Issa Doumbia gives Sporting a Champions League victory

Sporting returned to winning ways in the Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in London. Issa Doumbia scored the only goal in the 59th minute, after a stop-start first half and a more fluid second period. The Portuguese side bounced back from their 2-3 home defeat to LASK Linz in their previous match in the competition.

The game was played at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s ground made available to Shakhtar. Sporting showed a different face under interim coach Tiago Fernandes, following the departure of Rui Borges. A change of formation and the presence on the bench of key players from Borges’ tenure, including Spanish international Iván Fresneda, accompanied the new approach. The Portuguese team nevertheless struggled to get its attack going against the Ukrainian champions’ aggression.

Shakhtar had a slight edge before the break, drawing on physical play and the creativity of Alisson Santana and Marlon Gomes, who had recently been called up to Brazil’s national team. After a first 45 minutes marked by frequent stoppages, the game opened up. Sporting first came close to scoring before Doumbia broke the deadlock.

Following a team move, Pedro Enrique intercepted Silas Andersen’s pass intended for Luis Suárez, but the ball fell to Doumbia, who turned it into the net. Andersen and Suárez then came close to adding a second. At the other end, Rui Silva kept out a low Alisson effort from a set piece to prevent Shakhtar from equalising.

Sporting withstood the Ukrainian side’s pressure to protect its lead. Its next Champions League opponent will be Manchester United on 25 November. Shakhtar will face Fenerbahçe on the same day.