Sporting CP turned an early setback into an emphatic 3-1 Champions League victory over Galatasaray at Estádio José Alvalade on Wednesday night, producing a ruthless second-half display in Lisbon.
The hosts were stunned inside five minutes when Gonçalo Inácio diverted the ball into his own net, handing Galatasaray an unexpected 1-0 lead. The Turkish side went on to enjoy the greater share of possession, finishing with 61.7%, but Sporting were sharper in the decisive moments and made their opportunities count.
Geny Catamo restored parity in the 27th minute, bringing Sporting level before the interval after a tense opening spell. The teams went into half-time at 1-1, with Galatasaray having control of the ball but Sporting increasingly dangerous when they broke forward.
The match swung firmly toward the home side after the restart. Luis Suárez converted a penalty in the 57th minute to put Sporting ahead, showing composure from the spot after having been booked late in the first half. Just six minutes later, Rodrigo Zalazar delivered the defining moment of the night, curling home a free-kick in the 63rd minute to give Sporting a two-goal cushion.
Galatasaray pushed to find a route back into the contest and won four corners to Sporting’s one, but their 10 shots produced only three efforts on target. Sporting, by contrast, were clinical: five of their eight shots tested the goalkeeper, and three found the net.
The visitors’ frustration showed late on, with Deniz Gül booked in the 80th minute and Ismail Jakobs shown a yellow card in stoppage time. Sporting saw out the closing stages comfortably in front of 44,054 supporters.
After falling behind through Inácio’s fifth-minute own goal, Sporting responded with goals from Catamo in the 27th minute, Suárez in the 57th minute and Zalazar in the 63rd minute to open their league-phase campaign with a statement home win.
