Photo by José Cruz
UEFA Youth League: L. Warsaw, 2-Sporting CP, 0
By Jornal Sporting
07 Dec, 2016
07 Dec, 2016
Loss leaves Sporting CP needing a result from Dortmund against Madrid
Sporting CP's continuation in the UEFA Youth League will have to wait for the decision from Madrid, with Tiago Fernandes's side coming up short of the point needed to secure passage into the next round.
The afternoon's hosts showed their intentions from the off and after three minutes Praszelik made the most of some slack defending and converted on a cross from Nawotka that could have been dealt with better. The goal did however shake the Alvalade youngsters into life and Jovane Cabral and Pedro Empis began to threaten down the flanks. However, space in the final third was proving hard to come by attempts on goal were largely from range and did little to trouble Majecki. Some solid defending from Legia, combined with their superiority in the air, meant that Sporting CP's individual quality failed to do ay damage. Bruno Paz brushed the post with a shot five minutes before the break, in what was probably Sporting CP's best chance of the half.
A loss would not not be enough for Fernandes's charges and it forced changes after the break, with Miguel Lopes coming off for Rafael Leão. With a bolstered attack, Sporting CP began to create opportunities, the clearest of which was blazed over the bar by Bruno Paz after an intelligent dummy from Daniel Bragança. Completely against the run of play, Legia doubled their lead courtesy of Konrad making the most of a bit of inexperience shown by Elves.
