Sporting destroyed by Ajax on highly anticipated return to Champions League football

Sporting CP were thrashed 1-5 at home to Ajax in their first Champions League group stage game for four years.

With fans in jubilant and optimistic mood heading into the long-awaited match, hopes of a strong start to the campaign very quickly faded when Ajax opened the scoring within the opening 80 seconds through Sebastien Haller, who got down low to header in from close range after their initial effort deflected out off the post.

And things went from bad to worse for Sporting when Haller grabbed his second on the night within the opening 10 minutes, tapping home from close range after latching onto the end of Antony’s low cross.

Fears of a rout were at least temporarily quashed though, with Paulinho managing to squeeze the ball under the Ajax goalkeeper to give Sporting a lifeline, and spark hope in an unlikely comeback.

That optimism did not last long though after Berghuis finished off an excellent Ajax move to make it 1-3 to the Dutch champions.

Ruben Amorim was understandably upset with his side’s first half display, opting to make two changes at half time - and it appeared to have a positive impact on the team, with Paulinho scoring a delightful header to seemingly bring Sporting back into the game - but VAR eventually ruled it out for a tight offside.

And shortly after Sporting’s second goal of the night was disallowed, Ajax added salt to the wounds, Haller sealing his hattrick to give Ajax a comfortable 3 goal lead.

Sporting continued to toil though, and even struck the base of the post just moments later through Pedro Porro, which summed up the night for the Portuguese champions.

And there was one final sting in the tail for Sporting to have to tolerate, Haller once again managing to get himself on the scoresheet to make it a night to forget for followers of the lions from Lisbon.

Photo author: Елена Рыбакова. License link.