Sporting spank Kairat Almaty 4-1 in Champions League opener | OneFootball

It looked a mismatch on paper and so it proved. Sporting scored four goals, hit the woodwork twice and missed a penalty as they brushed aside Champions League debutants Kairat Almaty 4-1 in Lisbon this evening. Tom Kundert reports from the José Alvalade stadium.

Rui Borges rings the changes

Sporting made three changes to the starting XI in relation to the weekend victory at Famalicão, with full-backs Fresneda and Maxi Araúja returning to the lineup and Eduardo Quaresma given his first start of the season.

The hosts had a golden chance to take an early lead as Luis Suárez slipped in Pedro Gonçalves, the forward beating his marker but thwarted by 18-year-old goalkeeper Sherkhan Kalmurza.

Teenage goalkeeper shines

The Portuguese champions continued to boss the game, Inácio heading over, and midway through the first half Suárez won a penalty.

Teenager Kalmurza – playing only his second game for the Kazaks – was having a night to remember though, and saved Morten Hjulmand’s spot kick with his outstretched leg.

Quenda was next to be denied by the goalkeeper, who dived to his right to make a flying save. The team from Kazakhstan had been inoffensive until that point but on a rare breakaway a rocket of a shot by Dastan Satpaev forced a sharp save out of João Virgínia.

Sporting were soon back on the attack, Suárez rifling an effort towards goal from outside the box and unlucky to see the ball bounce off the post.

Trincão makes the breakthrough

Just when it seemed the visitors would survive until the break, a fizzing 25-yard shot by Francisco Trincão nestled into the corner of the net. Half-time and Sporting 1-0 to the good.

Suárez was left ruing his luck at the start of the second half as he hit the woodwork again, his header crashing back into play off the crossbar.

Kairat were beginning to feel they might yet take something from their long-distance trip as the home supporters began to voice their frustration. A bad mistake by the out-of-sorts Kochorashvili enabled Jorginho to burst clean through on goal, but Virginia saved his teammate’s blushes with an excellent stop.

Three-goal burst

What had been a largely frustrating night up until then for the Green & Whites completely changed complexion in a devastating spell of three goals in three minutes.

Trincão guided a finish into the top corner after being well set up by Iván Fresneda, and substitute Alisson then found the net with a deflected effort after receiving a pass from Quenda.

Quenda himself then helped himself to a piece of the action, the young winger dancing his way through the Kazak defence and finishing with aplomb to make it 4-0 with over 20 minutes yet to play. Suprisingly it was Quenda’s first goal at Alvalade and the 18-year-old star celebrated wildly, taking off his shirt and receiving a yellow card for his troubles.

Sporting slowed down however, with a series of substitutions also disrupting the rhythm of the game, although Trincão will be disappointed he did not complete his hat-trick when he rounded the goalkeeper but was crowded out as he was about to shoot.

Travelling fans get their reward

Out of nowhere Kairat reduced the deficit, Edmilson thumping a terrific volley into the net after Sporting’s defence had gone to sleep to allow Ricardinho to set up the goal.

It was a special moment for the impressive following of a few hundred supporters of the away team who had made the trip of over 8,600 kilometres to the Portuguese capital.

Although a positive night for Sporting, especially considering they gave several players rest time, they may rue missing the chance to rack up a bigger margin of victory given the crucial role goal difference can play in the 36-team league phase of the competition.

Next up for the Portuguese side is a trip to Italy to lock horns with Italian champions Napoli.

Sporting: João Virgínia, Iván Fresneda, Eduardo Quaresma, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo (Matheus Reis, 65’), Morten Hjulmand (Zeno Debast, 70’), Giorgi Kochorashvili (Hidemasa Morita, 61’), Geovany Quenda, Francisco Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves (Alisson Santos, 61’), Luis Suárez (Fotis Ioannidis, 61’)

Kairat: Sherkhan Kalmurza, Erkin Tapalov (Jug Stanojev, 70’), Aleks Martinovich, Egor Sorokin, Luís Mata (Lev Kurgin, 81’), Damir Kassabulat (Adilet Sadybekov, 75’), Ofri Arad (Edmilson Santos, 70’), Aleksandr Mrynskiy (Ricardinho, 81’), Jorginho, Valeri Gromyko, Dastan Satpaev