Sporting 1-2 Frankfurt: German outfit qualify Champions League last-16

Sporting Lisbon 1-2 Frankfurt: Oliver Glasner’s men qualify Champions League last-16 for the first time EVER as Daichi Kamada’s penalty and Randal Kolo Muani volley complete superb comeback for Bundesliga side

  • Frankfurt have qualified for the Champions League last-16 for the first time ever
  • Arthur Gomes broke the deadlock minutes before the break for Sporting Lisbon
  • Frankfurt responded from the penalty spot with Daichi Kamada scoring the kick
  • Visitors then turned the game around with Randal Kolo Muani’s superb volley 

Frankfurt staged a second-half comeback, scoring twice in 10 minutes to beat hosts Sporting 2-1 on Tuesday and qualify for the Champions League last 16 for the first time, knocking the Portuguese out of the competition.

The Europa League champions pulled themselves out of the depths of despair at halftime when they were facing certain elimination and with goals from Daichi Kamada and Randal Kolo Muani after the break left the pitch as unlikely winners.

Frankfurt finished Group D in second place on 10 points from six games, with Tottenham Hotspur top on 11 after their last-gasp 2-1 victory at bottom club Olympique de Marseille. 

Randal Kolo Muani passionately celebrates after giving Frankfurt the lead against Sporting

Muani raced through to score a superb volley to turn the game on its head for Frankfurt

Muani celebrates scoring Frankfurt’s second 18 minutes before the end of the game 

MATCH FACTS

SPORTING LISBON: (3-4-3) Adan; St Juste (Cabral 78), Coates, Inacio; Porro, Goncalves, Ugarte (Essugo 63), Nuno Santos (Matheus Reis 32); Edwards (Trincao 63), Arthur Gomes, Paulinho

Subs not used: Israel (GK): Alexandropoulos, Rochinha, Issahaku, Ricardo Esgaio, Marsa, Nazinho, Fernandes

Goals: Arthur Gomes (39)

Bookings: Reis (35), Paulinho (45+2), Goncalo Inacio (90+4)

Coach: Ruben Amorim

FRANKFURT: (3-4-3) Trapp; Tuta, Jakic (Smolcic 80), N’Dicka; Ebimbe (Knauff 69), Sow, Kamada, Pellegrini; Lindstrom (Rode 46), Muani (Borre 80), Gotze (Alidou 90)

Subs not used: Grahl (GK), Ramaj (GK); Onguene, Alario, Chandler

Goals: Kamada (PEN 62), Muani (72)

Bookings: Vincic (7), Kamada (14), Sow (58)

Coach: Oliver Glasner

Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)

Venue: Estadio Jose Alvalade (Lisbon)

Sporting are third and will continue in the Europa League.

Sporting needed only a point to advance to the knockout stages but would have fallen a goal behind in the 13th minute were it not for a reflex save by Sporting keeper Antonio Adan to stop team mate Paulinho from heading an own goal.

The hosts had Nuno Santos taken off with what looked like a serious ankle injury early in the game but still took the lead when winger Arthur Gomes volleyed home at the far post after a looping cross was headed on in the 39th minute.

Eintracht hardly got a look-in during the first half and were clearly lacking ideas, with Sporting doing really well to quickly shut down spaces.

Arthur Gomes broke the deadlock for the hosts in the first half to put them in control

Gomes slides on his knees in celebration after scoring the opening goal of the game

But Sporting lost their way after the break and the visitors came out fighting, desperate for a win to secure a top-two finish.

The pressure soon paid off when a handball by Sporting captain Sebastian Coates in the 62nd gave Frankfurt a penalty and Kamada drew them level with a well-taken spot kick.

France international Kolo Muani then powered into the box and drilled home the winner in the 72nd to complete their comeback and secure a place in the knockout stages.

Frankfurt got back into the game when referee Slavko Vincic awarded them a spot-kick

Frankfurt’s Japanese midfielder Daichi Kamada converted the penalty to make it 1-1

Kamada sent Sporting Lisbon goalkeeper Adan the wrong way with his penalty kick

Kamada picks up the ball and takes it back to the penalty spot to kickstart the comeback




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