Diego Capel’s first-half penalty was enough to see Sporting beat bottom-placed Feirense and move back into fourth position. Feirense though will be proud of their performance at the Alvalade.

With Stijn Schaars suspended after his sending off in Sporting’s defeat away to Gil Vicente last week, Ricardo Sa Pinto brought in the Brazilian Renato Neto in his place. Feirense manager Quim Machado made three changes from the team that lost to Braga as he looked for his side to move off of bottom place.

Sporting are undefeated at home in Ricardo Sa Pinto’s short reign at the club and took control of the game against Feirense straight away. After just five minutes Ricky van Wolfswinkel had a superb chance a couple of yards in front of goal but fluffed his lines and shot way over the bar.

The home side earned a penalty when Alexandre Ludovic fouled Emiliano Insua in the penalty area. Diego Capel stepped up smashed the penalty past Paulo Lopes to put Sporting ahead.

Yellow peril

The game became comfortable for Sporting after that although broken up with a few rough tackles. Indeed, referee Vasco Santos handed out five yellow cards in the first half; four for Feirense players and the other for a Sporting’s Joao Pereira.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel went close again after some great play from Marat Izmailov found Joao Pereira on the right-hand side. The right-back crossed low for the Dutch striker but his shot was well saved by goalkeeper Paulo Lopes.

Both managers made changes for the second half, with Ricardo Sa Pinto bringing on Andre Carrillo for Jeffren and Machado bringing on Carlos Fonseca for Uanderson. The away side improved in the second half, causing more problems to what had been up until then an untested Sporting defence.

Rui Patricio was made a great save to palm away substitute Carlos Fonseca’s cross that, without the goalkeeper’s interception, would surely have led to a Feirense goal. Feirense continued to improve as second half went on as Sporting looked to counter and knick a second goal. Diego Capel and Ricky van Wolfswinkel both had opportunities for Sporting to double their lead but failed to take them.

Buval goes close

Bedi Buval went close for the team from Santa Maria da Feira when his shot went just wide of Rui Patrício’s left-hand post and it was the travelling team making most of the play in the final stashes of the game.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel finally did get the ball in the back of the net just before the end of the game but the goal was correctly disallowed for offside. The Dutchman did not have his greatest game in a Sporting shirt tonight.

For Feirense this will be seen as a missed opportunity. In the second half they certainly deserved a goal and must now continue to fight for every point to avoid relegation.

There will be concern for Sporting too - this game should have been far more straight forward than they made it out to be. Jeffren, Renato Neto and Elias all went off with possible injuries during the game with Elias perhaps coming off the worst.

Sporting’s victory puts pressure on Maritimo in the battle for 4th position. The Madeira club take on Gil Vicente on Monday.

Sporting:
Rui Patricio, Joao Pereira, Xandao, Polga, Insua, Elias (Andre Martins, 84), Capel, Renato Neto (Carrico, 76), Wolfswinkel, Jeffren (Carrillo, HT), Izmailov

Goals:
[1-0] Capel, 15 (pen)

by Richard Cole

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