“Gonçalo Inácio heads home from close range following a corner to give Sporting an early lead.”
Pivotal“Luis Suárez doubles Sporting's lead with a well-taken finish from the right side of the box.”
Pivotal“José Fontán calmly converts from the spot after a VAR-reviewed penalty, pulling Arouca back into the contest.”
Pivotal“Substitute Dylan Nandín scores from close range moments after coming on, completing a dramatic late equaliser for Arouca.”
Pivotal
Sporting CP
Arouca
Outstanding performance
Sporting CP•DefenderSporting CP looked cruising after goals from Gonçalo Inácio and Luis Suárez inside the first 17 minutes gave them total control, but the sending off of Zeno Debast in the 54th minute changed everything and left them fighting with ten men for over half the match. Arouca, dominant in the underlying numbers with 15 shots to Sporting's 10 and 16 tackles to 9, gradually wore down the home side's resistance, won a penalty which José Fontán converted, and then completed the turnaround in the 87th minute through substitute Dylan Nandín moments after coming on. The result halts any momentum Sporting were building and instead hands Arouca a huge psychological boost on the road, salvaging a point from a game they trailed by two for most of the afternoon. It was a match that swung entirely on game states - controlled and clinical for Sporting early, chaotic and error-strewn for them late, with ten cards shown as tempers flared throughout the second half.
How entertaining was this match?
Pedro Santos (Arouca) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Fotis Ioannidis (Sporting Lisbon).
Dylan Nandín (Arouca) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Maxi Araújo (Sporting Lisbon).
Maxi AraújoYellow CardMaxi Araújo (Sporting Lisbon) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Attempt missed. Geny Catamo (Sporting Lisbon) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Fotis Ioannidis.
Brian MansillaYellow CardBrian Mansilla (Arouca) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Brian Mansilla (Arouca).
Maxi Araújo (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt blocked. Pedro Lima (Sporting Lisbon) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Tiago Esgaio (Arouca).
Fotis Ioannidis (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Dylan Nandín (Arouca).
Geny Catamo (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
assist: Pedro Santos
Goal! Sporting Lisbon 2, Arouca 2. Dylan Nandín (Arouca) left footed shot from very close range.
Substitution, Sporting Lisbon. Fotis Ioannidis replaces Luis Suárez.
Substitution, Arouca. Fally Mayulu replaces Barbero.
Substitution, Sporting Lisbon. Pedro Lima replaces Issa Doumbia.
Substitution, Arouca. Dylan Nandín replaces Javi Sánchez.
Attempt missed. Barbero (Arouca) right footed shot from outside the box.
Foul by Taichi Fukui (Arouca).
Silas Andersen (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Orest Lebedenko (Arouca).
Geny Catamo (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Javi Sánchez (Arouca) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Rui Silva (Sporting Lisbon). Assisted by Pedro Santos.
Goal! Sporting Lisbon 2, Arouca 1. José Fontán (Arouca) converts the penalty with a left footed shot.
Eduardo QuaresmaYellow CardEduardo Quaresma (Sporting Lisbon) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
VAR Checking: Arouca Penalty.
Penalty Arouca. Barbero draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Eduardo Quaresma (Sporting Lisbon) after a foul in the penalty area.
Foul by Iván Fresneda (Sporting Lisbon).
Attempt missed. Barbero (Arouca) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Brian Mansilla with a cross.
Gabriel Rukavina (Arouca) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Barbero (Arouca) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Alfonso Trezza with a cross.
Substitution, Arouca. Brian Mansilla replaces Alfonso Trezza.
Attempt saved. Barbero (Arouca) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved.
Substitution, Sporting Lisbon. Silas Andersen replaces Rodrigo Zalazar.
Corner, Arouca. Conceded by Iván Fresneda.
Foul by Barbero (Arouca).
Maxi Araújo (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Luis SuárezYellow CardLuis Suárez (Sporting Lisbon) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Pedro SantosYellow CardPedro Santos (Arouca) is shown the yellow card.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting Lisbon).
