Sporting Lisbon 2 Roma 0: Slimani, Mane inspire Portuguese hosts

Second-half goals from Islam Slimani and Carlos Mane steered Sporting Lisbon to a comfortable 2-0 friendly victory over Roma on Saturday.

Sporting looked the more threatening throughout a feisty contest in Portugal that culminated in a stoppage-time red card for Roma’s Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

Yanga-Mbiwa’s dismissal capped a forgettable night for the Serie A side, who created very little going forward and could easily have lost by a far more emphatic margin.

Sporting made a bright start, with former Fulham man Bryan Ruiz heading narrowly over the crossbar and Slimani also going close, while Leo Paredes’ long-range volley was the visitors’ only chance of note in the entire first-half.

Just short of the hour-mark, both sides made a flurry of substitutions and it was Sporting who reaped the rewards, swiftly taking the lead when Jefferson Nascimento’s corner picked out Slimani and the Algeria international headed home.

Roma introduced loanee Wojciech Szczesny for his debut at half-time and he was certainly kept busy as the hosts took control of the contest in the final quarter.

The Polish keeper – on loan from Arsenal – did extremely well to keep out a firm header from Teo Gutierrez, but was powerless to prevent Mane from doubling Sporting’s advantage moments later with a close-range finish.

Fredy Montero was then foiled by an acrobatic save from Szczesny as the final whistle loomed before Yanga-Mbiwa’s ugly lunge at Jonathan Silva ensured the visitors would see out the final few seconds with only 10 men.