Sporting CP delivered a night their supporters will remember for years, edging Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in a dramatic Champions League league-phase clash at Estádio José Alvalade. The fixture had been framed as a defining test for both sides, with PSG arriving in Lisbon chasing control of their qualification fate, as reported by SoftFootball.
From the opening minutes, the pattern was familiar. PSG dominated possession and territory, probing through Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and Ousmane Dembélé. Warren Zaïre-Emery even thought he had given the visitors the lead midway through the first half, only for the effort to be ruled out for a foul in the build-up.
Sporting, by contrast, were content to stay compact, trusting Rui Silva and looking to spring forward through Geny Catamo and Francisco Trincão when space appeared.
Despite PSG’s control, the breakthrough came for the hosts in the 74th minute. A scramble from a set piece fell kindly to Luis Suárez, who kept his composure to finish past Lucas Chevalier.
The goal reflected Sporting’s efficiency on the night, a sharp contrast to PSG’s wastefulness. Unsurprisingly, the French champions reacted quickly. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, introduced to inject urgency, cut inside and curled a brilliant equaliser five minutes later, underlining the form he has carried domestically during PSG’s Ligue 1 win over Lille.
The equaliser set up a tense finale, with PSG pushing for a winner and Sporting refusing to fold. That resistance was rewarded in the final minute of normal time. Trincão’s long-range effort was spilt by Chevalier, and Suárez reacted first, heading the rebound home to complete a late brace and spark wild celebrations inside the stadium.
Statistically, PSG dominated, registering 28 shots and enjoying well over 70 per cent possession. Yet Sporting’s discipline, combined with Rui Silva’s key saves and three PSG goals being disallowed, told a different story.
The victory, shared by the club’s official X account, lifts Sporting into the top eight on 13 points and extends their strong home record against French opposition, while PSG leave Lisbon knowing they no longer fully control their Champions League destiny.
