– Absolutely enormous. It would have been quite normal to have a small dip in form after last year’s crazy season, but he has instead taken it to new heights.
This is what NRK’s football expert Kristoffer Løkberg says about the form of Swedish superstar striker Viktor Gyökeres.
The 26-year-old scored a hat trick when Sporting CP beat Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Thus, the striker now has five goals in four matches in the tournament this season.
Additionally, he has 16 goals in ten matches in the Portuguese league, while last year he scored a total of 29 goals as Sporting became league champions.
– It is an amazing feeling. But the most important thing was the game. It was a brilliant match for us, says Gyökeres in an interview shown on TV 2.
DOMINATES: The 26-year-old Viktor Gyökeres knows where the goal is.
Photo: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP
Striker colleague Erling Braut Haaland had a tougher day at work.
Missed penalty and squandered chances were on the menu for the Norwegian, who faded into the shadow of his Swedish teammate.
Miss after miss for Haaland
Haaland had plenty of chances. It was the guests who started best in Lisbon.
It took just four minutes before Phil Foden put the away team in the lead. The
Englishman snatched the ball from Sporting’s midfielder Hidemasa Morita and struck from 16 meters, past goalkeeper Franco Israel.
Only minutes later, Gyökeres found himself alone with the keeper for the first time in the match, but failed to outsmart Ederson in City’s goal.
Instead, it was Haaland who created the most chances in the first half hour with four attempts. Unlike the striker from Jæren, however, none of them found the net.
Then Gyökeres took responsibility at the other end. The striker outpaced the City defense with his incredible speed and this time found success alone with Ederson. Thus, it was 1-1 at halftime in Lisbon.
Shocked City from kickoff
It took only 20 seconds of the second half before the home team went up to 2-1. A fantastic attack right from the kickoff was finished off by Maximiliano Araujo, sending the fans into ecstasy in Portugal’s capital.
And it got even better for Sporting, as two minutes later, referee Daniel Siebert pointed to the penalty spot after Josko Gvardiol pushed Francisco Trincão over in the penalty area. Thus, Gyökeres could score his second of the evening.
With the score at 3-1 and just over 20 minutes left, City also got a penalty. Bernardo Silva shot the ball into the hand of Ousmane Diomande, and after a VAR check, the referee awarded the penalty.
But Haaland missed, and had to sadly accept that Sporting was awarded their second penalty of the day after substitute Geny Catamo dribbled into the box and was pulled down by Matheus Nunes.
TOUGH NIGHT: Erling Braut Haaland is dejected after the missed penalty on Tuesday. Teammate Phil Foden stands in the background.
Copy reference
Photo: Armando Franca / AP
Again, Gyökeres was reliable from the penalty spot and scored to make it 4-1 for the Portuguese league leaders.
– Shows why United wanted him
The victory must have tasted even sweeter for Sporting coach Ruben Amorim.
The 39-year-old takes over as head coach at Manchester United on November 11. So this victory over Pep Guardiola’s men is guaranteed to be appreciated in the red part of Manchester.
– Amorim shows why Manchester United wanted him: Influence at halftime, connection with the players, tactically smart, writes renowned football journalist Henry Winter on X.
– We will of course miss him and the support staff a lot. We have achieved incredible things together. But we must look forward and tackle the next challenge ahead of us, says Gyökeres.
Løkberg believes the Portuguese manager wants to bring some of the players who have been part of the enormous success at Sporting CP since Amorim took over in 2020:
– Amorim would be lying if he said he hasn’t thought about trying to get Gyökeres to United, but all
HAILED: Successful coach Ruben Amorim has won two league titles at Sporting CP. Now he soon heads to Manchester United for the popular Portuguese, but first a tribute from the Sporting players after the shocking victory.
Sporting has ten out of ten possible wins at the top of the table in Portugal, and currently sits in second place in the Champions League with 10 points after four matches played.
This means they are comfortably among the eight best teams that directly qualify for the knockout stage.
City stands with seven points in a temporary sixth place in the Champions League. Tuesday’s defeat was their third in a row. It hasn’t happened since August 2021.
S great satisfaction in knowing that his side not only triumphed over a top-tier team like Manchester City but also that Gyökeres showcased the prowess that has made him a coveted player, reportedly attracting interest from clubs such as Manchester United.
Throughout the match, Gyökeres’s decisive actions on the field revealed his striking capability and football intelligence. He demonstrated an impressive combination of speed and skill, which proved vital in maintaining Sporting’s momentum against a more renowned opponent.
As the match concluded with a 4-1 victory for Sporting, it certainly put Gyökeres firmly on the map, proving that he can compete with—and outperform—some of the best players in Europe. His performance not only elevated his stature in the footballing world but also reinforced Sporting’s strong position in the current season.
For Haaland, on the other hand, it was a night to forget. Despite his efforts, the Norwegian striker couldn’t find the back of the net, leaving him visibly frustrated after missing key scoring opportunities, including that crucial penalty. As a result, he faded into the background, unable to match his teammate’s success.
The contrasting fortunes of the two strikers highlighted the unpredictable nature of football, where one player’s failure becomes another’s triumph, and where Gyökeres emerged as the standout performer under the bright lights of Lisbon.