Naema Celestine 
Florence Simiyu
Sporting Lisbon marked Ruben Amorim’s final home game as manager with an unforgettable 4-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League, thanks to a hat-trick from Viktor Gyokeres.
The Portuguese champions, led by Amorim who is set to join Manchester United on Nov. 11, now sit second in their Champions League group behind Liverpool. After the game, Amorim was visibly emotional, taking a lap of honor. “This was a perfect farewell at home,” he said, adding, “the fans and the players gave everything tonight.”
City started strong and took the lead in the fourth minute when Phil Foden capitalized on a Sporting mistake, sending his shot past goalkeeper Franco Israel. Foden’s early strike had Guardiola’s side in control. However, the momentum shifted when Gyokeres leveled the score before halftime. “We believed in ourselves,” Gyokeres shared, reflecting on Sporting’s comeback. “The fans pushed us, and we responded.”
The second half started with Sporting on the front foot as Maximiliano Araujo finished a swift move from the kickoff, placing Sporting ahead. Minutes later, a penalty awarded for a foul by Josko Gvardiol allowed Gyokeres to extend the lead, beating City’s keeper Ederson. City attempted a response, with Erling Haaland stepping up for a penalty, but the Norwegian missed, hitting the crossbar. “It’s frustrating, I should have put that away,” Haaland admitted after the match.
The defeat marked City’s worst losing run since 2018 and the first time they conceded four goals in a Champions League game since 2016.
Reflecting on the loss, Guardiola noted, “We missed the simple passes, and Sporting punished us.” Gyokeres, who became the first Swedish player since Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2013 to score a Champions League hat-trick, said of his performance, “To do this in front of our fans, on a night like this, is a dream.” His five goals in the group stage now match Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, making him a top scorer this season.
Sporting continued to capitalize on City’s defensive frailties, and Gyokeres sealed his hat-trick with another penalty in the 81st minute, igniting celebrations across the Estadio Jose Alvalade. Sporting’s victory left City with their first Champions League loss of the season and their third defeat across all competitions.
Guardiola acknowledged the setback, stating, “When you lose 4-1, you can’t say too much. We made a fantastic first half but struggled to score, and in the second half, we were emotionally not stable enough.”
With City rattled, Sporting exploited further lapses in defense, and Gyokeres converted his second penalty to wrap up the win. Pep Guardiola now faces the challenge of breaking City’s losing streak as they regroup, while Sporting celebrates an emotional and momentous victory as Amorim’s tenure comes to a close.
