Conrad Harder equaliser sends Sporting into Champions League playoffs

Sporting 1-1 Bologna

It was far from spectacular but Sporting got the job done in Lisbon tonight, securing the point they needed to guarantee a playoff place for a chance to make the last 16 of the Champions League.

A Tommaso Pobega header from a deflected cross midway through the first half put Bologna ahead and only a brilliant save by Franco Israel prevented the same player from doubling the Italian team’s lead early in the second half.

Sporting had their chances throughout but had to wait until the 77th minute to score the equaliser when a fine move allowed Conrad Harder to score from close in.

Tom Kundert reports from Alvalade. 

Gyökeres out

Sporting’s injury woes worsened as star striker Viktor Gyökeres was unfit to play, joining the likes of Pedro Gonçalves, Nuno Santos and Hidemasa Morita in the treatment room.

On a cold, wet and windy night in the Portuguese capital, a word for the Bologna supporters, the sizeable contingent filling their designated area and making plenty of noise despite having no chance of progress in the competition.

The visiting fans almost had an early reason to celebrate, Nicolò Casale’s header from a corner smacking against the bar with Israel beaten.

Conrad Harder came close to breaking the deadlock twice in succession, his first effort after twisting and turning to make room for the shot too close to goalkeeper Ravaglia. He had an even better chance soon afterwards after he was found by a pinpoint throughball by Daniel Bragança, but the young Danish striker showed a lock of composure as he blazed his effort over the bar.

Pobega breaks deadlock

Bologna took the lead in minute 21, Sporting unable to deal with a corner and Pobega heading in without knowing too much about it.

Chances dried up for both sides as the game was largely confined to midfield, some roughhouse treatment by the Italians making sure Sporting could never find their rhythm.

Five minutes from the break Harder showed good pace and opportunism to sting Ravaglia’s fingers with a snapshot and soon afterwards Maxi Araújo had two bites of the cherry after battling his way through on goal by the Italian goalkeeper again stood firm.

On the stroke of half time Sporting captain Morten Hjulmand missed a glaring chance, directing his header from a perfectly delivered Trincão straight at Ravaglia when he seemed certain to score.

Five minutes into the second half Sporting’s Zeno Debast was forced off with injury, replaced by João Simões, the 18-year-old fresh from scoring his first senior goal in the weekend victory over Nacional.

Israel saves Sporting

On 53 minutes, in what proved a key moment in the match, a well-worked Bologna counter-attack set up a chance for Pobega who smashed his shot on the run low towards the corner of the net, only to be denied by an outstanding diving stop by much-maligned Sporting goalkeeper Israel. The Uruguayan was only playing because new Sporting No1 Rui Silva is not registered for this phase of the competition.

Fresneda tried his luck from range, a surprised Ravaglia deflecting the ball for a corner, but the home team were finding it difficult to pick their way through a deep-lying defence. Bologna were content to play on the break, Pobega smashing one effort from a tight angle into the side-netting.

Simões assists, Harder strikes!

Sporting’s equaliser finally came in the 77th minute with a beautifully constructed goal. Maxi, Quenda and Simões combined well on the left flank, Simões dribbling to the byline and cutting the ball back for Harder to run in front of his marker and touch the ball into the net.

Simões had made a big impact since his introduction and another excellent run and cut-back almost led to a carbon copy of Sporting’s goal, but this time the Italian defence managed to crowd out a queue of home players readying themselves to apply the finishing touch.

Sporting negotiated the six minutes of stoppage time without alarm make it through, albeit somewhat limping over the line. In the Lions’ first four games under Ruben Amorim the Lisbon outfit accumulated 10 points, but earned just one in their next four under João Pereira then Rui Borges.

Sporting will play either Atalanta (who they faced fours times last season, drawing twice and losing twice) or Borussia Dortmund in the playoff, the draw made on Friday. Should they get through, the Green and Whites will face either Aston Villa or Lille in the round of 16.

 

Sporting: Franco Israel, Iván Fresneda, Gonçalo Inácio, Ousmane Diomande, Zeno Debast (João Simões, 50’), Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand, Daniel Bragança (Geovany Quenda, 61’), Geny Catamo, Francisco Trincão (Matheus Reis, 87’), Conrad Harder

Bologna: Federico Ravaglia, Emil Holm (Martin Erlic, 46’), Sam Beukema (Charis Lykogiannis, 46’), Nicolò Casale, Juan Miranda, Tommaso Pobega (Jens Odgaard, 75’), Lewis Ferguson (Nikola Moro, 10’), Giovanni Fabbian, Dan N’Doye, Santiago Castro, Samuel Iling-Junior (Thijs Dallinga, 79’)

Goals:

[0-1] Tommaso Pobega, 21’

[1-1] Conrad Harder, 77’