Sporting CP 2-0 Nacional: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Liga Portugal Matchday 5 · Saturday 5 September 2026 · Estádio José Alvalade, Lisboa · referee J. Silva Pinheiro · full time
Full time: Sporting CP 2-0 Nacional
Sporting CP won 2-0 at home to Nacional in Liga Portugal Matchday 5 on Saturday 5 September 2026. The goals: Luis Suárez 32', Flávio Gonçalves 49'.
How Sporting CP won it
Sporting CP struck first through Luis Suárez from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute. Flávio Gonçalves made it 2-0 to Sporting CP in the 49th minute, set up by Luis Suárez.
It was 1-0 at half-time.
The referee, J. Silva Pinheiro, showed 3 yellow cards: 2 to Sporting CP and 1 to Nacional.
Sporting CP: R. Gomes Borges, 4-2-3-1 · Nacional: J. Baptista dos Santos Brito Gião, 3-4-2-1.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 0.07 for Sporting CP and 2.69 for Nacional.
Sporting CP scored about 1.9 more than their chances were worth: clinical finishing, or a goalkeeper having a bad day.
Nacional left about 2.7 goals' worth of chances on the pitch.
Nacional created the better chances, 2.69 xG to 0.07, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
Sporting CP had 8 shots on target, Nacional 2.
Nacional's goalkeeper made 6 saves.
Sporting CP had 68% of the ball and turned it into the win.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Sporting CP came into it with 8 Liga Portugal matches played, scoring 2.5 and conceding 1.1 a match, with 1.73 expected goals for and 0.88 against, and had won 63% of their matches.
Nacional came into it with 8 Liga Portugal matches played, scoring 1.1 and conceding 2.3 a match, with 1.20 expected goals for and 1.75 against, and had won 13% of their matches.
Sporting CP vs Nacional: the match in numbers
| Sporting CP | Match statistics | Nacional |
|---|---|---|
| 68% | Ball possession | 32% |
| 0.07 | Expected goals (xG) | 2.69 |
| 19 | Total shots | 3 |
| 8 | Shots on target | 2 |
| 5 | Big chances | 0 |
| 661 | Total passes | 317 |
| 89% | Pass accuracy | 80% |
| 12 | Corners | 0 |
| 10 | Fouls | 7 |
| 1 | Offsides | 2 |
| 16 | Tackles | 19 |
| 2 | Saves | 6 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 1 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Luis Suárez (Sporting CP), rated 7.9 by Sportmonks, with 1 goal, 1 assist.
Sporting CP
- Luis Suárez 7.9 1 goal, 1 assist
- Flávio Gonçalves 7.7 1 goal
- Zeno Debast 7.6
- Maxi Araújo 7.6
- Issa Doumbia 7.4
Nacional
- Renato Marin 7.5
- Chiheb Labidi 6.9
- Deivison 6.8
- Francisco Gonçalves 6.7
- Matheus Dias 6.6
The lowest-rated starter was Léo Santos at 6.0. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Sporting CP: Sporting CP vs Academico Viseu Sunday 25 October 2026 · Liga Portugal
- Nacional: Nacional vs Sporting Braga Sunday 25 October 2026 · Liga Portugal
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Sporting CP vs Nacional
What was the score in Sporting CP vs Nacional?
Sporting CP 2-0 Nacional (half-time 1-0), Liga Portugal, Saturday 5 September 2026.
Who scored in Sporting CP vs Nacional?
Luis Suárez 32', Flávio Gonçalves 49'.
Did Moneyball predict Sporting CP vs Nacional correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Sporting CP vs Nacional?
Luis Suárez, rated 7.9 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Sporting CP vs Nacional?
J. Silva Pinheiro.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball Odds writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
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