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10 September 2006, by Tom Kundert

Sporting pass Nacional test

Nacional 0-1 Sporting

A superb Nani goal after 11 minutes was enough to give Sporting their first victory at Nacional’s Choupana stadium in sixteen years. The win gives Sporting a maximum six points from their first two matches, while the Madeira team are still without a point or a goal.

Sporting started strongly and Liedson came close to breaking the deadlock after nine minutes but defender Cardozo kept out the Brazilian’s effort. Two minutes later Sporting were ahead, although the goal involved a touch of controversy.

Nani, enjoying a sensational start to the season, executed a perfect lob over Diego and into the net after receiving a pass from Bueno. However, Nacional’s players were incensed with the referee, claiming that Nani had fouled Avalos at the start of the move.

Ricardo save

Undeterred, Sporting went in search of a second goal and Liedson produced a good effort on 15 minutes that whistled past the post. But immediately play switched to the other end of the pitch where only a fine Ricardo save kept out an excellent long-range effort from Alonso.

As the game threatened to turn over-physical, the referee was forced to show several yellow cards to stop the match from boiling over. The interval arrived with Sporting holding a precious lead.

The second half followed much the same vein, with Sporting dictating affairs but Nacional refusing to throw in the towel and not letting their rivals have an easy ride.

With little over 20 minutes remaining Paulo Bento gave new Brazilian striker Alecsandro his debut, coming on for Bueno, and the striker did enough to suggest he could be a useful acquisition.

A red card for Cardozo five minutes from time helped Sporting to hold on comfortably for a rare victory in Madeira.

Bento delight

Sporting coach, Paulo Bento was delighted with the win as he turns his attention to Tuesday’s Champions League match against Inter Milan in Lisbon: “It was a good game. We had problems in the first half, which was down to the merit of Nacional, but in the second half we were clearly the better side.”

“If we’d taken better advantage of our opportunities we could have killed the match long before the end. Now we’re going to start to think about Inter, analyse their team and prepare ourselves to have the best possible start to our Champions League campaign.”

Bento’s opposite number, Carlos Brito, acknowledged the justice of Sporting’s triumph, but lamented the fact that his team failed to take there early chances.

“Congratulations to Sporting on the win. Until the goal Nacional confused Sporting and we created chances to score, but we didn’t manage to take them. Sporting have three or four outstanding players who make the difference,” said the Nacional coach.

Nacional:
Benaglio, Patacas, Cardozo, Avalos, Alonso, Cleber, Chainho (Luciano, 65), Bruno (Bruno Amaro, 46), Cássio (Chilikov, 46), Spadacio, Rodrigo
Yellow Cards: Bruno (11), Cardozo (16), Spadacio (67), Cardozo (84)
Red Cards Cardozo (84)

Sporting:
Ricardo, Miguel Garcia, Tonel, Polga, Ronny, Moutinho (Alves, 90), Nani, Miguel Veloso, Romagnoli (Tello, 62), Bueno (Alecsandro, 69), Liedson
Yellow Cards: Romagnoli (4), Moutinho (24), Ronny (36), Garcia (60), Liedson (85), Veloso (90)

Goals:
[0-1] Nani, 11