Sporting wobble late, and a pattern may worry the fans | OneFootball

Sporting are going through a delicate period when it comes to managing the final minutes, with the team showing clear difficulties in holding on to leads, something that was once again exposed in the draw against Tondela (2-2), where they let a two-goal advantage slip away after the 90th minute.

This situation is not isolated and has been repeated throughout the season, with the Lions having already dropped eight points in stoppage time, including in matches against Braga and Benfica, where they conceded decisive late goals that compromised results which had seemed under control.

The numbers are telling. Around 20% of the goals conceded by Sporting come after the 90th minute, and that figure rises to 45% when analysing the final 15 minutes of matches, making this the most problematic period for Rui Borges’ side.

Even so, not everything is negative, as the Lions have also managed to score late on, with special mention for Luis Suárez, who secured important points with decisive goals, such as against Arouca and Nacional, showing that the team also have the ability to respond offensively in the closing moments.

However, the structural problem remains, with Sporting having lost their lead in 15 matches, 10 of them this season, a figure that highlights competitive frailty and helps explain their falling out of the title race at a crucial stage of the championship.

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