Sporting CP: Welcome to the Jungle

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http://i66.tinypic.com/2yzg3dc.png Team

Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Balanta, Tobias, Jonathan, William, Adrien ( Matheus 64'),
João Mário ( S.Díaz 75'), Gelson, Iuri ( Mané 51'), Slimani

Goals

Wagner 82'

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(A) 0-1 Tondela - Primeira Liga, Round 7

(A) 3-0 Desp. Aves - Taça de Portugal, 3rd eliminatory

(H) 2-1 Lyon - Champions League, Group Stage

(A) 2-0 Vitória SC - Primeira Liga, Round 8

(H) 3-1 Estoril - Primeira Liga, Round 9

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Ricardo Esgaio was third in Player of the Month. The young right back of the Lions, who came from Sporting's Academy, played 2 of the 3 Primeira Liga matches this month, and scored a goal, in Guimarães.

2 - Vitória FC, 22 Points
3 - Benfica, 20 Points
4 - Porto, 19 Points
5 - Belenenses, 17 Points
6 - Nacional, 14 Points

Sporting will play away again in the 4th eliminatory of Taça de Portugal. The Lions will travel to Madeira to play against Primeira Liga side, Marítimo.

(A) vs Lyon - Champions League
(H) vs Porto - Primeira Liga
(A) vs Marítimo - Taça de Portugal
(A) vs Atlético Madrid - Champions League
(H) vs Benfica - Primeira Liga
(A) vs Ajax - Champions League

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Rui Patrício, is often called São Patrício (Saint Patrício), by Sporting fans.
In the next month, it'll be the 10th birthday of Rui Patrício's debut. It happened in 2006, November 19th, in Madeira against Marítimo.
The then 18 year-old goalkeeper, saved a penalty in his debut, keeping the 1-0 win to Sporting. This save could have been decisive to the title win, but during the season Sporting would suffer a hand goal, that would lead to a 1-0 defeat, taking away the point Sporting needed to win the title.
After ten years, Rui Patrício is not only still at Sporting, but is the main goalkeeper for the Lions for the last 9 years, since he won the place with 19 years old, in 2007.
A coincidence of football, is that exactly 10 years later, in November 19 of this year, Sporting will be back at Barreiros, Marítimo's stadium, this time for a cup game.
Rui Patrício will have the chance to play 10 years after his debut, in the stage that saw him for the first time with Sporting's main team.
The legendary goalkeeper have already stated that he would love to take a victory out of Madeira again, as he did 10 years ago.

1

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http://i66.tinypic.com/2yzg3dc.png Team

Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Balanta, Tobias, Jonathan, William ( Paulista 45'), Adrien ( S.Díaz 45'),
João Mário, Gelson, Mané ( Iuri 67'), Slimani

Goals

Slimani 69', S.Díaz 75'. Calleri 1', Esgaio og 2', Lacazette 9'

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Esgaio

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Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Balanta, Ewerton, Jonathan, William, Adrien ( S.Díaz 77'),
João Mário ( Wallyson 88'), Gelson, Matheus ( Iuri 55'), Slimani

Goals

Slimani 14'. Kelvin 70', Aboubakar 77'

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Rui Patrício, Lopes, Naldo, Tobias ( Gelson 76'), Barbosa, Palhinha ( Slimani 45'), Wallyson, Gauld, Iuri, Matheus ( Mané 59'), S.Díaz

Goals

Iuri 56'. Marega pen 5' pen 84', Rudy 27'

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http://i66.tinypic.com/2yzg3dc.png Team

Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Balanta, Tobias, Jonathan, William, Adrien ( Gauld 45'),
João Mário ( S.Díaz 68'), Gelson ( Matheus 45'), Mané, Slimani

Goals

Mertens 3', Godín 55'

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After 4 defeats in a row, Sporting fans have shown their unhappiness with the team's season so far this year.
Yesterday's match in Madrid was only the last drop of water, on an already full glass. Sporting lost to Atlético by 2-0, and was losing since the third minute.
Of course, this defeat for itself wouldn't bother the fans, as the only consequence was of Sporting's falling for second place in the Champions League classification, even so, Sporting have qualified for the Round of 16, due to the result beetween the other two teams last night.
But even with the qualification guaranteed in the Champions League, Sporting seats on a very unconfortable chair at the moment.

The Lions have dropped from first to 4th place in Primeira Liga just because the home defeat against rivals Porto.
Sporting follows Vitória FC for 3 points, Benfica for 1, and has the same points as Porto, although the blue-and-white team seats in the third place because of goal difference at the time, and the Dragons have so far also the advantage in direct confront against the Lions.
If this wasn't bad enough for Sporting, the Lions will receive Benfica in the next match for Primeira Liga, and the fear of a defeat has made Sporting fans come out to the street to ask for much better things from the team in the next matches.
Sporting has also lost the supercup this year, on a 3-1 loss to rivals Benfica, and was just eliminated from the Taça de Portugal, losing 3-1 in Madeira, against Marítimo.

