Aguero double ousts Sporting
Sporting 2-2 Atletico Madrid (agg. 2-2)
  An exciting match at the Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon tonight ended in disappointment for the home supporters as Atletico Madrid knocked Sporting out of the Europa League on the away goals rule after a 2-2 draw.
Argentine livewire Sergio Aguero terrorised the makeshift Sporting defence throughout and twice gave his team the lead. Liedson and Polga equalised on both occasions as the sides went into the break at 2-2. Try as they might, Sporting couldn't find a winning goal but left the pitch to a standing ovation from their fans.
Sporting 2-2 Atletico Madrid (agg. 2-2)
A brave effort from a depleted Sporting was not enough as Atletico Madrid drew 2-2 at the Alvalade to go through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League on away goals. Argentine forward Aguero proved the key player, scoring both his side's goals. Despite equalisers from Liedson and Polga Sporting could not find the crucial third goal and are now left with just the league to play for.
93' Full-time whistle goes. Sporting are out of the Europa League.
92' Desperate attacking by Sporting. Saleiro tries his luck his drive hits a defender and the chance is gone.
90' Three minutes of stoppage time to play.
88' Super run by Pedro Mendes sets up a crossing opportunity, but the centre is cut out.
87' Well worked move by Liedson and Moutinho sets up Veloso but the midfielder's shot flies well over.
85' Forlan is crowded out by a last-ditch Polga tackle. The ball falls to Reyes who hits a piledriver narrowly wide.
83' Time ticking away for Sporting. The home side are desperately pushing forward but chances are not appearing.
82' Moutinho's shot is defelcted wide for a corner. Nothing comes of it.
80' Sporting's defenders will be relieved to see Aguero surprisingly pulled off by Quique Flores. But hold on - who's coming on in his place. A certain Diego Forlan.
79' Aguero again has the Sporting defence panicking before his shot is defelcted wide for a free-kick.
78'  Yellow Card. Polga shown the yellow card for an ugly lunge at Aguero.
76' Yellow Card. Poor control from Abel forces him to commit a crude foul and pick up a yellow card.
75' Good break by Vukcevic, who sets up Matias Fernandez. The Chilean's cross-shot fizzes wide.
73' Huge shout for a penalty as Saleiro takes a tumble in the box under a challenge from Ujfalusi. Referee waves play on, rightly it transpires.
71' Sporting have 20 minutes to score the goal that will take them through to the next round.
69' Another change by Carvalhal. On comes Matias Fernandez, who subsitutes Bruno Pereirinha.
68' Liedson tries his luck from distance but the shot drifts harmlessly wide.
67' Simao comes off to a resounding chorus of boos, for Juan Valera in a defensive move by Quique Flores.
65' Atletico have done well to relieve the pressure on their defence, putting together some dangerous attacking moves of their own. From one such raid Aguero again shows magnificent skills to set up Reyes but the winger plants his shot wide.
60' The hosts are applying heavy pressure. Vukcevic seems determined to make his presence felt, showing excellent skill and determination to win a corner. The Spanish defence deal with the danger.
58' Great chance for Sporting goes begging! Saleiro again crosses beautifully, the ball is flicked on and the onrushing Liedson pokes wide when he seemed certain to score.
55' Sporting have the ball in the net through Liedson, but Saleiro had fouled the goalkeeper in the build-up. Good pressure from the Lions.
53' Sporting boss Carlos Carvalhal is going for it. On comes Simon Vukcevic for Pedro Silva.
51' Sporting twice close to getting their noses in front! A couple of lucky ricochets sees the ball land at Saleiro's feet and his powerful shot is superbly saved by de Gea. From the ensuing corner Pereirinha heads into the side-netting.
49' Yellow Card. Pedro Silva crashes into the back of an Atletico defender and is booked for his troubles.
48' Messy start to the second half. Attendance announced. 41,919 are gripped to the game in the stadium.
47' Simao wins a corner but it comes to nothing.
46' No change by either team at the interval.
Thrilling half of football at the Alvalade. Atletico twice when ahead through the superb Aguero, but Sporting came roaring back on both occasions, with goals by Liedson and Polga. Both defences look extremely shaky - you get the feeling there are more goals in this one. And Sporting need to score one more than Atletico as if it ends up a draw the Madrid team will go through on away goals.
