New England Soccer Today

Sporting CP Update: 3/9

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After last week’s humiliating 3-0 defeat at Porto, the Leoes had a short week to forget that result and prepare for Nacional da Madeira on Thursday for the first leg of the Portuguese Cup semifinal. Both sides had early scoring chances. Despite this game being open, the score was 0-0 at halftime.

Sporting CP keeper Rui Patricio would be the goat again, bobbling away the ball on the first goal, and giving up what some thought was a soft goal on the second. It would take a late goal from Carlos Mane to tie this game 2-2. The return leg will be next month in Lisbon, with Sporting CP leading on away goals.

After their game in Thursday, the Leoes returned to action on Monday to face bottom of the table Penafiel. After a brilliant start in the first 10 minutes, Sporting went up 2-0. But in the 11th minute, after Slimani made a poor pass back to his defender, Tobias Figueiredo, being the last defender, was forced to take down the Penafiel forward, forcing the referee to send off Tobias.

Penafiel scored on the ensuing free kick, then tied it at 2-2, just before half time. In the 70th minute, Nani rescued his side from a humbling draw when he headed in Sporting’s third goal, making it 3-2, the final score of this game, avoiding a near disaster result.

Sporting’s next match will be next Sunday vs Maritimo.

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