Sporting won and returned to ward off the pressure. A renewed eleven, with many new faces, in which the call to the main stage of the young midfielder Dário Essugo, only 16 years old, who played alongside Matheus Nunes in the miolo dos leões, stood out.
With Rúben Vinagre on the left and Esgaio on the right, in addition to Slimani as the main offensive reference. Rest to some fundamental pieces like Paulinho, Porro or Ugarte justified an eleven with a lot of new blood. And what turned out? A dominant Sporting, very balanced, with greater possession, but with evident difficulties to enter the last third of the Arouquense field that was guided by a huge defensive consistency and concentration in its most back zone, watching the speed of Bukia in the corridor.
On election day in Alvalade, there was still celebration in the first half, in a bid that started in a recovery by Slimani, leaving for Sarabia who threw a bomb at Victor Braga’s goal. A move that would have to be annulled by VAR with the Spaniard offside by 10 cms. The lions didn’t retreat and continued to insist, although in the 37′ they got a huge scare with an amazing save by Adán to avoid the goal to Tiago Esgaio, with a header, after a free-kick scored by David Simão. The tune did not change much with Sporting denoting some lack of routines in their offensive line. Often offside, lots of possession, but little danger.
The break arrived with a 0-0 that penalized more the lions and rewarded a good defensive consistency of Arouca that arrived in Alvalade with the lesson well studied. Rúben Amorim, in turn, wasted no time and rectified it at halftime with three moves at once. An emergency sign and lack of patience… Paulinho, Porro and Ugarte, heavyweights of the lion, were in the game. Esgaio, Vinagre and Essugo stayed in the locker room and a more affirmative answer was awaited.
And it only took a few seconds… Porro’s corner and Slimani, headed in the heart of the area, deflected towards the goal. A very important goal on the return from half-time that gave the tranquility that the team needed at that time. An energetic reaction and a greater boldness guided the second 45 minutes. And from here everything changed. Paulinho hits the post in the 50′ and Slimani, after an excellent move in the left aisle, with Paulinho and Nuno Santos as protagonists, built Slimani’s second goal in the 52′. Almost closed accounts with Sporting breathed a sigh of relief with a comfortable lead.
And it could even have been closed by much more painful numbers because Slimani was on his feet the third goal (75′), after an excellent play by the reinvigorated Matheus Nunes in the second half. Before, the Portuguese international did not match Sarabia’s perfect cross. A handful of opportunities that could have given the lion an even looser result.
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