Soccer

Champions League wrap: Rúben Amorim’s Sporting pull off stunning win over Manchester City

Real Madrid lose to AC Milan as their European struggles continue

Sporting Lisbon's forward Viktor Gyokeres celebrates his hat-trick. Photograph: Filipe Amorim/AFP via Getty
Sporting Lisbon's forward Viktor Gyokeres celebrates his hat-trick. Photograph: Filipe Amorim/AFP via Getty
Tue Nov 05 2024 - 22:31
Champions League: Sporting Lisbon 4 Manchester City 1 (Gyökeres 38, 49, 80, Araujo 46; Foden 4)

Sporting marked the final home game of coach Rúben Amorim’s reign in stunning fashion as Viktor Gyokeres’ hat-trick saw them come from behind to thrash Manchester City 4-1 and maintain their superb start to the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Portuguese league leaders were outplayed for most of the first half and should have trailed by more than Phil Foden’s early goal, but Gyokeres levelled it up before the break.

City were caught cold at the start of the second period as Maximiliano Araujo finished a flowing move straight from the kickoff, before Gyokeres put Sporting further ahead minutes later from the penalty spot.

Erling Haaland had the chance to drag City back into the game but struck the crossbar with a penalty before Gyokeres wrapped it up for the hosts with another spot kick to send the Estadio Jose Alvalade crowd into raptures.

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Amorim, who will take over as Manchester United manager on November 11th, leaves Sporting in a fantastic position in the Champions League group phase with 10 points from four games. City’s first defeat leaves them on seven points.

All eyes were on Amorim before kickoff after he accepted United’s offer to take over from the sacked Erik Ten Hag.

The highly rated 39-year-old has landed two Portuguese titles in four years with Sporting and they have started this season’s domestic championship with 10 wins from 10 games.

Up against City’s master tactician Pep Guardiola, however, he was given an uncomfortable taste of what he can expect in the Premier League during a first half in which his side could have been blown away by an injury-hit City side.

Foden struck after four minutes when Sporting lost the ball inside their own half and the England forward advanced to smash his shot past Franco Israel.

Haaland, who had an off night, had several chances and Bernardo Silva also went close for City, while Gyokeres made a hash of a gilt-edged opportunity shortly after Foden’s opener.

But Gyokores made no mistake when he was played through in the 38th minute by Geovany Quenda, dinking his shot in.

City never got going in the second half and were sloppy at the back as they went on to concede four goals in the Champions League for the first time since 2016.

Araujo was played in by Pedro Goncalves to score in style then Josko Gvardiol shoved over Francisco Trincao in the area for Gyokeres to beat Ederson from the spot.

Gyokores completed City’s misery with his hat-trick-sealing penalty, awarded for a foul by Matheus Nunes on Geny Catamo, to put Sporting second in the table.

Real Madrid 1 AC Milan 3

AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw, Alvaro Morata and Tijjani Reijnders all got on the scoresheet in a surprise 3-1 win at holders Real Madrid in their Champions League clash on Tuesday.

Thiaw gave seven-time European champions Milan the lead with a header from a corner in the 12th minute but Vinicius Jr equalised with a penalty 11 minutes later.

Morata put the visitors back in front by netting from a rebound in the 39th and Reijnders fired home a Rafael Leao cross after a counter attack to wrap up Milan’s statement win over the lacklustre title holders.

Real are languishing in 17th place in the 36-team Champions League table with six points, one spot ahead of Milan on goal difference after four games.

Other results:

Lille 1 Juventus 1

Bologna 0 Monaco 1

Slovan Bratislava 1 Dinamo Zagreb 4

PSV 4 Girona 0

Dortmund 1 Sturm Graz 0

Celtic 3 RB Leipzig 1

Liverpool 4 Bayer Leverkusen 0