VAR controversy rages as Sporting beat Santa Clara in the Azores: “It’s enough to make us to stop believing in football” | OneFootball

Midfielders Serginho and João Simões in action in the Azores tonight with Santa Clara manager Vasco Matos looking on

Portuguese Cup: Sporting scrape through; Porto thrash Famalicão to set up Benfica clash

Wind, rain, ten goals and a huge dose of controversy were packed into two more round-of-sixteen Portuguese Cup ties tonight.

Sporting benefited from a controversial stoppage time penalty to beat Santa Clara 3-2 in the Azores after extra time, while Porto smashed Famalicão 4-1 at the Estádio do Dragão.

Santa Clara 2-3 Sporting (after extra time)

When the two teams met in a Liga Portugal clash in early November it sparked a huge debate and complaints from Santa Clara and Sporting’s title rivals as the Lions won 2-1 after scoring from a late corner erroneously awarded by the referee.

At the same São Miguel venue this game is again guaranteed to cause a media storm after more drama and controversy.

The current Cup holders went ahead early on when João Simões finished a flowing move by swivelling and volleying into the corner of the net. Soon afterwards Santa Clara hit back with Lucas Soares skipping past Mateus Reis and firing in a powerful shot from 25 yards out. Two excellent goals and all square at half time.

That’s how it stayed until the 85th minute in a tightly fought encounter which seemed to be heading towards extra time as the rain began to lash down on the Atlantic Island. But Santa Clara were rewarded for their proactive approach as star player Gabriel Silva turned Gonçalo Inácio brilliantly and fired into the net from outside the box, with the aid of a big deflection off Eduardo Quaresma that left João Virgínia stranded. The hosts were 2-1 up and seemingly on their way to the quarter-finals.

Twelve minutes to make the decision

A leggy-looking Sporting were out of ideas, but when a cross was swung into the box and captain Morten Hjulmand fell to the ground VAR instructed the referee to hold on while the footage was studied. An incomprehensibly long wait ensued, with the officials eventually deciding to send the referee to the monitor who also took his time before pointing to the spot – fully 12 minutes after the incident had taken place.

The Santa Clara delegation in the dugout were evidently incensed, with the referee issuing two red cards amidst vehement protests from the coaching team and substitutes. The islanders had already had Paulo Victor sent off shortly before the 90 minutes were up.

Sporting striker Luis Suárez stayed cool amid the mayhem and calmly slotted the penalty into the net to make the score 2-2 and send the tie into extra time.

With an extra player and the huge psychological boost of having “come back from the dead”, it was little surprise when Sporting took the lead, Fotis Ioannidis heading in.

To their credit Santa Clara never threw in the towel, the outstanding Serginho (pictured above) causing Sporting headaches all night. But Sporting held on and will host AFS in the last eight for a place in the semi-finals.

Vasco Matos: “Today is a black day for Portuguese football”

Santa Clara coach Vasco Matos was commendably composed in his post-match interview but was incisive in his criticism of the officials.

“What did I think of the penalty? The same as everyone else who saw it. All the fans, all the journalists have the same opinion. Today is a black day for Portuguese football. I’m worried and a lot of people are worried about what’s happened. I’m speechless when I try to describe what happened on the pitch. It’s enough to make us to stop believing in football.”

Santa Clara 3-2 Sporting highlights

Porto sweep past Famalicão

In tonight’s other match, Porto overcame high-flying Famalicão at home to set up a mouth-watering quarter-final against Benfica, also at the Dragão, in January.

William Gomes took advantage of a defensive blunder to give the hosts the lead early doors, but Famalicão soon hit back with Justin de Haas powerfully heading in the equaliser from a corner.

Shortly before the break Porto retook the lead through Victor Froholdt, and late goals by Samu (6 goals in his last 4 matches) and Pepê saw the Blue & Whites run out comfortable winners.

Porto 4-1 Famalicão highlights

Portuguese Cup quarter-final lineup:

Sporting v AFS

Torreense v União de Leiria

FC Porto v Benfica

Lusitano de Évora/Fafe v Caldas/Braga