Sporting need extra time but go through to face Porto in the Cup | OneFootball

Sporting needed to go beyond regular time to stay alive in the Portuguese Cup. On the night of this Wednesday (5th), in Alvalade, the Lions beat AVS 3-2 in extra time and secured a spot in the semifinals, where they will face Porto.

In front of just 21,454 spectators – their lowest attendance of the season – the current two-time national champions and cup holders flirted with elimination, but relied on persistence and individual talent to survive.

From the opening whistle, the scenario was clear. Sporting took control of the match, occupied the attacking half, and pushed back a withdrawn AVS side, who relied almost exclusively on counterattacks. The Lions’ superiority translated into chances, such as Trincão’s shot in the 20th minute, which went just wide of the post. The goal, however, was coming.

In the 29th minute, it came with a Brazilian signature. Luís Guilherme received the ball from Hjulmand on the right, cut inside, and curled a shot into the far corner to score his first goal wearing the number 31 shirt. Daniel Bragança also played a decisive role in the build-up. The halftime score confirmed what had been shown on the pitch: Sporting were better and could have gone into the locker room with a bigger lead.

The second half started the same way – and with a quick blow. Just 49 minutes in, Suárez showed opportunism and skill by scoring with a backheel after a good combination on the left between Trincão and Mangas. It was 2-0 and seemed to pave the way for a quiet night.

But the Cup usually demands focus until the end. In the 63rd minute, Algobia converted a penalty for AVS and put the visitors back in the game. Sporting felt the blow, slowed the pace, and began to deal with discomfort. The emotional pressure increased in the final minutes, until, already in stoppage time, the veteran Nêne converted another penalty with precision and took the decision to extra time.

In extra time, the script was one of maximum tension. Sporting attacked, piled up chances, and ran into Bertelli, who saved AVS with improbable stops – including a Suárez shot almost on the goal line. Alvalade, silent for much of the night, held its breath.

Until, in the 117th minute, relief finally came. Geny Catamo took responsibility, faced his marker, cut inside, and unleashed a powerful, unstoppable shot. The goal ignited the stadium and sealed a hard-fought but valuable qualification.

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