaar. The goal was enough to secure the result and the respective place in the Portuguese Cup quarter-finals.

Bas Dost looks ahead to the weekend's hosting of Tondela

Bas Dost was picked to accompany Jorge Jesus in looking ahead to the weekend's hosting of Tondela this Friday. While analysing the game, the Dutchman also couldn't turn down the chance to share his thoughts on refereeing: "We are expecting a win. We are playing really good football and with the exception of the match in Guimarães we have been doing well. I scored against Sweden in the last minute, but the referee said I had pushed a defender, which didn't happen. The game thing happened in the Champions League with Coates's goal, which also wasn't a foul. In the Santiago Bernabéu, with Ronaldo's goal, that wasn't a foul either. This is nothing to do with Portuguese football of course, because that all happened in the Champions League and with the Dutch national team."

Also sharing his thoughts on his time in Portugal so far, Bas Dost has already fell in love with Alvalade: "I am learning Portuguese, but it will take a while until I am comfortable. I love the people, the stadium and the weather. I was playing for Wolfsburg, who would get around 30,000 people in the stadium. In Alvalade we always have between 40 and 45 thousand. The fans sing for the whole match and we want to pay them back with goals."

Bas Dost shares his thoughts on a well known adversary

Sporting's inside man when it comes to German football, having spent four seasons with Wolfsburg, Bas Dost was the obvious choice to speak ahead of Tuesday's Champions League hosting of Borussia Dortmund.

"I have played a lot of times against Borussia and I have scored a few against them too. It won't be easy, but we are properly prepared and we will do our best", said the Sporting striker, continuing with a word of thanks to the fans for their support since his arrival in the Portuguese capital: "I scored in our last game and I want to do it again tomorrow. I haven't given any advice to my coach and honestly he doesn't need it. He is ready for tomorrow. Our objective is to win in Alvalade, even if it is against Borussia or Real Madrid."

Costa Rica, Uruguay, Netherlands and Serbia all call on Sporting stars

Sporting's Costa Rican double Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell have both been called up for their country's friendly against Russia.

Meanwhile, Sebastián Coates features in the Uruguay squad for a 7th of October and 11 of October World Cup Qualifiers with Venezuela and Colombia respectively.

Serbia have called up Markovic for the matches against Moldova and Austria.

Finally, Bas Dost is in the Dutch preliminary squad list against Belarus on the 7th of October and against France on the 10th of October.