Fri, March 30, 2012
LISBON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Sporting added another victory to the record-breaking streak of seven wins in European competitions as the Portuguese team defeated Metalist Kharkiv from Ukraine 2-1 in the Europa League quarterfinals.
For Sporting, the League Europa was the opportunity to save the season. The team is in fifth place in the Portuguese championship and has few possibilities to be in the first three places that will give the right to play at next year Champions League.
If Sporting passes this quarterfinals, it will be the fifth European semifinal of the club's history. Metalist arrived in Lisbon having the best attack of the Europa League, with 25 goals.
In the first half Metalist players had the control of the match, with more ball possession. But there were few goal opportunities for both sides, mainly in long shots from out of the box.
Sporting came to the second half playing faster, with more focus on the attack and the change of attitude had consequences on the score. At the 50th minute, in a fast counterattack move by Sporting, Capel ran 30 meters with the ball, passed to Insua and received in a 1-2 move and crossed to a goal by Marat Izmailov.
In the 64th minute, after a free kick five meters in front of the box, Insua scored the second goal in a shot that passed through the wall.
In the 90th minute, Sporting goalkeeper Rui Patricio made a fault on Devich inside the box. Claiton Xavier took the penalty and scored.
