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Carlsberg Cup: Slick Setubal outclass Sporting

Setubal 1-0 Sporting

Vitoria Setubal beat Sporting 1-0 at the Bomfim last night to make the perfect start to the group stage of the Carlsberg Cup.

A spectacular headed goal by Filipe after 30 minutes gave the hosts a fully deserved win, and the margin of victory was kept to a single goal only because of a series of fine saves from Sporting goalkeeper Stojkovic.

If Sporting had any illusions about the size of the task facing them as they took on a Setubal side that had lost just one match all season, they were thoroughly dispelled as a superb first-half display from the home team ran the Lions ragged.

Time and time again Setubal cut through the Sporting midfield and defence with alarming ease. Claudio Pitbull was especially outstanding as Setubal constantly created danger with a series of dazzling passing movements.

Stojkovic to the rescue

Pitbull and Matheus twice had already forced Stojkovic into fine stops before the hosts took the lead. Again Pitbull was the architect, swinging over a pinpoint cross that Filipe stooped to send a wonderful looping header flying into the corner of the net from 15 metres out.

Setubal then created an excellent opportunity to double their lead as another perfectly executed counter-attack set up Filipe, but the Brazilian’s shot was kept out by an athletic Stojkovic diving save.

By the start of the second half Paulo Bento had exhausted his three substitutions with Romagnoli, Miguel Veloso and Luiz Paes coming on for Pereirinha, Izmailov and Purovic respectively, the latter two forced off by injury.

Mourinho in stands

Sporting showed a slight improvement in the second forty-five minutes, with Vukcevic again their best performer, but in truth Setubal, under the watchful eye of a certain Jose Mourinho in the crowd, had little trouble in controlling proceedings.

Indeed, the best chances of the second half belonged to Setubal, with Pitbull and Elias going close to adding to their lead. But the misses did not prove costly and Setubal’s fine form this season shows no sign of abating.

Sporting will be licking their wounds after a second successive defeat and Paulo Bento must get his side back to winning ways soon if he does not want his position to be called into question.

Vitoria Setubal:
Eduardo, Janicio, Robson, Auri, Adalto, Sandro, Ricardo Chaves, Filipe (Leandro, 74), Elias, Claudio Pitbull (Jorginho, 80), Matheus (Edinho, 64)
Yellow Cards: Leandro

Sporting:
Stojkovic, Abel, Tonel, Polga, Marian Had, Pereirinha (Romagnoli, 35), Izmailov (Miguel Veloso, 46), Vukcevic, Joao Moutinho, Liedson, Purovic (Luiz Paes, 41)
Yellow Cards: Polga, Vukcevic

Goals:
[1-0] Filipe, 30