UEFA Europa League

Sporting CP vs Manchester City, 2011/12 UEFA Europa League, Third Round

· 1st Leg
Sporting CP
  • 51': Xandao
FT
1 - 0
1st Leg
Manchester City

    About

    Sporting CP are hosting Manchester City at Estadio Jose Alvalade, , , starting on . The match is a part of the UEFA Europa League.

    Match Timeline

    • 0': ESPNsoccernet's James Dall will bring you live commentary of this match, which kicks off at 18.00 GMT.
    • 0': Man City: Hart, Clichy, Kompany, Toure, Kolarov, Milner, De Jong, Barry, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko. Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Pizarro, Johnson, Savic, Nasri, Balotelli.
    • 0': Sporting team: Rui Patricio, Joao Pereira, Xandao, Anderson Polga, Insua, Fernandez, Daniel Carrico, Schaars, Diego Capel, Izmailov, van Wolfswinkel. Subs: Marcelo, Rodriguez, Evaldo, Carrillo, Bruno Pereirinha, Neto, Rubio.
    • 1': Kick-off: We're under way in Portugal.
    • 2': Right, erm, honest, there were no technical hitches at all and this commentary started way before kick-off so you got a hearty introduction.
    • 3': Of course, that is all lies.
    • 4': Anyway, FOOTBALL! Sporting just had a chance, as Hart headed away and a lob was attempted. It failed.
    • 5': City have the ball. Possession.
    • 6': Sporting are keeping their shape well, looking to press when the moment is right.
    • 7': Aguero threatens as he wriggles on the edge of the box but a number of green and white striped bodies blocked the path to goal.
    • 8': Uh-oh. Kompany looks injured.
    • 9': It's his calf, and his match looks over.
    • 10': Lescott is donning his shirt. Looks a worrying injury for the brilliant Kompany.
    • 11': Pereira goes close! He cuts in from the right and fizzes a shot at Hart. The keeper drops down to palm away.
    • 12': Kolarov does really well following a smart turn and he whips in a cross. The ball is hacked clear for a corner.
    • 13': Lescott is on for the injured Kompany.
    • 14': Ah. Big change for City as a cross in from the left is met by the head of Kolo Toure, who nods it downwards. Patricio makes a smart save to deny the defender.
    • 15': Silva is buzzing about majestically. He's excellent.
    • 16': Smart football from the home side, that ends when Pereira tries a hugely ambitious shot from a very tight angle.
    • 17': A enjoyable beginning to the game with both sides creating chances. The stadium, meanwhile, doesn't appear near full.
    • 18': Smart covering from Barry in the right back slot as Sporting sprung forward.
    • 19': Clichy bombs down the right flank and cuts back onto his stronger foot as part of an interchange with Silva. But the attack fizzles out.
    • 20': Genuine chance for Sporting...
    • 21': ...alas it breaks down at the last as a heavy touch Izmailov is punished.
    • 22': Penalty shouts from the Sporting home fans after the ball struck Lescott. But the ball hit the defender's chest, not his arm, and rightly no pen is given.
    • 23': Corner to City following a classy ball from Silva to Kolarov...
    • 24': Corner is only half-cleared and Barry finds himself in possession on the edge of the box. He winds up with his strong left peg and zips a shot wide of the post. Only a fraction off target.
    • 25': Now a corner to Sporting after Fernandez embarked on a positive run.
    • 26': Sporting's corner comes to nothing. Then it is City's turn to press on. However, a loose ball from Dzeko results in a goal kick.
    • 27': Minor lull in the game now, as City keep ball well in a bid to silence the home fans.
    • 28': And their patience very nearly pays off as a wicked diagonal ball finds Kolarov, whose low cross is hacked away.
    • 29': You might recall Sporting striker van Wolfswinkel was linked with Manchester United recently. He hasn't had much to feed off thus far.
    • 30': Hernandez looks a bright player, occupying that space between defence and midfield.
    • 31': Urgh, rubbish from Izmailov. Sporting pounce on a loose ball and feed it wide to the right. Again, though, they opt for a shot from an absurd angle.
    • 32': Hairy moment from Hart as he is forced to punch a looping ball over the crossbar.
    • 33': Fernandez bashes the ball. Absolutely tonks it. But it whistles off target. Decent effort, not from a silly angle.
    • 34': That shot came from a very poor pass from Dzeko.
    • 35': City have enjoyed 59% of the ball so far in this game, symbolising Sporting's content to let them have it in non-threatening areas.
    • 36': Following on from that stat, City's possession has been condensed in the middle of the park.
    • 37': Van Wolfswinkel has struggled to get into the game.
    • 38': The home fans are making a cracking racket, bellowing out some booming chants.
    • 39': Carrico gets in the on the shooting act, bending one wide from about 25 yards out. Do they think Hart is a weak link from distance?
    • 40': The tempo continues to be a decent one, making for a pleasing game.
    • 41': The majority of Sporting's attacks have come down the right, which is odd considering Clichy is the one out of position.
    • 42': Fine block from De Jong prevents a certain shot on target.
    • 0':
    • 43': Wretched cross from Insua results in groans from the home side.
    • 44': First booking of the game goes to Izmailov for a cynical trip on Dzeko.
    • 45': One minute of added time will be played.
    • 45': De Jong is booked too. His offence was for catching an opponent with his studs.
    • 0': Half-time: Sporting 0-0 Man City
