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Real Madrid vs. Sporting Lisbon: 2016 Champions League Match Score and Reaction
- Updated: September 14, 2016
Cristiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata came to the rescue to help Real Madrid earn a 2-1 win against Sporting Clube de Portugal in the UEFA Champions League group stage on Wednesday night at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bruno Cesar opened the scoring for Sporting in the 47th minute, and Ronaldo leveled the match with a goal off a free kick in the 89th minute.
His shot barely curled inside the right post to tie the match at 1-1, as Fox Soccer showed:
.@Cristiano Ronaldo saves Real Madrid with a CLUTCH free kick. #UCL @HeinekenSoccer https://t.co/DEyacLo5Cs
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 14, 2016
Then, with essentially the final kick of the game, Morata delivered the winner in the 94th minute. Madrid had been crossing into the 18-yard box with increasing effectiveness in the second half, and the constant barrage slowly wore down the Sporting back four.
Morata leaped up to meet James Rodriguez’s cross from the left, and he powered a header into the back of the net off a diving Rui Patricio.
Fox Soccer shared a replay of the injury-time tally:
WOW! @AlvaroMorata heads in the winner for Real Madrid with literally seconds to play. #UCL #UCLonFOX https://t.co/ptaXirm0XB
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 14, 2016
Despite the win, Real Madrid was unconvincing across the full 90 minutes.
Ronaldo was making just his second appearance of the year across all club competitions. He missed all of preseason and the start of the 2016-17 LaLiga campaign while recovering from the knee injury he suffered in the Euro 2016 final.
Ronaldo played for 65 minutes in Madrid’s 5-2 win over Osasuna on Sept. 10 but still looked to be getting back to match fitness in the first half against Sporting.
Spanish football writer Dermot Corrigan highlighted one moment that encapsulated Ronaldo’s night:
Ronaldo looking understandably short of match fitness so far. Just outpaced by Seb Coates who accidentally trod on Ron’s hand.
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) September 14, 2016
He was far from the only anonymous Madrid in the opening 45 minutes, …
