We’re MOVIN’ ON!!! Champions League Recap: Sporting 1 – 0 Shaq D

By: Greg | November 5th, 2008

No bullshit build up necessary…

Sporting Starting XI

Postiga – Liedson
João Moutinho – Rochemback – Izmailov
Miguel Veloso
Grimi – Polga – Caneira – Abel
Rui Patrício

It’s been well documented at this point how I feel about Rochemback and Veloso starting together. At least he didn’t have Veloso playing left back this time around. I wasn’t thrilled about the lineup but I wasn’t in a “what the fuck” state of mind this time around. Maybe I had a good feeling about this one…

First Half Analysis / Notes
Thoroughly cautious. Shaq D wanted to press the issue but we gave enough danger on a few counter attacks that they couldn’t push too many men forward. A few half chances for both teams but nothing too crazy. Rochemback played his role of disruption in the midfield brilliantly and Polga put a stop to about five bazillion runs into the box. Brandão led the Shaq D diving squad with a bunch of bitch dives and made me hate the majority of players on the Ukranian side for their constant hurry to hit the canvas. It shows how bad their simulation was if a supporter of a Portuguese team is complaining about the dives.

Intermission changes / Thoughts
We needed to ramp up the attack. We were handling whatever it was they could throw at us but were not getting to the final level and making the counter attacks… count…

Second Half Analysis / Notes
The push became heavier from the outset of the half. We looked somewhat more crisp and had a number of chances that went begging only by inches. We managed to keep the dangerous free kicks to a minimum and when they were conceded, we handled them brilliantly. Bento brought on Derlei for Postiga around the 70th minute and four minutes later, pure ecstasy….

I still get chills watching the ball hit the back of the net… The Ukranians never really looked like troubling too much in the final minutes and there it was: knockout stages for the first time ever. Amazing.

Individual Player Rankings:
Goalkeeper
Rui Patrício: 7.75 – Wasn’t troubled too much, but handled the free kicks intelligently and confidently. Picked a good time to pull his head out of his ass and have a solid match.

Defenders
Abel: 7.25 – Got forward a bit and tried to kick start the offense but couldn’t manage to help the boys up front. Still, a solid effort.

Polga: 8 – Man of the Match – It’s way too easy to give Man of the Match to Derlei. For me, he simply completed the inevitable at that point. Every time I looked up, Polga was BEASTING someone off the ball. He played confident, intelligent defense and disrupted numerous attempts by Shaq D to breach the Sporting backline.

Marco Caneira: 6.75 – Somewhat sloppy at times. Had some wild challenges that if they didn’t pan out could have left the defense badly exposed. When Tonel comes back, he’s not a starter in my book.

Grimi: 7 – Played a similar match to Caneira at times: sloppy. When his number was called, he managed quite well.

Midfielders
Izmailov: 7 – Didn’t have quite the match or the impact that I thought he would, but can take the ball across the field like a frigging lightning bolt when needed.

João Moutinho: 7.25 – Probably the most prominent that I’ve seen him in any match this season.

Rochemback: 7.5 – Played a decent match. I’m not crazy about him and Veloso starting together (did I mention that 1489574218 times already?) as I’d rather have a more offensive minded type player like Romagnoli in his place, but he put in a competent performance.

Miguel Veloso: 7.75 – Was a defensive Izmailov. Up and down the field constantly, to support both the attack and defense simultaneously. Nice match.

Attack
Postiga: 6.5 – Got fouled quite a bit so he couldn’t really get much going. He needs to pull his ass off the pitch and get back to work after a hard tackle, not bitch and moan for fouls.

Liedson: 6.75 – Squandered a chance or two but created a few out of thin air as well.

Substitutes:
Derlei: (for Postiga 69′) 7.75 – Scored a historic match winner that will not be forgotten any time soon.

Bruno Pereirinha: (for Izmailov 93′) : Usual time waster – See his rating.

Conclusion:
We’re through to the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time ever. Derlei has been quoted in the press as saying he wants first place. I love the enthusiasm and gall on the guy. In the end, I’m THRILLED we’ve made it.

Viva O Sporting!!!