Goals from Šporar and Tomás hand the team victory in the Algarve

Sporting Clube de Portugal's first friendly of the 2020/21 preseason ended in a 2-1 victory over Portimonense SC, as part of the team's training camp in the Algarve.

Coach Rúben Amorim used the fixture to run the rule over 22 of the 29 players who have been training with the team this week, and fielded a starting line-up of Luís Maximiano, Pedro Porro, Sebastián Coates, Luís Neto, Zou Feddal, Antunes, Rodrigo Fernandes, Wendel, Gonzalo Plata, Nuno Santos and Andraž Šporar.

As is customary in preseason, the second half saw the game broken up by substitutions. Whilst Amorim decided to take a look at new goalkeeper Antonio Adán between the sticks, opposition coach Paulo Sérgio replaced every member of his first XI.

Portimonense SC took the lead when Zou Feddal brought down Luquinha in the area, Lucas Possignolo converting the resulting penalty past Adán.

Sporting CP had a penalty of their own when Andraž Šporar was on the receiving end of a foul, the Slovenian international dusting himself off to take the spot kick to make it 1-1.

On 71 minutes, Rúben Amorim made wholesale changes, with all outfield players replaced. Nuno Mendes, Matheus Nunes, Tiago Tomás, Ristovski, Borja, Pedro Gonçalves, Gonçalo Inácio, Daniel Bragança, Eduardo Quaresma and Jovane Cabral all got their first preseason minutes, and a goal would follow swiftly.

Gonçalo Inácio sent a ball over the Portimonense SC defence, which Pedro Gonçalves latched onto on the left. He broke into the box and played to Tiago Tomás at the back post- who scored to hand Sporting CP the lead.

The goal and the win got the team off to a promising start to their preseason. Next up is a Sunday friendly against Belenenses SAD, on the final day of their stay in the Algarve.