Four-goal Sporting salvo shatters Nacional

Sporting 4-1 Nacional

A devastating 10-minute spell in which Sporting scored four times, as well as missing a penalty, saw the Lions to an ultimately comfortable 4-1 victory over Nacional.

Liedson with a brace, Moutinho and Yannick Djalo were the scorers for Sporting between the 55th and 65th minutes, with Lipatin netting a late consolation for the Madeira team.

Without the suspended Tonel and Grimi the Sporting back four had an unfamiliar look to it as Ronny and Gladstone were handed rare starts, while in midfield Adrien deputised for the injured Miguel Veloso, and Tiui was chosen to partner Liedson ahead of Vukcevic.

Although far from a high-quality game of football in the first half, chances were a-plenty for both teams. Tiui had three opportunities to break his scoring duck, since his January move to the Lisbon club, but Bracalli denied him well on one occasion while the Brazilian failed to get enough purchase on his two other efforts.

The nearest Sporting came to a goal in the first half was from a thumping Gladstone header that forced Bracalli into a smart save with his legs on the goal-line. But the hosts by no means had it all their own way, with Nacional putting together plenty of clever passing moves to get past the Sporting rearguard with alarming ease for Paulo Bento.

Gabriel spurns chances

Fellype Gabriel was twice in a perfect position to break the deadlock, but he completely fluffed his first effort and Patricio pulled off a fine diving save later in the half to deny the skilful Brazilian. Edson Sitta also looked set to score for the visitors midway through the first period, only for Polga to produce a wonderful blocking tackle.

The first ten minutes of the second half saw chances dry up with both sides struggling to put more than three passes together, but the game then exploded into life as Nacional capitulated in spectacular fashion.

Some nifty footwork from substitute Vukcevic and a clever back-heel from Pereirinha engineered a chance for Liedson who, one on one against Bracalli, made no mistake rifling the ball past the goalkeeper.

Two minutes later Moutinho doubled Sporting’s lead with a superb curling shot into the top corner of the net after typically tenacious battling play by Liedson had created the chance. Two minutes later and Moutinho returned the favour, sliding a pass into the path of Liedson whose cross-shot fizzed past Bracalli into the net.

The electric Moutinho was then brought down in the box, but Romagnoli continued Sporting’s atrocious record from the spot this season, allowing Bracalli to save his effort. Undeterred, Sporting soon got their fourth as comical defending allowed Moutinho to waltz towards goal and the ball fell to Djalo who gleefully steered into the net just minutes after replacing Romagnoli.

Sporting visibly took their foot of the accelerator as they conserved energy for the Carlsberg Cup final against Setubal on Saturday, and Nacional took advantage to score a late consolation through a Lipatin header, and there was still time for Vukcevic to see a header cleared off the line.

The three points boost Sporting’s hopes of catching Benfica and Guimaraes for a Champions League berth, while the defeat for Nacional puts a big dent in their hopes of qualifying for European competition.

Sporting:
Rui Patricio, Abel, Gladstone, Polga, Ronny, Pereirinha, Adrien, Joao Moutinho (Farnerud, 76), Romagnoli, Liedson, Tiui (Vukcevic, 46)
Yellow Cards: Polga

Nacional:
Bracalli, Patacas, Cardozo, Ricardo Fernandes, Alonso, Edson, Cleber, Juliano, Fellype Gabriel (Juninho, 68), Lipatin, Fabio Coentrao (Rodrigo, 66)
Yellow Cards: Cleber, Ricardo Fernandes, Patacas, Cardozo

Goals:
[1-0] Liedson, 55
[2-0] Joao Moutinho, 57
[3-0] Liesdon, 59
[4-0] Yannnick Djalo, 65
[4-1] Lipatin, 89