4-0 victory over Beşiktaş JK at night to remember later

Sporting Clube de Portugal’s main football team gives and beat Beşiktaş JK by 4-0, this Wednesday, in a match related to the fourth round of group C of the UEFA Champions League. With this triumph, the Lions climb to second place with six points, alongside Borussia Dortmund, and have already guaranteed a place in the round of 32 of the Europa League.

Despite the 1-4 achieved in Turkey, a green and white team knew they could not relax in a match that, like the first, was expected of high intensity, even though the visitors could not count on Pjanić, Batshuayi, Vida and, still, Rosier.

Rúben Amorim bet on the same lineup presented at the home of the black eagles and saw his team enter the field with excellent offensive dynamics, one pushing the opponent to the ropes. The first serious warning came at the feet of Paulinho, who was served on a tray by Sarabia but threw a crash at the bar. Seconds later, another onslaught, again with the same players, but now with the goalkeeper moving his legs to the corner.

On minute 17, Pedro Porro was forced to leave due to injury, giving way to Ricardo Esgaio. It followed after a phase of greater danger for Beşiktaş JK, with two shots at the figure and another that missed the target. However, the ascendant was from Sporting CP, who scored at the half-hour through Pedro Gonçalves. After suffering a foul inside the area, the best scorer of last season in the Portuguese championship did not shake and open the accounts through a penalty kick.

With many difficulties in leaving with the ball under control for the attack, the visiting team proved to be permeable and it didn’t take long for this to translate into goals. In the space of just three minutes, Pedro Gonçalves scored twice, in a great execution, and then Paulinho, with his left foot and from outside the area, fired hard to make it 3-0, brightening Leonina’s display.

At the front by a comfortable margin, Sporting CP entered the second half imposing a more patient and judicious ball circulation, but still controlled. Only seconds had passed when Sarabia tried to cross from the left, but ended up hitting the crossbar. Shortly thereafter, Matheus Nunes shot to the defense of Destanoğlu.

At 56 minutes, another goal came. After an excellent ride down the left side, Matheus Reis crossed into an area, where Sarabia appeared loose and took the opportunity to shoot for 4-0. In response to the advantage by fat numbers, Rúben Amorim refreshed the team with the entries of Daniel Bragança and Nuno Santos, in exchange for Matheus Nunes and Paulinho.

With everything practically decided on the way into the final half-hour, the game dropped in intensity and Beşiktaş JK moved up the field in search of reduction. Despite having managed to scare Adán in some moves, never substantiated enough, because on the other side, even without accelerating, Sporting CP continued to get closer to scoring again. Bragança, twice, and Nuno Santos wasted, as well as several occasions.

The final minutes did not bring anything new, apart from Souza’s expulsion, in the 90th minute, at a time when the game depended on the quick transitions of both teams. The Lions thus confirmed a second consecutive victory in group C and took another important step in the fight for access to the round of 16, when two duels remain.

The fifth round, at home to Borussia Dortmund, is scheduled for 24 November, while the sixth will be played at AFC Ajax on 7 December. Before that, Sporting CP will visit FC Paços de Ferreira this Sunday in the 11th round of the Liga Portugal.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adam [GR], Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates [C], Zouhair Feddal, Pedro Porro (Ricardo Esgaio, 17′), João Palhinha, Matheus Nunes (Daniel Bragança, 60′), Matheus Reis (Rúben Vinagre, 71′), Pedro Gonçalves (Jovane Cabral, 71′), Pablo Sarabia and Paulinho (Nuno Santos, 60 ‘).