Miguel Veloso starts for Sporting despite being heavily linked with Man City, Tottenham and Arsenal, while Maritimo field a 5-3-2 with Djalma and Baba up front. The Africans have bagged nine between them so far this season.
Sporting haven’t lost in five and could go top with a win here. Liedson and Postiga start up front with eight between them this season.
11 – GOAL. Sporting’s total dominance pays off as Vukcevic tucks into an open goal from two yards. The move was started by Izmailov, as usual, and while Liedson looked like he’d wasted the Russian’s excellent cross by taking too long over a shot, he surprisingly proceeded to slip past his marker and slide the ball across a wide open six yard box to the awaiting Vukcevic.
15 - As if ripping up the form book by scoring one early goal wasn’t enough, Sporting nearly get a second, but the ref correctly rules the ball didn’t cross the line after the keeper spilled it from a Postiga header.
Maritimo conceded six at home to Benfica in early December, and at the moment there looks the distinct possibility of a similar scoreline in Sporting’s favour.
20 - Jason Lee look-alike, Manu, who almost shocked Porto when he came on for the final five minutes against them three weeks ago, looks the only Maritimo player capable of causing Sporting problems.
27 – Veloso hobbles off with some kind of thigh issue after stretching to put a ball out for throw-in, or maybe he’s just heard his phone ringing in the dressing room. Rochemback on in his place.
30 – Manu still causing problems.
33 – Postiga still doing nothing to convince anyone he isn’t the biggest piece of s**t ever to grace a football field.
36 – Veloso’s departure has left Sporting looking a bit disorganised in midfield, and Maritimo are actually getting some of the ball. How this shower of s**te are sixth and above Nacional is a real mystery.
41 – Liedson blasts it straight at the keeper from 20 yards.
42 – Shocking two-footer by Sporting’s Grimi on Paulo Jorge gets him a yellow card.
44 – Postiga is so s**t. Moutinho floats in a free kick, creating a decent chance. Postiga falls on his arse and flicks it out for a goal kick with his ankle. Vukcevic was wide open and waiting for the flick on but is left to only puff out his cheeks in frustration.
HALF TIME – Can’t believe I ever thought this was going to be a decent game.
Sporting need more striking options. Postiga shouldn’t be in this team, but Paulo Bento hasn’t really got any other options. Derlei is the only other forward on the bench, but with just one goal and four appearances last season and none in five this, he’s not really an option at all. Incidentally, he announced earlier this week that he’s retiring at the end of the season.
The half-time cheerleaders are showing more movement than Postiga. Maybe Paulo Bento should throw one of them on, preferably the brunette with the big jugs. BAAADUMPTSCH!!!
Sporting have had 55% of the possession and seven shots to Maritimo’s two.
48 - Abel off, Pedro Silva on. Not even as exciting as it sounds.
49 – Liedson doing plenty to prove his skill in setting up the goal was nothing but luck as he sends a pass to no-one to ruin a potentially lethal counter-attack.
53 - At the moment both teams are looking about as useful as a Steve McClaren half-time team talk.
55 – Helder Postiga nearly gifts Maritimo a goal as he tries to dribble the ball out of the box but runs straight into João Guilherme. Luckily the Maritimo man has been taking lessons at Postiga’s school of finishing and falls on his arse.
59 – Postiga can’t do 1-2s either. His return ball to Izmailov nearly goes out for a goal kick.
61 – Another lame finish from Postiga after decent work by Moutinho and Liedson. From eight yards out and he half-volleys it straight into the keeper’s hands. I’ve hit harder balls in my back garden, while a child myself and still learning to walk.
65 – If you want to see just how poor Portuguese football can be, look no further than this game.
66 –RED CARD. Dreadful challenge by Olberdam on Moutinho gets him his second yellow. Studs showing. Good job he didn’t make proper contact or Moutinho would be in need of a stretcher.
Can Sporting take advantage of having only 10 men to play against for the remaining 25 minutes? It looks doubtful on their display so far.
69 – Great, well, semi-decent, move by Maritimo. Manu again, off down the wing, cut it inside to Baba who found Djalma who got tackled by Rochemback. Djalma’s now lolling around on the floor.
71 – Djalma’s gone off!! Some jobsworth called João Luiz comes on in his place. A quick browse on the net shows that he’s scored no goals this season. Sporting must be s**tting it.
76 – Vukcevic goes off. Pereirinha comes on. Seems like another s**t decision from Paulo Bento to me. Vukcevic has been ok and removing him could further destabilise a midfield that hasn’t really looked much cop since Veloso’s departure.
82 –GOAL. Liedson scrambles the ball home after Postiga smashes a shot against the back of a defender’s knee no less. Credit to Liedson for a quick-witted touch before turning to jab past the keeper. Game over now.
86 – Did you know? In Liedson’s first season with Sporting the S in his name was accidentally put on his shirt upside down. Not one to be phased by stuff like that, the crazy fool decided to keep it that way as a ”trademark”.
90 – Sporting fans are chanting. Fourth official holds up his board. Tragically, we’re going to have to endure three more minutes of this swill.
93 –It’s over. 2-0 Sporting. The buggers are top until Porto cremate Trofense on Sunday night.
Two goals in two games for Liedson. More evidence, if it were needed after this, that Postiga is total crap. If Veloso does go, Sporting could be in trouble.
Man of the match probably Grimi, who put in a decent showing, defending solidly and getting forward pretty well.