Sporting guaranteed, this Tuesday, the first place in the final four of the League Cup, by beating Nacional (3-1), on a night in Alvalade with an apparent farewell to Rúben Amorim, hours after the lions confirmed that Manchester United demonstrated their intention to pay the coach’s termination fine to take him to Old Trafford.
With several changes (announced) in the eleven, Sporting had clear difficulties in getting around the low island block in the first half, but Amorim took a drastic measure at halftime, making three changes in one move, and soon the goals appeared.
Morten Hjulmand (53′) opened the scoring, Gyokeres (65′) increased the advantage, followed by a fleeting reaction from Nacional, through Rúben Macedo (66′), promptly canceled out by the Swedish goalscorer, who put an end to doubts with a powerful direct free kick (70′).
Gyokeres has 59 goals for Sporting – he has scored from a free kick, from a penalty, from a corner, from an indirect foul and, now, from a direct free kick pic.twitter.com/MgKjylbXjY
— Playmaker (@playmaker_PT) October 29, 2024
Game film
The first half even started with Sporting wanting to take the lead quickly, but as the clock ticked down, Nacional managed to nullify the Leonine attacks.
After just three minutes, Lucas França had to apply himself to deny Matheus Reis’ goal, who deflected the ball following a corner and almost scored a goalless goal in Alvalade.
After seven minutes it was Iván Fresneda’s turn, one of Amorim’s bets for this game, to hit the woodwork, with Harder and Catamo wasting the goal soon after.
At 15′, the Mozambican international was once again in focus, after a cross from Maxi Araújo, but the ball bumped into the yellow wall that was gaining size in Alvalade.
Until half-time, Sporting always had a lot of the ball, but the opportunities to target Lucas França’s goal were clearly decreasing.
The lions’ performance in the first 45 minutes was far from being to Rúben Amorim’s liking, who wasted no time and performed a triple change, placing three ‘heavyweights’ on the field.
Marcus Edwards, Iván Fresneda and Gonçalo Inácio were ‘sacrificed’ and starters Zeno Debast, Francisco Trincão and Viktor Gyokeres entered.
The effects of the change made by Amorim didn’t take long to appear and in the 52nd minute Morten Hjulmand took advantage of a faulty cut to open the scoring in Alvalade, at the same time making the Lions more comfortable in the match.
Amorim was not, however, fully satisfied and changed again in the 57th minute, making Quenda replace Geny Catamo.
Sporting increased the pace of the game and ended up reaching the second goal shortly after. Gyokeres (64′) was brought down in the penalty area and the referee immediately took advantage of the penalty spot. The Swedish striker didn’t tremble from 11 meters and extended the Lions’ advantage, but only for a few moments.
Just two minutes later, Rúben Macedo (66′) risked a long-range shot and was successful, also counting on a deflection that betrayed Kovacevic.
The game thus gained a new dimension and forced Sporting to put their foot on the accelerator again, with Gyokeres wasting no time in scoring again. In the 70th minute, after converting a direct free kick, he extended the advantage again with a stunning shot that almost went through the net past Lucas França.
At 73, Amorim made the fifth and final substitution, removing Matheus Reis to launch St. Fair.
Until the final whistle, Sporting was always closer to extending the advantage than Nacional and being able to score and restart the match, confirming the lions’ passage to the final four of the renewed League Cup.
Sporting will now wait to find out the opponent they will face in Leiria, while at the same time focusing their attention on the championship again, with on Friday they will host Estrela da Amadora. It remains to be seen whether with or without… Rúben Amorim.
Moment of the game: Hujlmand’s goal, just after the break, removed any kind of uneasiness for the Lions.
Starting teams
SPORT’S ELEMENT: Kovacevic, Ricardo Esgaio, Inácio, Matheus Reis; Fresneda, Morita, Hujlmand, Catamo, Maxi Araújo, Edwards and Harder.
NATIONAL ELEVEN: Lucas França, João Aurélio, Ulisses, Zé Vitor, José Gomes, Matheus Dias, Luís Esteves, Daniel Penha, Tiago Reis, Isaac Tomich and Rúben Macedo
Preview
With Rúben Amorim’s future at risk in Alvalade, after Manchester United formally expressed interest in paying the coach’s release clause, Sporting receives, on Tuesday night, Nacional in the opening game of the new World Cup. League.
Limited to eight teams, the competition starts in the quarterfinals and the lions will have to beat the island team to guarantee a place in the final four that will be held, once again, in Leiria.
The kick-off between Sporting and Nacional is scheduled for 8:15 pm, with Hélder Carvalho being the referee designated to direct the match. Follow, live and in detail, all the incidents of the match on Desporto ao Minuto.
Read also: Sporting announces that Man. United will pay 10 million euros for Amorim
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Eighth consecutive year Consumer Choice for Online Press and elected product of the year 2024.
* Study by e Netsonda, Nov. and ten. 2023 product of the year – pt.com
