6 December 2006, by Tom Kundert

Sporting crash out of Europe

Sporting 1-3 Spartak Moscow

Sporting’s Champions League campaign, which had started so promisingly with victory over Inter Milan, ended in bitter disappointment last night as they crashed to defeat against Spartak Moscow in Lisbon to finish bottom of Group B.

Young right winger Bystrov ran Sporting’s defence ragged all night to set up his side’s three goals and give the Russians a thoroughly deserved victory. For the second season running Sporting have been dumped out of Europe early after a surprise home defeat.

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Sporting were looking to bounce back from the derby defeat to Benfica last Friday, but a disastrous start to match saw the Lions two goals down inside 16 minutes.

In the 7th minute Bystrov broke free on the right flank and cut the ball to Jiranek who hammered a shot against the underside of the bar, and Pavlyuchenko was first to react to the rebound hitting a fine overhead kick into the empty net.

Livewire Bystrov

Less than ten minutes later a brilliant run into the box by Bystrov ended with a perfect cross dinked onto the head of Kalynychenko who could not miss.

Shortly afterwards Polga picked up a yellow card in giving away a dangerous free kick on the edge of the box as Sporting’s defence was all at sea, but thankfully for the home team Kalynychenko shot over the bar.

Sporting were then forced into a substitution as Miguel Veloso came on for the injured Miguel Garcia, but the change sparked a marked improvement.

After Tonel had swung a dangerous cross into the box from the right which came to nothing, Ronny did the same from the left flank and Bueno headed into the net to reduce the arrears. It was the Uruguayan’s first goal for Sporting since his summer signing.

Sporting then enjoyed their best period of the match as Ronny, Liedson and Bueno all came close to an equaliser as the Russians began to look shaky, but the visitors held on to retain their lead at the break.

The Spartak coach must have read the riot act to his players at half-time, as the team came out completely reorganised, shutting down Sporting’s attacking movements effectively, and launching devastating counter-attacks with Bystrov proving a constant threat.

A third goal for Spartak looked far more likely than a Sporting equaliser, but some clumsy finishing and lack of calm in the final twenty metres kept the Lions in the match.

Liedson hits bar

Nevertheless, in the 77th minute Liedson came desperately close to saving Sporting and getting the equalising goal that would have kept the team in Europe, but his header crashed back into play off the bar.

Minutes later Ricardo produced a superb save to tip a powerful shot from Owusu-Abeyie over the bar, but in the final seconds Spartak killed the match through Boyarintsev after another swift counter-attack led by the inevitable Bystrov.

Sporting:
Ricardo, Miguel Garcia (Miguel Veloso, 27), Tonel, Polga, Ronny, Paredes (Nani, 59), Joao Moutinho, Djalo, Tello, Liedson, Bueno (Alecsandro, 67)
Yellow Card: Polga (20)

Spartak Moscow:
Zuev, Jiranek, Geder, Stranzl, Shishkin, Kovac, Mozart, Bystrov (Dzyuba, 90), Titov, Kalynychenko (Boyarintsev, 64), Pavlyuchenko (Owusu-Abeyie, 73)
Yellow Cards: Zuev (43), Geder (48)

Goals:
[0-1] Pavlyuchenko, 7
[0-2] Kalynychenko, 16
[1-2] Bueno, 30
[1-3] Boyarintsev, 89