    • 0': Goalless at the break, although both sides have had decent chances to break the deadlock. 'Cagey' is probably the word.
    • 0': Panic over. I have a ready meal to eat. Disdain, though, as Dale Johnson has headed to the chippy, which is sure to make me jealous on his return.
    • 0': In football news, Kompany's injury is a concern.
    • 46': Second half: Sporting get us started again.
    • 47': Sporting enjoy possession early on in the second half but that soon comes to an end as they hump to forward to no-one.
    • 48': Kolarov hits a low ball into the box and it finds its way to Silva after a foot dangled out and deflected it to the Spaniard. He hit it first time but sent it way over.
    • 49': And we are back into the pattern of the first half, as City pop the ball about on the halfway line.
    • 50': Free-kick for Sporting in a promising position following a bright run from Fernandez.
    • 51': GOAL!!! Xandao scores for Sporting!
    • 52': Hart won't want to see that again. Fernandez delivers an awkward free-kick which bounces just in front of the keeper. Hart dives to save but doesn't clear well. He blocks the rebound but another loose ball sees Xandao improvises with a very cheeky backheel.
    • 53': City almost respond instantly, as Aguero fires in from the left, but Patricio blocks the effort.
    • 54': The stadium is indeed rocking.
    • 55': City may be about to unleash Mario.
    • 56': Glorious attacking football from Sporting, demonstrating some excellent swagger. Lescott awkwardly deals with a cross.
    • 57': Another corner to Sporting. City are under plenty of pressure at present.
    • 58': Some relief for City as Aguero wins a free-kick on the left flank.
    • 59': Nasri comes on for Barry.
    • 60': Izmailov is replaced by Pereirinha.
    • 61': Oooo. Kolarov hits a beauty, but is zooms past the far post. He hit it sweetly, and caught everyone out, but it was just off target.
    • 62': Worthing noting Sporting coach Ricardo Sa Pinto has elblow patches on his jacket. Awesome.
    • 63': Nasri's introduction looks a bid to offer better penetrative passing in midfield.
    • 64': Should be 2-0. Sporting find space in the City box and cut back to van Wolfswinkel, who hits first time but is denied by a solid save from Hart.
    • 65': City are attempting to turn the screw, but have had little joy in truth.
    • 66': Dzeko goes stamping back in a bid to win the ball, but Kolarov gives away a free-kick.
    • 67': Fine defending from Polga as he outmuscles Aguero before mopping up expertly.
    • 68': Capel floats in a cross from the left and, on the stretch, Pereirinha pokes the ball several yards wide.
    • 69': Crossbar! Kolarov sends in a cross which clips the top of the bar. It was accidental, but a close shave for the keeper.
    • 70': Balotelli's introduction is imminent.
    • 71': Dzeko is replaced by Balotelli.
    • 72': Optimistic handball claim from City. Ref waves the appeals away. Ball definitely struck hand, but it was marginal.
    • 73': What a cross from Balotelli. He executed a rabona, only for Aguero to smash off target.
    • 74': Capel goes off for Carrillo.
    • 75': An away goal for City, of course, would make this an excellent result. Right now, though, Sporting are worthy of their lead.
    • 76': City are pressing further up the pitch, but Sporting still look capable of nicking the ball and embarking on a counter.
    • 77': City do certainly struggle without Yaya Toure's drive.
    • 78': Chance to City to launch one into the box...
    • 79': Kolarov trots up to the free-kick but fires it into the wall.
    • 80': Balotelli has made a difference since coming on, such is his imagination when in play.
    • 81': Balotelli tries to roll his man and earns his side a free-kick. He has done a great deal more than Dzeko did during his lengthy time on the field.
    • 82': Hardly a barrage forward by City in these final moments. In fact, Sporting look the most dangerous.
    • 83': Handball claims from Sporting...
    • 84': ..it was from Insua's cross, but on closer inspection it hit Toure's thigh, not his hand.
    • 85': The whistles from the home fans rain down at deafening levels as City have the ball.
    • 86': The fans are going ballistic, cheering every tackle, etc.
    • 87': Woodwork! Balotelli leapt so well to meet a corner and power a header high. Alas, it cracked off the bar.
    • 88': Balotelli's had a great impact, just hasn't scored. This following his fine of a week's wages after attending a nudey bar, allegedly.
    • 89': Again, brilliant noise from the home support.
    • 90': Aguero's been disappointing.
    • 90': Chance! Was it handball? I need a replay!
    • 90': Clichy had a shot which was deflected into the path of Aguero. He clipped it past the keeper and the ball struck a defender. The Argentine wanted handball, but the ball seemed to strike the defender's leg.
    • 90': City win a corner, but Sporting defend it well. They then spring clear and threaten to make it 2-0, but a cross from the right flashes to no other green and white shirt.
    • 90': 30 seconds remain...
    • 90': Yellow for Kolarov as he goes in very strongly.
    • 0': FULL-TIME: Sporting 1-0 Man City.
    • 0': Quite the performance from Sporting, while City were disappointing, to say the least. A fine goal won this second leg, as defender Xandao backheeled home. Balotelli made a difference when he came on, but it was all too little, too late. The real blow, really, was the injury to Kompany.
    • 0': Thanks for keeping me company. Why not join Chris Atkins for chat, goals and udpates on the remainder of the evening's action? Cheerio.

