Illustration of a football in the back of a net under stadium floodlights at night, with a green and white striped scarf on the post and London silhouettes behind

Sports 4 November 2026

A Doumbia goal at Stamford Bridge puts Sporting into the Champions League top eight

Issa Doumbia scored on 59 minutes after a move involving Ioannidis, Andersen and Luis Suárez, and Sporting, under interim coach Tiago Fernandes, beat Shakhtar 1-0 in London. Nine points from four games leave them provisionally in the league-phase top eight.

Sporting beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 on Tuesday night in the fourth round of the Champions League league phase. The away game was played in west London, at Stamford Bridge, where the Ukrainian side stages its European home matches because of the Russian invasion.

The goal came on 59 minutes. Ioannidis, Andersen and Luis Suárez worked the ball around the edge of the box and Issa Doumbia finished from close range. One was enough.

An interim on the bench

It was Sporting’s first game since the club opened talks to end Rui Borges’s contract. Tiago Fernandes, the B-team coach, took charge, with Paulo Fonseca, the man widely tipped for the job, still not officially confirmed at kick-off.

Sporting lined up in a 3-5-2 without the injured Debast and Zalazar. Shakhtar were missing Pedrinho, Eguinaldo and Marlon Santos and played Kauã Elias as a lone striker.

Rui Silva kept it shut

Elias had already forced a good save from Rui Silva on 53 minutes, before the goal, and the keeper made several important saves late on, with Gonçalo Inácio clearing a rebound almost off the line. In the first half Alisson Santana had wasted an early chance for Shakhtar, shooting wide from a Vinicius Tobias cross.

Nine points, top eight in sight

That is three wins from four. Nine points put Sporting provisionally in the top eight, the band that goes straight into the last 16, with Wednesday’s games still to settle the exact position. Shakhtar stay on four points after a second straight defeat in the competition.

The full league-phase calendar is on UEFA’s official fixtures page. Before the next European night, Sporting host Moreirense in the league on Saturday at 5.30pm.

By Vasco Almada

Illustration: Tugadaily

Sports 3 November 2026

Benfica 1-0 Alverca as Pavlidis scores from the spot for a sixth straight win

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Sports 2 November 2026

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Paulo Fonseca, in a dark polo shirt, answering questions into a microphone at a press conference

Sports 2 November 2026

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Sports 1 November 2026

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Sports 1 November 2026

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Sports 1 November 2026

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Illustration of a player in a green-and-white hooped shirt celebrating in front of a goal, with the ball in the net and a scoreboard reading 0-2, in a small floodlit stadium

Sports 31 October 2026

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Sports 30 October 2026

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Dodi Lukébakio in a red and white Benfica training top, smiling beside the team bus

Sports 30 October 2026

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Sports 29 October 2026

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Sports 28 October 2026

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Sports 27 October 2026

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Chart of LaLiga points after matchday 10: Barcelona 27, Atlético Madrid 25, Real Madrid 24

Sports 26 October 2026

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Sports 26 October 2026

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