Sporting against União de Leiria was a game that hadn’t happened for over 12 years and visiting Municipal de Leiria was never one of the easiest trips for the “lions”. But that was at a time when the Union played top-flight football, before losing its way to the secondary divisions. Returning to the II League, the Union once again enjoyed professional football and, through the Portuguese Cup, met again with an “old” opponent to whom they used to cause problems. But that didn’t happen this time because the differences are huge, natural between a Union that is fighting to avoid relegation in the II League and a Sporting that is fighting to be champion in the I League.
After the canceled game in Famalicão, Sporting loaded up its calendar with two more by qualifying for the semi-finals of the cup (which will be played over two legs) with a 0-3 victory in Leiria over – this Thursday On Friday you will know who you will play these two games against, Benfica or Vizela. In the same stadium where they had suffered the trauma of elimination against Sp. Braga in the other cup (the League), Rúben Amorim’s team also hit the woodwork, but this time, they hit the goal enough times to ensure that the game never ended. out of your control.
The “lions” presented themselves with no savings in Leiria, except with the usual change in goal – Israel instead of Adán. Amorim had already hinted that this was what he was going to do, because he had been complimentary to his opponent and his coach, Vasco Botelho Costa. The Union’s purpose was to resist without giving up attacking, as much as its weapons allowed.
Sporting tried to assert their superiority from the start, creating a great opportunity in the 5th minute, with Gyökeres hitting the post after a cross from Nuno Santos. Shortly afterwards, União equalized with clear opportunities in the 13th minute, in which Jair da Silva’s arms, in a throw-in, took the ball to the “Leonine” area, where Bura was ready to head wide.
The II Liga team tried very hard to keep this from being a one-way game, but it wouldn’t last much longer: at 29′, on a cross from Geny Catamo, Gyökeres narrowly missed it, but the referee signaled a penalty on the play, a supposed Vasco Oliveira’s hand – Tiago Martins, advised by the VAR, went to see the images and reversed the decision, signaling a corner. From the kick, Nuno Santos put the ball into the area and Gyökeres, with a header, made it 0-1.
After more than half an hour waiting for the first goal, the “lions” only waited another five minutes for the second. Launched by Nuno Santos for Gyökeres’ run, the Swede dragged his marking and made the pass for Pedro Gonçalves’ easy completion.
Sporting would no longer let the game slip away, although, in two moments of the second half, they allowed União opportunities to make a dent – in the 49th minute, Jair shot wide after Ouattara’s cross; At 55′, Israel arrived first than Lucho Veja in a split ball inside the area. After these moments, the “lions” returned to their high rhythm and collected chances. Veteran Polish goalkeeper Pawel Kieszek stopped many of them, and only missed Gyökeres’ header in the 74th minute after Edwards’ corner and Inácio’s deflection at the near post.