Champions League

Sturm Graz against Sporting Lisbon from 9pm LIVE

(Bild: GEPA)

The Champions League remains too big for Sturm Graz! The Austrian soccer champions were beaten 0:2 (0:1) by Sporting in Klagenfurt on Tuesday and conceded their third defeat in their third Champions League match.

A courageous performance right to the end was not enough for Graz, who were without playmaker Otar Kiteishvili, to really put the Portuguese champions under pressure.

Nuno Santos (23') and Sporting goalscorer Viktor Gyökeres (53') scored the goals for the Portuguese side, who are now on seven points. The Sturm players, meanwhile, are still waiting for their first goal in the new Champions League phase. The tough trip to Borussia Dortmund awaits in the 4th round (November 5).

Kiteishvili, Sturm's offensive powerhouse, was ruled out after suffering a calf injury in the derby. Tomi Horvat started in his place in front of around 25,000 spectators. Otherwise, Ilzer relied on the starting eleven that won the league last time out. Dimitri Lavalée led Sturm onto the pitch as captain for the first time. A few minutes earlier, the now ex-sporting director Andreas Schicker was given a ceremonial farewell following his move to Hoffenheim. The search for a successor is underway.

Ilzer had praised the unblemished opponents at home (8 wins) beforehand for their dominant possession and positional play, and not without good reason. The "Leões" (Lions) allowed the ball to circulate nicely right from the start without really going for the final goal. Sturm defended deep and the path was very wide for transitional actions.

Striker Gyökeres showed his class for the first time in the 16th minute, with Sturm goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen deflecting the Swede's attempt over the crossbar after a deflected shot in the penalty area. Sporting took the lead with their next chance. Geny Catamo broke through on the right and played to the middle, where Gyökeres shaved over the ball but Nuno Santos, who was positioned behind him, slid in (23').

Sturm immediately tried to react up front: Seedy Jatta tested Sporting goalkeeper Franco Israel for the first time with a header from an offside position (28') and shortly afterwards initiated Graz's best chance of the half with a run through midfield. William Böving, who sprinted into the box, crossed the ball to Biereth, who failed to connect. The Danish goalscorer was only just prevented from finishing by Ricardo Esgaio.

Another good combination ended with a roller from Jatta (34'), Sporting coach Ruben Amorim shouted at his team almost non-stop during this phase. As if on command, his team returned to their defensive virtues and Sturm's pressing phase ebbed away again.

Sporting continued to create half-chances, but a solo effort from Gyökeres brought about the preliminary decision. The centre-forward, who is valued at 70 million euros, shook off Niklas Geyrhofer as the last of the far advanced Sturm back four, rounded Kjell Scherpen and fired into the empty net. It was the 26-year-old's 30th competitive goal in 2024.

After that, both teams took turns and the flow of the game ebbed away. Georgian referee Giorgi Kruashvili overturned a penalty whistle for Sporting after seeing the TV images. Jusuf Gazibegovic had played the ball first in his challenge against Catamo. Sturm rallied once more, dictated the action in the final stages and produced some dangerous moves. Israel had to intervene twice with Gazibegovic's powerful shots (79', 82'). But Sporting also had chances to make it 3:0.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

(Bild: GEPA)

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

The result:
SK Sturm Graz - Sporting Clube de Portugal 0:2 (0:1)
Klagenfurt, Wörthersee Stadion, 25,000 spectators, SR Kruashvili/GEO

Goals: 0:1 (23.) Santos, 0:2 (53.) Gyökeres

Yellow cards: Yalcouye, Yardimci

Storm: Scherpen - Gazibegovic, Aiwu, Geyrhofer (59. Johnston), Lavalee (90. Schopp) - Yalcouye, Horvat (70. Yardimci), Chukwuani, Böving - Biereth (90. Hierländer), Jatta (59. Zvonarek)
Sporting: Israel - Esgaio (56. Reis), Debast (70. St. Juste), Inacio - Catamo, Braganca (70. Morita), Hjulmand, Santos (84. Quenda) - Trincao, Gyökeres, Araujo (70. Goncalves)