THE Sporting’s B team is back at the top of the II League, albeit in a conditioned way, after having won, during the afternoon of this Saturday, in the visit to Leixões’ ground, by two balls to zero, in a game that was valid for the 9th round of the competition.
With two consecutive victories in the second division, the result of triumphs against Vizela and Portimonense in the last two rounds, the team coached by Tiago Fernandes appeared at the Estádio do Mar, located in the city of Matosinhos, to challenge a team in a clearly negative phase in the II League and which had not won for three consecutive matches.
The lions’ B formation began very early on to settle the score of the match, with Mauro Couto opening the score in the 6th minute. A result and advantage that were scarce at half-time. The young lions showed great offensive talent and could have scored more goals in the opening stage. On the Leixões side, an inspired Igor Stefanovic kept the Matosinhos team alive in the match
Already in the complementary stage, and after the 48th minute, Rafael Nel, a regular presence in training for the Lions’ main team, which is coached by Rui Borges, increased his numbers. After a long-distance shot, the ball fell to Rafael Nel, who, with enormous quality, shot over the goalkeeper and put the ball in the back of the net.
The answer that Carlos Fangueiro was looking for after the break began to emerge shortly after the hour mark. Rúben Pina, who had been on the field for minutes, came close to reducing the score in the 66th minute, after shooting inside the area. In the 74th minute, Salvador Agra crossed and Salvador Blopa scored in his own goal. Still, the green and white defender managed to cut the ball over the line.
The high pressure from the Matosinenses in the second half ended up bearing fruit in the 77th minute. Serif Nhaga delivered a cross with weight and measure for Bryan Róchez to relaunch the discussion for the final result. The green and whites’ response came in the 84th minute, when Ivanildo Mendes shot from outside the box to a tight save by Igor Stefanovic.
Leixões continued to press until Gustavo Correia’s final whistle in an attempt to at least reach the equalizing goal, but the result did not change again until the end, despite the insistence on the part of the home team.
All in all, Sporting B has thus risen to the isolated leadership of the II League league table with 21 points, three more than Lusitânia de Lourosa who host Farense on Sunday (3:30 p.m.), in a game that will be played at the Estádio Luís Filipe Menezes, in Vila Nova de Gaia.
In turn, Leixões is ranked 13th with 10 points.
