Nine goals in the first two rounds of the championship, twelve if we include the Super Cup lost to FC Porto (3-4), demonstrate that Sporting 2024-25 is well-oiled in terms of attack. Against Nacional, in Madeira, this Saturday, the national champions were dominant and finished the match with a resounding 6-1 victory, tying with FC Porto at the top of the standings.
The “lions” went into halftime leading 2-1, after a first half where the home team appeared capable of contesting the result. But the second half for the Lisbon side was overwhelming, with four unanswered goals that could have been more.
Nacional sought to surprise in the early moments, taking the initiative away from the opponent, who had to be more patient than usual to gain the lead on the scoreboard at the start of the season. In the Super Cup, Sporting opened the scoring in the sixth minute (and would score again in the 9′), and against Rio Ave, in their league debut, they began to shape the victory (3-1) at the 9′, but in Madeira, the goal for the Lisbon team came “only” in the 16′ minute.
The protagonist also did not stray from the script of these early matches of the season. Pedro Gonçalves attempted a breaking move through the center, removing several defenders from his path and finishing with his right foot. The “lion” put his team ahead on the scoreboard at a time when they were already completely dominating the match, stabilizing in the opposing midfield, although at a rather moderate pace.
Behind was a strong start from the home team, which posed danger to the Sporting goal, with Butzke coming very close to scoring, just three minutes in. A more frantic period for Nacional, which began to lose steam and, above all, possession of the ball.
The deficit did not bring about significant changes to the game for the islanders, who increasingly struggled defensively, facing the constant movements of the away team’s forwards, who were finding spaces to shoot at goal.
The Madeirans sensed the danger and had a new awakening around the half-hour mark. It was time for Vladan Kovacevic in the “lion’s” goal to shine, as he stopped shots from Zé Vítor and Butzke (31′ and 34′). But, in the 36′, the Bosnian was powerless to prevent the equalizer: a great pass from Matheus Dias found Nigel Thomas, who shot across into the net.
Despite the heat, the match entered a phase of greater intensity and unpredictability, and at 40′, the scoreboard would change again. Pedro Gonçalves assisted Francisco Trincão, who made a diagonal run and shot across for his team’s second goal.
In the second half, Nacional still looked to muster a response, but, forced to stretch themselves on the pitch, they ultimately were overrun by the opponent. Right at 51′, the unstoppable Viktor Gyökeres made his mark on the match by scoring the third goal from a penalty kick (foul on Geovany Quenda). The Swedish forward would double his tally at 76′, finishing the scoring, and he even hit the woodwork (87′).
In between, Trincão scored again at 57′, and Daniel Bragança – the new addition to the starting eleven, where he replaced the injured Morten Hjulmand – signed the fifth goal at 66′. A lopsided result, but one that Sporting justified. “We could and should have scored more goals,” lamented Rúben Amorim at the end of the match, in a flash-interview with SportTV.
Less expansive was the coach regarding some defensive permeability of the team, which, despite being in good shape in Madeira, has already conceded six goals in three matches played.
Amorim also confirmed the departure of young midfielder Mateus Fernandes, 20, from the squad, referring club officials to the details of a potential transfer in this summer transfer market.