Santa Clara threatened, but Sporting stepped up and sealed the win | OneFootball

Sporting beat Santa Clara 4-2 this Friday, April 2, in a match counting for the 28th round of the Liga Portugal Betclic. After the ‘stroll’ in Alverca before the break for international fixtures, the Lions returned to action with another three points in the bag.

Playing at the Estádio José Alvalade, Rui Borges’ men could hardly have started in worse fashion. In the third minute, Klismahn put the visitors from the Azores ahead. The Lions took some time to respond, leveling the match in the 22nd minute from the penalty spot, converted by Pote. From then on, it was all Sporting: Daniel Bragança put the Leonine side in front in the 39th minute and Francisco Trincão extended the lead (42’).

In the second half, the team in green and white began to manage the result and the match became much flatter. Santa Clara had a goal by Gonçalo Paciência disallowed in the 83rd minute, but still managed to pull one back in the 89th. Rafael Nel settled the nerves at Alvalade by scoring in the 90’+4.

With this win – the 33rd in 45 matches this season – Rui Borges’ men now have 68 points and remain second in the Liga Portugal Betclic standings. Porto (72) are in first place (with one more game played). Benfica are third with 65, also having played one more match.

The green-and-white club return to action next Tuesday, April 7, against Arsenal. The match, the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals against Mikel Arteta’s side, will be played at the Estádio José Alvalade at 8:00 p.m.

Pedro Gonçalves (1-1)

Daniel Bragança (2-1)

Francisco Trincão (3-1)

Rafael Nel (4-2)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.