In a dramatic night of UEFA Champions League action, Sporting Lisbon handed Manchester City a crushing 4-1 defeat in a match that saw Viktor Gyokeres steal the show with a remarkable hat-trick. The match, played at the José Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, showcased a stunning comeback from the Portuguese side, which overturned an early deficit to secure an emphatic victory over the former UCL champions.
City had initially taken the lead through a brilliant strike from Phil Foden in the fourth minute, as the English midfielder launched a long-range effort that beat Sporting’s goalkeeper. However, the lead was short-lived as Sporting responded in the 15th minute when Gyokeres latched onto a threaded pass, broke the offside trap, and slotted past City’s goalkeeper Ederson Moraes to level the score.
The first half saw several missed opportunities for Manchester City, as they failed to capitalize on their attacking chances. As the second half kicked off, Sporting seized the moment. Within seconds of the restart, Maximiliano Araujo took advantage of a similar situation to Gyokeres’ equalizer, running onto a precise pass and beating Ederson with a calm finish through the goalkeeper’s legs, giving Sporting a 2-1 lead.
City then found themselves in further trouble when a foul by Josko Gvardiol in the penalty area led to a spot-kick for Sporting. Gyokeres confidently converted the penalty to make it 3-1, completing his brace and putting his side in control. The misery continued for Manchester City as they were awarded their own penalty, but Erling Haaland’s effort rattled the crossbar, further compounding their frustrations. Seconds later, Sporting’s Gyokeres completed his hat-trick by converting another penalty, awarded after a foul in the box, sending the hosts to a shocking 4-1 victory. This defeat marks City’s third consecutive loss in all competitions, raising serious concerns over their form.
Sporting’s win was not just an unexpected result, but it also further raised the profile of Ruben Amorim, who is set to take over as Manchester United’s manager on November 11. Amorim’s tactical astuteness and ability to rally his side after going a goal down demonstrated his quality as a coach and will surely be a boost to his reputation as he prepares for life at Old Trafford.
Elsewhere in Europe, Liverpool continued their perfect run in the UCL with a resounding 4-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield. The Reds have now won all four of their group stage matches, and with a flawless record of 12 points, they sit comfortably at the top of the group. Luiz Diaz was the star of the show, netting a sensational hat-trick to lead his team to victory in a match that saw all four goals scored in the second half.
However, the reigning UCL champions, Real Madrid, were not as fortunate in their group stage match. The Spanish giants suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat to AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu. The loss was their second in the group, which will raise concerns for manager Carlo Ancelotti as they face increasing pressure to qualify for the knockout rounds.
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As the group stages continue to unfold, these shock results are sure to shake up the standings and intensify the race for qualification to the knockout stages. With clubs like Sporting Lisbon and Liverpool proving to be formidable opponents, while heavyweights such as Manchester City and Real Madrid face struggles, the battle for European glory is heating up.