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http://i66.tinypic.com/2yzg3dc.png Team

Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Balanta, Tobias, Jonathan, William ( Wallyson 70'), Adrien,
João Mário ( Gauld 60'), Gelson ( Iuri 60'), Matheus, Slimani

Goals

Slimani 44', Iuri 70'

http://i63.tinypic.com/mrtht3.jpg Assists

Gelson, Matheus

Injury

Gelson (1 week)

Man of the Match

Esgaio

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http://i66.tinypic.com/2yzg3dc.png Team

Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Balanta, Ewerton, Barbosa, William, João Mário ( Palhinha 53'), Iuri, Gauld, Mané ( Matheus 75'), Slimani ( S.Díaz 53')

Goals

Iuri 33'. R.Zivkovic 15'

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Slimani

Man of the Match

Wallyson

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(A) 2-3 Lyon - Champions League, Group Stage

(H) 1-2 Porto - Primeira Liga, Round 10

(A) 1-3 Marítimo - Taça de Portugal, 4th Eliminatory

(A) 2-0 Atlético Madrid - Champions League, Group Stage

(H) 2-0 Benfica - Primeira Liga, Round 11

(H) 1-1 Ajax - Champions League, Group Stage

1 - Vitória FC, 26 Points

2 - Sporting, 25 Points
3 - Benfica, 23 Points
4 - Porto, 22 Points
5 - Belenenses, 20 Points
6 - Nacional, 20 Points

2 - Atlético Madrid, 10 Points
3 - Lyon, 9 Points
4 - Ajax, 5 Points

Sporting will play the Group Stage against Braga, Arouca and Estoril.
The winner of the group will go on to the Semi Final where he'll play against a winner from one of the other 3 groups.

(A) vs Nacional - Primeira Liga
(A) vs Boavista - Primeira Liga
(H) vs Vitória FC - Primeira Liga
(H) vs Belenenses - Primeira Liga
(A) vs Braga - Taça da Liga

1

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Sporting's coach, Jorge Jesus, have said in an interview that the outsiders, Vitória FC, from Setúbal, are candidates for the title.
The experienced coach believes that the leaders of Primeira Liga at the moment can win the title at the end of the season.
Considering as a fact that the "big 3" will still loose a fair amout of points during the season, Jesus doesn't see reason for Vitória to not enter in the fight.
Vitória FC have been leader since the 10th Round, when Sporting was beaten at home against Porto, and rose to the first place, with two points ahead of Benfica at the time.
After another match, and at the end of November, Vitória is still 1 point clear to the now second place team, Sporting.

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http://i66.tinypic.com/2yzg3dc.png Team

Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Balanta, Naldo, Jonathan, William ( Wallyson 61'),
Adrien ( Matheus 61'), João Mário ( S.Díaz 61'), Iuri, Mané, Slimani

Goals

Agra 17', Cafú 89'

Missed Penalty

Adrien 47'

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Rui Patrício, Lopes, Balanta, Ewerton, Jonathan, William, Wallyson, João Mário ( Gauld 56'), Gelson ( S.Díaz 79'), Mané ( Matheus 56'), Slimani

Goals

Wallyson 51', Vinícius og 78'

http://i63.tinypic.com/mrtht3.jpg Assists

Gelson, Matheus

Man of the Match

Wallyson

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http://i66.tinypic.com/2yzg3dc.png Team

Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Balanta, Ewerton, Jonathan, William ( S.Díaz 67'), Adrien,
João Mário ( Wallyson 59'), Gelson ( Iuri 59'), Matheus, Slimani

Goals

Slimani 19'

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Esgaio

Red Card

Jonathan 71'

Man of the Match

Esgaio

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Lions striker, Islam Slimani, will go to 2017 CAN to play for his National Team, Algeria.
Slimani will then be out of an very important time in the Lions season. Slimani will go to Africa in January, and won't be back until around mid-February.
Slimani have scored 15 goals, in 22 matches this season, including an hat-trick.

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http://i66.tinypic.com/2yzg3dc.png Team

Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Balanta, Ewerton ( Tobias 45'), Barbosa, Adrien, Wallyson,
Zivkovic ( Iuri 66'), Gauld ( S.Díaz 76'), Mané, Slimani

Goals

Slimani 25'. Camaná 75'

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Esgaio

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Ribeiro, Lopes, Naldo, Balanta, Tobias, Barbosa, Palhinha, Wallyson, Gauld ( Mané 72'),
Gelson ( Iuri 72'), Matheus ( Zivkovic 72'), S.Díaz

Goals

Wallyson pen 23' 71'

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Tobias, Lopes

Man of the Match

Wallyson