Sporting CP’s nightmare in Europe goes on. Since the departure of former coach Ruben Amorim to Manchester United, the Portuguese giants have been unable to find their footing in the Champions League. Their latest setback came on Tuesday, as they were soundly beaten 3-0 at home by Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League play-off.
The loss highlighted just how far Sporting have fallen without Amorim’s guidance, with new coach Rui Borges struggling to turn things around. Sporting’s record in Europe this season has been abysmal, and despite flashes of promise in the first half, they were outclassed by a Dortmund side that came alive in the second half.
A Tale of Two Halves
The first 45 minutes were low on action but offered hope for the home side. Sporting looked the better team early on, almost taking the lead when Maximiliano Araujo smashed a powerful shot against the crossbar just 15 minutes into the game.
Dortmund, surprisingly, failed to trouble Sporting’s defense during the first half. The Bundesliga side didn’t register a single shot on target before the break, leaving many wondering if they could raise their game in the second half.
They did just that.
Dortmund emerged from the tunnel with far more intensity and quickly began to create chances. Karim Adeyemi forced a save from Rui Silva, setting the tone for what was to come.
Guirassy: Dortmund’s Hero Once Again
The breakthrough finally arrived on the hour mark, and it was no surprise that it came from Serhou Guirassy—Dortmund’s in-form striker and joint top-scorer in the competition. Julian Brandt floated a perfectly weighted cross to the far post, where Guirassy met it with a towering header back across goal and into the net.
Just eight minutes later, Guirassy turned provider. He delivered a pinpoint cross from the right, which found Pascal Gross, who calmly slotted home his first goal for Dortmund. Sporting were now on the ropes, unable to contain the Bundesliga side’s attacking threat.
Dortmund delivered the final blow late in the game. A lightning-fast counterattack saw Brandt set up Adeyemi for a close-range finish, completing the 3-0 rout.
MVP: Serhou Guirassy
Serhou Guirassy was the undisputed star of the night. His header marked his 10th goal of the Champions League campaign, putting him in elite company alongside Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland as the only Dortmund players to reach double figures in a single European season.
Guirassy’s confidence was evident in his clinical finishing and vision, as he not only opened the scoring but also created Dortmund’s second goal. His performance once again showed why he’s one of the most dangerous forwards in the tournament.
Big Questions for Sporting
For Sporting, the defeat raises more questions than answers. Rui Borges, the club’s third coach of the season, is under immediate pressure to find solutions to their European woes. While Sporting held their own in the first half, they were comfortably beaten after Guirassy’s opener. Borges seemed to have no response to Dortmund’s second-half dominance, leaving Sporting with a daunting task in the return leg.
The team will need a near-miracle to turn the tie around, but more importantly, they must rediscover the winning mentality that seemed to vanish when Ruben Amorim walked out the door.
What’s Next?
Sporting have it all to do in the second leg if they hope to salvage their Champions League campaign. Dortmund, meanwhile, will be full of confidence as they look to finish the job on home soil.
Can Sporting find a way back? Or will Dortmund’s dominance continue? One thing’s for sure: they’ll need to figure it out fast if they want to avoid another early European exit.
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