Uefa Cup Sporting C. P. vs Genclerbirligi[Turkey] [R] Glenclerbirligi eliminated Blackburn in the last round, but Sporting is in another class and should beat the tURKS __________________
Dunno if anyone else is following this match, but it's 1-1 in the 71st minute. Gencler are outplaying SCP by a wide margin, but some tenacious defense, good goalkeeping by Ricardo, and a lucky goal by Muniz have kept the scoreline even. SCP would be really lucky to go back to Lisbon with a draw the way things are looking now.
Pinto into the game and things are immediately looking up for SCP. They've had the run of the play for the past few minutes but it remains 1-1 in the 83d minute.
1-1 FT. A good result for SCP all things considered. They got the vital away goal, so they head into the home leg with that advantage as well as home-field advantage. They had to battle this one out in a tough environment (Ankara) with vocal home support, and they absorbed a lot of pressure and counterattacked well on occasion. A well-deserved draw. That said, the home leg will not be a walk. This Turkish team is no joke (as Blackburn Rovers can attest), and while SCP is superior on paper, Gencler plays with a hell of a lot of heart and no shortage of skill. Should be an excellent match back in Lisbon. A win or even a 0-0 draw and we're through. I'd bet on SCP to prevail but it will not be easy.
game just finished with a 1-1 Sporting scored first by Liedson on the 51m Cihan tied the game 3 minutes later great result for Sporting
got Sporting rates against the Genclerbirligi Ricardo 8 Polga 6 Beto 4 Hugo 6 Filipe 6 Custodio 4 Rochemback 6 Rui Jorge 6 P. Barbosa 6 Liedson 8 Silva 2 subs Mario Sergio 6 Joao Pinto 4 Tonito 2 attendance 18,000 Fernando Santos 6
the list of the players for the game with the Turks Guarda-redes: Ricardo e Nelson. Defesas: Rui Jorge, Quiroga, Polga, Beto, Miguel Garcia e Mário Sérgio. Médios: Paulo Bento, Rochemback, Carlos Martins, Tello, Pedro Barbosa, Toñito e Clayton. Avançados: João Pinto, Luís Filipe, Liedson, Lourenço e Silva. Sporting – Cinco novidades entre os convocados do Sporting Quiroga, Miguel Garcia, Rui Jorge, Rochemback e Toñito são as novidades na lista de convocados do Sporting para o desafio frente ao Genclerbirligi, referente à segunda-mão da Taça UEFA. Para a partida frente ao turcos do Genclerbirligi, Fernando Santos não irá contar com Hugo, que ontem foi operado ao tendão de Aquiles, Paíto, que devido ao facto de ser extra-comunitário não poderá jogar, Custódio e Niculae, ambos em fase de recuperação das respectivas lesões.
How much money are we talking here? A friend of mine told me it is millions for every round in the Champions League.. Any $$$ figures?
Total embarrassment. I can't remember the last time Sporting had a decent showing in Europe. Don't know what it is but they just can't seem to get it together for these games. Oh well--we still have Porto and Benfica to carry the flag, and I like their chances.