In a memorable farewell home game, Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim, soon to be Manchester United’s new manager, guided his team to a remarkable 4-1 comeback victory over Premier League champions Manchester City in the Champions League. Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick to help seal the upset win and preserve Sporting’s unbeaten record in the group stage.
Manchester City dominated the early stages, with Phil Foden pouncing on a Sporting misstep to open the scoring just four minutes in. City, seeking to rebound from two prior defeats, appeared poised to extend their lead but missed several key chances, including an off-target attempt by Viktor Gyokeres, which left Sporting struggling early on.
Sporting turned the game around in the 38th minute when Gyokeres equalized, converting a pass from 17-year-old Geovany Quenda. The Portuguese side came out energized in the second half, with Maximiliano Araujo putting them ahead within 20 seconds of the restart, finishing a quick counterattack orchestrated by Pedro Gonçalves. Minutes later, Josko Gvardiol fouled Francisco Trincão in the box, allowing Gyokeres to score his second from the penalty spot.
City had an opportunity to narrow the deficit when Erling Haaland won a penalty, but the Norwegian striker struck the crossbar, squandering the chance. Gyokeres then completed his hat-trick with another penalty after Matheus Nunes fouled Geny Catamo, securing a memorable victory that sent the home fans into celebration and left City supporters departing early.
This result propels Sporting to second place in the group standings with 10 points, while City remains at seven points, marking their first loss in the Champions League this season. For Amorim, who officially joins United on November 11, the victory serves as a notable farewell and sets high expectations ahead of his Premier League debut.
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