Foul by Barbero (Arouca).
Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Arouca. Pedro Santos replaces Espen van Ee.
Attempt missed. Javi Sánchez (Arouca) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Taichi Fukui.
Substitution, Sporting Lisbon. Eduardo Quaresma replaces Nestory Irankunda.
Attempt missed. Taichi Fukui (Arouca) right footed shot from outside the box.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Gabriel Rukavina (Arouca).
Gabriel Rukavina (Arouca) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon).
Zeno DebastRed CardZeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon) is shown the red card.
José FontánYellow CardJosé Fontán (Arouca) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by José Fontán (Arouca).
Attempt blocked. Nestory Irankunda (Sporting Lisbon) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Issa Doumbia.
Rodrigo Zalazar (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Ignacio de Arruabarrena (Arouca). Assisted by Maxi Araújo with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Issa Doumbia (Sporting Lisbon) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Rodrigo Zalazar.
Corner, Sporting Lisbon. Conceded by Javi Sánchez.
Second Half begins Sporting Lisbon 2, Arouca 0.
Substitution, Arouca. Gabriel Rukavina replaces Mateo Flores.
First Half ends, Sporting Lisbon 2, Arouca 0.
Attempt blocked. Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting Lisbon) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Rodrigo Zalazar with a cross.
Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Corner, Sporting Lisbon. Conceded by Orest Lebedenko.
Javi SánchezYellow CardJavi Sánchez (Arouca) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Javi Sánchez (Arouca).
Nestory Irankunda (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Sporting Lisbon. Conceded by José Fontán.
Foul by Taichi Fukui (Arouca).
Luis Suárez (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Luis Suárez (Sporting Lisbon).
Foul by Espen van Ee (Arouca).
Luis Suárez (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Espen van EeYellow CardEspen van Ee (Arouca) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Attempt saved. Barbero (Arouca) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Geny Catamo (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by José Fontán (Arouca).
Foul by Tiago Esgaio (Arouca).
Nestory Irankunda (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Barbero (Arouca).
Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Barbero (Arouca).
Sergi Altimira (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Tiago Esgaio (Arouca) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nestory Irankunda (Sporting Lisbon).
Foul by Espen van Ee (Arouca).
Sergi Altimira (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Espen van Ee (Arouca) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Sergi Altimira (Sporting Lisbon).
Attempt missed. Alfonso Trezza (Arouca) right footed shot from outside the box.
Delay in match (Sporting Lisbon).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Offside, Sporting Lisbon. Issa Doumbia is caught offside.
assist: Iván Fresneda
Goal! Sporting Lisbon 2, Arouca 0. Luis Suárez (Sporting Lisbon) right footed shot from the right side of the box.
Attempt missed. Naïs Djouahra (Arouca) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Taichi Fukui following a fast break.
Attempt missed. Maxi Araújo (Sporting Lisbon) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Attempt blocked. Tiago Esgaio (Arouca) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Taichi Fukui with a cross.
Attempt missed. Javi Sánchez (Arouca) header from very close range is too high. Assisted by Taichi Fukui with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Arouca. Conceded by Iván Fresneda.
Barbero (Arouca) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting Lisbon).
Offside, Sporting Lisbon. Geny Catamo is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Alfonso Trezza (Arouca) header from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Mateo Flores with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Geny Catamo (Sporting Lisbon) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luis Suárez.
assist: Maxi Araújo
Goal! Sporting Lisbon 1, Arouca 0. Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting Lisbon) header from very close range following a corner.
Corner, Sporting Lisbon. Conceded by Orest Lebedenko.
First Half begins.
Sporting CP host Arouca at Alvalade aiming to keep pace in a surprisingly tight title race, with FC Porto and Benfica setting the early pace. The hosts' attacking depth and home form make them heavy favourites against a mid-table Arouca side coming off a home defeat.
