Sporting won 1-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk at Arena Lviv on Tuesday evening, with Issa Doumbia's goal on 59 minutes settling a league phase matchday 4 match.
It was the only goal of the game, and it came from a player who started in Sporting's line-up.
The decisive moments
There was nothing between the sides until the 59th minute, when Doumbia scored for the visitors. Shakhtar did not find a way back.
Two bookings followed late on. Maxi Araújo was cautioned for Sporting on 66 minutes, and Isaque was booked for Shakhtar on 74.
What the numbers say
The statistics favour the home side in most attacking areas. Shakhtar had 54% of possession to Sporting's 46%, and they had 14 shots to 11. Four of Shakhtar's attempts were on target, against three for Sporting.
Shakhtar also had eight shots off target and two blocked. Sporting had seven off target and one blocked. The hosts won the corner count 7-2 and were flagged offside once, while Sporting were not flagged at all.
Sporting were far more combative. They committed 18 fouls to Shakhtar's 10, yet picked up only one yellow card to Shakhtar's one in the match events.
The result fits the pattern of the season so far. Sporting average two goals a game and have two clean sheets. Shakhtar average one goal a game and have not yet kept one.
What it means in the table
Sporting are fifth in the league phase table with nine points from four games. They have won three of them and have a goal difference of plus four. That is inside the top eight, who go straight through to the knockout rounds. PSG lead the table on nine points from three games, with a goal difference of plus nine.
Sporting's recent form is two wins and a defeat in the three matches before this one: 3-1 against Galatasaray, 2-0 at Lens and a 2-3 loss to LASK.
Shakhtar are 17th with four points from four games, one win and a goal difference of zero. That puts them in the group from ninth to 24th, who would go into the knockout play-offs. Their previous three games brought a 1-1 draw at PSV, a 3-1 win over AEK Athens and a 1-0 defeat at Inter.
The two clubs have no recent meetings in our records, so this was a first head-to-head to go on.
MFF's match model had Sporting winning 1-0, giving them a 42% chance of an away win, against 32% for a Shakhtar win and 26% for a draw.
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