No surprises in the line-up picked by JJ:

​

 

Two goal chances for Sporting coming on the last minute of this first half. First Paulo Oliveira with a very dangerous header after a freekick forcing Bracalli to a huge save and afterwards Adrien also with a header that goes very close.

Arouca 0-0 SPORTING at HT

 

A good first half with Sporting as expected having much more of the ball, most of the time in Arouca's half but our opponents defend very well and have managed to contain the majority of our attacks. We have insisted too much through the centre and every time we went through the flanks we created much more danger. Not a very convincing display so far by Teo which makes me think that maybe his countryman Montero could come in during the second half.

 

Half Time Stats

FCA 0-0 SCP

1 Shots 5
1 Shots On Goal 2
63% Passing Accuracy 84%
6 Fouls 7
1 Corners 3
28% Ball Possession 72%​

 

JJ makes one sub at HT:

Ricardo Esgaio IN for Jefferson

Maybe some injury.

 

Very dangerous shot from outside the box by João Mário that goes just a bit over the bar.

 

At 59' the sub that we needed:

Freddy Montero IN for Teo Gutiérrez

 

Arouca gets their first goal chance at 64' after a throw in, the ball went very close to the post.

 

Last sub at 66':

Gelson Martins IN for Adrien

 

Sporting completely on top of Arouca now who have a yellow double decker parked inside their box.

 

Yup. They parked the bus from minute 1. SCP ain't playing for shit either.

 

Unbelievable stuff now. Arouca's coach Lito Vidigal, for the second time in the game, enters into the pitch to protest a ref's decision, Naldo pushes him out of the pitch and for that he is sent off. Circus time.

 

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

SLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANIIIIIII

1-0

 

Montero after a fantastic reception inside the box shot against a defender and Slimani got first to the ball and smashed it in. 1-0 at 90'.

 

Arouca 0-1 SPORTING - FT

TOMA! :finger:

 

Vidigal is a cvnt. Sporting!!! Here come the butthurt Benfiquistas

 

Here come the butthurt Benfiquistas

No, they only show up when we lose. :jester:

 

What a hard fought win after a second half with an even more intense domination by Sporting against a team that defended very well but that by the end of the match started getting into those devious ways that scummy teams use to come up with when their football is over.

Sporting tried everything but very seldom could get into the box or at least into shooting positions but this type of games can be won by one single chance.

The wise words of the always intelligent Montero in the flash interview right after the game says it all: "When we can't play very good football we need to be gritty because you just need one goal to win a match. This is the way of the champions".

JJ was spot on on the two subs (Montero and Gelson for Teo and Adrien) and we never failed to believe in the win. Fantastic show of grit by the team!

FORÇA SPORTING!!!! :fero:

 

Full Time Stats

FCA 0-1 SCP

6 Shots 10
3 Shots On Goal 3
61% Passing Accuracy 84%
14 Fouls 14
2 Corners 8
26% Ball Possession 74%


​

 

Here is why Arouca's coach was pushed by Naldo and managed to send Sporting's player off.

Portuguese league in a nutshell. :yuck:

 

No room for that in our league. He should be given a long suspension

 

Yup - and like any coach would dare even try that against porto or benfica

Teams try way harder against us then they do the others. Still we remain on top after week 10.

 

It has nothing to do weather it is Sporting, Porto or Benfica. You are in first place and teams treat you differently. You are a target and teams put our their best effort. Get use to it.

 

It has nothing to do weather it is Sporting, Porto or Benfica.

Do you also believe Our Lady of Fátima appeared to the three little shepherds?

 

Like most northern teams , I like Arouca is a lover of Porto and PDC and therefore the nation of Spain (could be wrong)

but next round we are facing a club who is in love with Benfica (Belenenses)

 

So is there anyone that like Sporting ?

 

belenenses in love with benfica is a new joke, always interesting seeing novelties

 

Yes there are alliances, that also exists in many other leagues. That does not automatically mean that there is corruption involved. Is there politics involved ? Its Portugal, of course there is. There is politics in every level of Portuguese life but that does not mean that there are teams laying down and allowing Benfica to simply win. Just because a small team puts up a good fight against you guys does not automatically mean there is corruption. How about your team did not play well or they played well or you were unfortunate. It is too simple to always blame others........

We actually lost to Arouca but we did not scream bloody corruption. It happens. We were not good or fortunate enough or they deserved it. On to the next game.

 

Any way to each his own. I am not saying that our league is clean. Far from it, what Im saying is that the influences are also not as great on the field of competition as is being implied. One thing is for sure, teams will play the top teams differently in every league and ours is not different. Get ready for plenty of bus parked in front of the net. Benfica and Porto have battled that for years and you guys will also have to if you want to be champs this year. Nothing that is happening behind closed doors will change that. Even if our league was the cleanest in the world, that would not change.