    Game Information

    Competition: UEFA Europa League

    Venue: Estadio Jose Alvalade
    Location: ,
    Attendance: 34,371

    Line-Ups

    SCP Sporting CP

    No. Name
    1 Rui Patrício (GK)
    47 João Pereira Yellow Card
    93 Xandao
    4 Anderson Polga Yellow Card
    48 Emiliano Insúa
    3 Daniel Carriço
    14 Matías Fernández
    8 Stijn Schaars
    11 Diego Capel
    10 Marat Izmailov Yellow Card
    9 Ricky van Wolfswinkel
    Sporting CP Substitutes:
    Marcelo Boeck, Alberto Rodríguez, Evaldo, Bruno Pereirinha, Renato Neto, André Carrillo, Diego Rubio.

    MNC Manchester City

    No. Name
    25 Joe Hart (GK)
    22 Gaël Clichy
    4 Vincent Kompany
    28 Kolo Touré
    13 Aleksandar Kolarov Yellow Card
    7 James Milner
    34 Nigel de Jong Yellow Card
    18 Gareth Barry
    21 David Silva
    16 Sergio Agüero
    10 Edin Dzeko
    Manchester City Substitutes:
    Costel Pantilimon, Joleon Lescott, Stefan Savic, David Pizarro, Adam Johnson, Samir Nasri, Mario Balotelli.

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