Ruben Amorim, soon to take the helm at Manchester United, led Sporting CP to an emphatic 4-1 win over Manchester City in a farewell match in Lisbon. This UEFA Champions League victory has placed Sporting CP among Europe’s elite, bolstering their standing in the competition while handing Pep Guardiola his first four-goal defeat in eight years.
Sporting CP’s Dominant Display Against Manchester City
In the Champions League group stage clash held at Estádio José Alvalade, Sporting CP delivered a commanding performance. Amorim’s side dominated with an unstoppable rhythm, with Viktor Gyökeres, the Swedish forward, proving instrumental. Gyökeres notched a hat-trick, securing his team’s impressive victory and further raising their profile with three wins and a draw. Now, with 10 points, Sporting CP ranks second out of the 36 teams competing this season.안전놀이터
Manchester City, meanwhile, fell to sixth in the standings with 7 points, now holding two wins, one draw, and one loss. For Guardiola, this match marked the third occasion his side conceded four goals in a Champions League match—a rare occurrence since his 2014 defeat with Bayern Munich against Real Madrid and a similar setback with Manchester City against Barcelona in 2016. Additionally, Manchester City’s current three-game losing streak across all competitions is their first since April 2018.
Match Highlights: How Sporting Overcame Early City Lead
Manchester City appeared poised to control the game when Phil Foden found the net in the fourth minute, delivering a clinical left-footed shot from the edge of the box that left Sporting’s defense stunned. However, Sporting quickly regrouped, launching a relentless counter-attack that exposed City’s vulnerabilities.
In the 38th minute, Gyökeres converted Sporting’s first goal, leveling the score. A perfectly timed through ball from Hidemasa Morita found Gyökeres darting past City’s defense before slotting the ball into the net with precision.
As the second half began, Sporting continued their momentum. In the 46th minute, Matheus Araújo exploited City’s disorganized back line, receiving a pass from Pedro Gonçalves and firing a left-footed shot from the box’s left side to give Sporting a 2-1 lead.
City’s defense crumbled further under pressure, and just four minutes later, a foul by Joško Gvardiol on Francisco Trincão led to a penalty. Gyökeres stepped up and confidently struck his second goal of the night, extending Sporting’s lead to 3-1.
Missed Opportunities for City as Sporting Secures Victory
City had a chance to claw back into the match when they earned a penalty in the 69th minute, awarded after Bernardo Silva’s shot deflected off Diamonde’s arm, leading to a lengthy VAR review. Erling Haaland, City’s lead striker, took the shot, only for it to ricochet off the crossbar, leaving City frustrated and still two goals behind.안전한 놀이터
Sporting’s final blow came in the 80th minute. After a hard tackle on Sporting’s Nuno Santos, Gyökeres took the penalty and completed his hat-trick with a powerful strike to seal the game at 4-1.
Guardiola’s Response to City’s Setback
After the match, Pep Guardiola acknowledged the defensive issues that contributed to the defeat. When asked by TNT Sports if defensive rotations might have influenced the loss, he responded, “I don’t know. With our match frequency, keeping the same back four isn’t always possible. We have to adapt. This result stings, but as a manager, I welcome these challenges.”