by Sporting proved to be stronger than Portimonense and won (3-2) the head-to-head duel for the anti-leadership of the qualifying phase for the Revelation Cup, in a meeting that did not take place at the Leonina Academy.
The high frequency of official matches at the Estádio Aurélio Pereira in the coming days – the juniors and the B team will use the pitch this Saturday and the women’s team on Sunday – led to the match being moved to another stadium. The Estádio António Almeida Correia ‘Foni’, in Alcochete, was then the chosen stage.
The Lions defended their lead, motivated by a three-game unbeaten run, and hosted Portimonense, who had beaten top-ranked Gilles Vicente in the previous round.
The Algarves, therefore, were a win away from overcoming the Lions and had the best chance of a first half of excellent ‘matching’ and therefore little attacking flair.
Mindana Kasama hit the post in the 35th minute and from then on Sporting went ahead, three in total, finding Gabriel Souza an insurmountable obstacle.
The keeper denied Rafael Nel a goal on two occasions and then saved Kiko Felix’s shot from the edge of the penalty area and followed up with a well-placed rebound. David Moreira’s goal, however, was disallowed for an alleged attacking foul.
But Sporting didn’t lose heart and would score – if it counted – on a good move finished by Rafael Nel, in a good position against the keeper. The striker fired hard and low after a diagonal pass from Kiko Felix, who created a goal again in the 78th minute, unleashing Leonardo Barroso’s initiative on the right wing to cross into the small area.
Very well placed, Rafael Nel anticipated the opposition defense and headed in the Lions’ second goal and personal breather sent the Lions, whose advantage was reduced to 87 by Diogo Cardoso. The striker was quicker than the departure of goalkeeper Pedro Miguéis and subtly scored the ball to make it 1-2, “opening hostilities” for the final minutes, which would have reserved two more goals already in stoppage time.
Sporting restored the two-goal difference in the 90+2′, with a low shot from the edge of the area by Thiago Augusto, who took advantage of a happy rebound to an opponent and confirmed the victory, albeit with difficulty.
Portimonense again managed to reduce, in the 90+6′, a penalty executed by Pedro Miguez on Diogo Cardoso and converted by Davies, but the visitors – in a borrowed home – would not get the triumph anymore.
Sporting withstood the pressure from Algarve and achieved an important win against their direct rivals, adding 21 points and increasing their advantage to five points over Portimonense, who maintain 16.
The Lions await the result of tomorrow’s meeting, between Firenze and Mafra, to see if this afternoon’s triumph will allow more distance from the two main rivals (Portimonense and Firenze).