45' + 1' The ball crashes against the Atletico bar as another dangerous cross is whipped in, but it wouldn't have counted as the linesman's flag was raised for offside. The half time whistle goes.
45'  GOAL!!!!!!!!!! Sporting get an equaliser out of nothing! Miguel Veloso fires in a free-kick from a long way out and of all people, Polga gets his head on the ball from close range to get Sporting right back into it.
42' Atletico looking comfortable at this stage. The Spaniards play keep ball for two minutes, much to the pleasure of their large travelling contingent.
38' Yet again Saleiro shows no lack of confidence, winning the ball off Ujfalusi and trying his luck from distance, but it's an easy save for de Gea.
36' Atletico a whisker away from scoring again. Former Benfica winger Jose Antonio Reyes fires a free-kick over the wall and just over the crossbar with Patricio rooted to the spot.
35' Decent effort from distance by Saleiro but de Gea gets his body behind the ball to save well.
32' GOAL!!!!!!!!!! Superb goal by Aguero. The ball is played into the Argentine who produces sublime skill to skip past Polga and Caneira and place the ball cool as you like past Patricio.
28' Difficult to say who's on top. Play switching from one end to the other. More good work by Saleiro wins a corner. The ball is worked to Veloso but he scuffs his shot and the ball dribbles wide.
25' Aguero is showing why he is such a highly rated player, causing panic whenver the ball is at his feet.
23' Two corners in quick succession for Atletico. Simao is being a rough time by the home supporters.
21' Thunderous noise in the stadium. There hasn't been an atmosphere like this in the Alvalade for a long time. Reyes fires in a dangerous shot but it skims off the head of a defender for a corner.
18' GOAL!!!!!!!!!! Liedson equalises with a thumping header at the far post after great work from strike partner Carlos Saleiro who collected the ball on the edge of the box, ran to the goal-line and produced a pinpoint cross onto the Levezinho's head. He doesn't miss those! Game on.
17' Pedro Silva gets in a header but de Gea saves easily.
15' Over 40,000 fans in the stadium are creating a good atmosphere. There's plenty of hope yet.
13' Another promising cross comes into the Atletico box but Saleiro uses his arms to control the ball.
11' Better from Sporting. Some nice combination play between Moutinho and Veloso creates danger. The ball is cleared for a corner but the Spaniards clear the danger.
8' Sporting win their first corner, but it results in nothing as De Gea is poleaxed in the box and a foul is awarded.
6' More hesitation in the Sporting defence allows Aguero to create danger but he is crowded out on the edge of box with what looked like a foul, but the referee waves play on.
5' Atletico knock the ball around dangerously and Sporting's makeshift defence is looking lost in these early stages.
2' GOAL!!!!!!!!!! Disastrous start for Sporting. Aguero gets on the end of an Antonio Lopez cross and pokes the ball past Patricio. The hosts now need to score two goals to get through. There will be no extra time.
A big crowd gather in the Alvalade to see if Sporting can join city rivals Benfica in the last eight of the Europa League. Sporting are somewhat depleted with Daniel Carrico and Marat Izmailolv out injured and Grimi and Tonel suspended. May the action begin. Bruno Pereirinha is a surprise inclusion in the starting XI.
Starting line-ups
Sporting:
Rui Patricio, Abel,Polga , Caneira, Pedro Silva, Pedro Mendes, Miguel Veloso, Moutinho, Bruno Pereirinha, Carlos Saleiro, Liedson
Atletico Madrid:
David de Gea, Antonio Lopez, Raul Garcia, Ujfalusi, Jurado, Assuncao, Dominguez, Perea, Reyes, Simao, Aguero
GOAL!!!!!!!!!!
Yellow Card
 Red Card
|
Forca Sempre Sporting !!!
Now I hate Benfica, and if this site wasn't called portugoal.net you'd think it was called Benfica.net, or Benfiquista central as most of you love the Eagles and thats where the majority of comments come from; HOWEVER Benfica are the only Portuguese team left and I hope they win Europa. They had nice comeback earlier