Sporting were held to a 1-1 draw by Famalicão in the Portuguese Primeira Liga on Sunday evening. The visitors took the lead through a penalty, but it was cancelled by VAR before Famalicão eventually equalized through an own goal in stoppage time. The result leaves Famalicão still winless after six matches, while Sporting remain in third place with 14 points.
Flávio Gonçalves appeared to give Sporting the lead in the 27th minute, but the goal was cancelled after a VAR review. The home side had their chances limited, managing just two shots on target throughout the match. Sporting dominated possession at 68% and created more opportunities, but could not convert their advantage into a winning goal.
After the restart, Sporting increased their pressure and were rewarded in the 81st minute when Luis Suárez converted a penalty to put his side ahead. However, the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 87th minute when Roméo Beney received a red card. The dismissal came at a crucial moment and changed the complexion of the match.
With Sporting playing with a man down, Famalicão pushed forward in search of an equalizer. In the 91st minute, Gonçalo Inácio inadvertently directed a chance into his own net to bring the score level. The late responder denied Sporting all three points after they had controlled much of the contest.
Statistically, the match reflected Sporting's dominance. They recorded 130 attacks compared to Famalicão's 75, and created four big chances to the hosts' single opportunity. Sporting's expected goals figure of 2.29 stood in stark contrast to Famalicão's 0.33, yet the final scoreline told a different story.
The result keeps Sporting in third place, four points behind the league leaders. For Famalicão, the draw extends their winless run to six matches without a victory. They remain bottom half of the table with just four points from their opening six fixtures, though the point earned away from home offers some consolation.