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Sporting off to winning start

Sporting 3-1 Trofense

Sporting opened their Liga Sagres campaign in positive fashion with a 3-1 home win over top-flight debutants Trofense. The Lions were three goals up inside half an hour thanks to strikes from Tonel, Izmailov and Djalo.

The visitors pulled one back on the hour as Pinheiro converted a penalty and Sporting finished the match with ten men as Polga was sent off.

It had all looked so easy for the Lions early on, as a sparkling opening was rewarded with three goals in the opening 28 minutes. Rochemback and Izmailov continued their superb early season form as Sporting’s midfield swamped Trofense who looked nervous in their first ever match played in Portugal’s top division.

Tonel thundered a header into the net from a Rochemback corner in the 4th minute, and the Brazilian midfielder was again at the root of Sporting’s second. Rochemback fired a fierce free-kick towards goal that goalkeeper Paulo Lopes did well to block. However, the ball looped up to Djalo who headed against the bar, and Izmailov was fastest to react, heading the rebound into the net.

Djalo back-heel

Derlei then combined neatly with Romagnoli who sent in a perfect low cross that Djalo finished off with a delightful back-heel into the back of the net, making it three goals in two matches for the young Portuguese striker.

Sporting took their foot off the accelerator but never looked in danger of conceding despite efforts from Pinheiro and Lipatin which were easily dealt with by Rui Patricio.

Trofense looked far livelier after the break, with the skilful Helder Barbosa giving Abel the run-around on the left flank. On 58 minutes substitute Ze Carlos was played in behind the Sporting defence, and Polga inexplicably hacked down the striker leaving the referee no choice but to send him off.

The official then infuriated the crowd by pointing to the spot although the foul had been committed well outside the box. Trofense weren’t complaining and Pinheiro dispatched the penalty into the net to cut the deficit to two goals with half an hour still to play.

Caneira clearance

The incident rocked the home team, who looked shaky for 10 minutes. Caneira made a vital clearance practically on the line and Patricio saved well from Ze Carlos. But ten-man Sporting regained their composure and finished strongly with both Bruno Pereirinha and Izmailov close to grabbing a fourth goal late on.

Sporting will be happy with the three points but know sterner tests lie ahead, while Trofense showed enough to suggest they have a decent chance of achieving their stated objective this season – to retain their top-flight status.

Sporting:
Rui Patricio, Abel, Polga, Tonel, Grimi, Moutinho, Rochemback, Romagnoli (Caneira, 60), Izmailov, Djalo (Bruno Pereirinha, 80), Derlei (Postiga, 89)
Red Card: Polga (58)

Trofense:
Paulo Lopes, Milton do O, Areias (Ze Carlos, 39), Valdomiro, Mercio, Zamorano, Helder Barbosa, Pinheiro (Rui Borges, 69), Ricardo Nascimento, Delfim, Lipatin (Edu Sousa, 46)
Yellow Cards: Areias, Milton do O, Valdomiro, Ricardo Nascimento, Delfim

Goals:
[1-0] Tonel, 4
[2-0] Izmailov, 24
[3-0] Djalo, 28
[3-1] Pinheiro, 60 (pen)