Champions League: Adán nightmare precipitates Sporting collapse; Porto beat Leverkusen to get back in contention - match reaction | OneFootball

It was a sharply contrasting night for Portugal’s two representatives in Champions League action tonight.

Sporting had a dream start when Francisco Trincão scored a goal inside the first minute at the Stade Vélodrome, before goalkeeper António Adán had surely the worse 10-minute spell in his distinguished career, two blunders giving away two cheap goals then getting sent off after a third mistake. The Lions never recovered and ended up losing 4-1 to Marseille.

FC Porto, on the other hand, scored two late goals to beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 at the Estádio do Dragão, Mehdi Taremi continuing his terrific form with two more assists. Together with the other result in Group B – Club Brugge beating Atletico Madrid – the Dragons are right back in the mix for qualification to the knockout stage.

Marseille 4-1 Sporting

[0-1] Francisco Trincão, 1’

[1-1] Alexis Sánchez 13’

[2-1] Amine Harit, 16’

[3-1] Leonardo Balerdi, 28’

[4-1] Chancel Mbemba, 84’

Sporting coach Rúben Amorim:

“Their first goal changed the game completely and when we wanted to react we conceded the second and things became tough. After the sending off, the game was finished.

“The sensation I have is that a lot of what happened was our own fault and we can beat Marseille and that is clear in my mind, even knowing that Marseille are a great team. The goal now is the beat Santa Clara because we have to gain consistency and that is what we are focusing on.

“Adán? The more experienced players are, the more they are able to analyse themselves. Nobody has a career like Adán’s without having this ability. He knows how to analyse his displays. I don’t have to say anything to him. He has saved us so many times, as I’ve often said in the past.”

Porto 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen

[1-0] Zaidu Sanusi, 69’

[2-0] Wenderson Galeno, 87’

Porto coach, Sérgio Conceição:

“Was the penalty save [by Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa] the turning point? That is what Diogo is there to do. There were several key moments in the game. The move for the first goal was fantastic; we scored a lovely team goal which is not easy in a Champions League match.

“We corrected one or two things at the break, which was crucial for the second half. The half was completely ours and we scored two goals.

“The goals were scored by the substitutes it’s true, but I am the same coach who set up the team in Vila do Conde [3-1 defeat to Rio Ave] and against Brugge when we lost 4-0. There is no magic wand; it’s all down to hard work.”