Catamo and Araújo Inspire Sporting's Six-Goal Avalanche
Key Takeaways
- Sporting CP demolished AVS 6-0 to maintain second place pressure
- Geny Catamo scored twice while Maxi Araújo netted a brace
- Luis Suárez added two goals in dominant Alvalade performance
- AVS remain rooted in 18th with just three points collected
Geny Catamo capped a masterful individual display with a stoppage-time strike that sealed Sporting CP's emphatic 6-0 demolition of struggling AVS at the Estádio José Alvalade. The Mozambican winger tormented the visitors' defense throughout, scoring twice as second-placed Sporting maintained their relentless pursuit of the Primeira Liga summit with a performance that showcased their attacking depth and clinical finishing.
The floodgates opened in the 32nd minute when Luis Suárez rifled a spectacular right-footed effort from outside the box into the top right corner, setting the tone for an afternoon of attacking brilliance. Maxi Araújo doubled the advantage three minutes later, slotting home from the center of the box after Georgios Vagiannidis delivered a pinpoint cross from the right flank. Catamo then announced himself with a thunderous right-footed drive from distance in the 37th minute, finding the bottom left corner after Giorgi Kochorashvili's clever headed assist from a corner routine.
The second half brought no respite for 18th-placed AVS as Sporting's relentless pressure continued to yield dividends. Araújo completed his brace just two minutes after the restart, prodding home from close range after another Vagiannidis delivery caused havoc in the visitors' penalty area. Suárez added his second in the 53rd minute, pouncing on a loose ball from Matheus Reis following a corner to fire home from the right side of the six-yard box.
Sporting's dominance reflected in the statistics as they controlled 67% of possession while registering 14 shots compared to AVS's meager three attempts. The home side's superiority in every department left goalkeeper João Gonçalves facing wave after wave of attacks, with the AVS shot-stopper making several crucial saves to prevent an even more embarrassing scoreline. Trincão orchestrated much of Sporting's creativity from wide positions, while Hidemasa Morita controlled the midfield tempo with authority.
The turning point came early when Suárez's opening goal shattered AVS's defensive resolve, exposing the gulf in quality between these two sides. Coach Rúben Amorim's men never looked back, with their fluid attacking combinations and clinical finishing proving too much for the league's bottom dwellers to handle.
Sporting CP will look to maintain this momentum when they host Santa Clara on December 18, knowing that continued victories could prove crucial in their title challenge. Meanwhile, AVS face another daunting task when they welcome Vitória de Guimarães on December 17, desperately needing points to climb away from the relegation zone.