By : Osabuohien Imuetinyanosa
Sporting CP moved into the top eight of the UCL league phase after a late brace from Luis Suárez secured a shock 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain, extending the Leões’ impressive home record against French opposition to eight wins in 10 matches.
Coming into the contest on the back of six wins from their last seven matches across all competitions, PSG made a confident start in Lisbon, with Vitinha and Nuno Mendes seeing a pair of early efforts saved by Rui Silva. Chances continued to flow in an entertaining opening 20 minutes, as Geny Catamo fired into the side-netting for the hosts, while at the other end, Senny Mayulu and Marquinhos threatened a breakthrough for Les Parisiens.
Having dominated possession, defending UCL champions PSG thought they’d broken the deadlock on the half-hour mark when Warren Zaïre-Emery headed home from Fabián Ruiz’s delivery, only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul against Mayulu in the build-up. Undeterred by that decision, the visitors remained on the front foot with HT approaching, but for all their pressure in the final third, it was Sporting who created the best opportunity when Hidemasa Morita blazed wastefully over from 12 yards.
Rui Borges’ side had opened the scoring in five of their previous six UCL matches this season, and they almost added to that impressive record when Francisco Trincão’s cross was marginally too strong for an unmarked Luis Suárez in the box. Grateful for that reprieve, PSG looked to up the ante in pursuit of a breakthrough, but Ousmane Dembélé saw a sharp strike denied by Silva at the near post, before Désiré Doué fired another chance narrowly wide of the target.
The visitors’ profligacy in front of goal was duly punished in the 74th minute when Catamo’s deflected effort from range ended up at the feet of Suárez, who held his nerve to slot a composed finish beyond Lucas Chevalier. Sporting’s lead was short-lived, however, as PSG restored parity just five minutes later, with substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia cutting in from the left flank and curling a superb strike into the top corner.
That set up a fascinating finale with both sides pushing for a late winner, and it was Sporting who found it in the final minute of the 90 when Suárez directed a rebound header into the bottom corner after Chevalier could only parry Trincão’s initial effort. Stunned by the late twist of events, PSG desperately searched for a second equaliser of the night, but the hosts held firm to secure a famous victory, moving up to sixth in the UCL table in the process.
