Sporting stung as Albion reach International Cup knockout stages

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Charlie Hanson

2024-12-22T15:00+00:00

Josh Robertson made it 2-0 with a lovely finish. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion confirmed their place in the knockout stages of Premier League International Cup with a 2-0 win over Sporting Lisbon on Sunday.

Goals from Harry Howell and Josh Robertson moved Albion six points clear at the top of Group D - an unassailable lead that puts them into the draw for the last 16.

Such was the strength of the wind on the day, the referee had to create a small divot in the centre spot to stop the ball rolling away at kick-off, a factor that would create havoc with set-pieces throughout the afternoon.

Ruairi McConville and Charlie Penman clear off the line. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

It played no part in the best defensive action you’re likely to see this weekend though. The ball fell for Rodrigo Marques in the Albion box for a tap in, but a combination of Ruairi McConville and Charlie Penman sliding in on the line blocked the effort, with Marques’s quiet word with the goalpost afterwards emphasising the quality of chance he had missed.

Harry Howell was introduced after 12 minutes following Jamie Mullins’s withdrawal - the Irishman sustained a whack to the leg he couldn’t play through – and the forward’s volley at the back-stick was saved and gathered by Francisco Silva, but the Albion man would find the breakthrough.

With 36 minutes played the England Under-17 stole possession from Sporting’s last defender, raced in on goal and slotted into the bottom left corner in composed fashion.

Harry Howell opened the scoring with a confident finish. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

A strong penalty shout for Cam Peupion was turned down before the Australian volleyed wide from close, but a 1-0 lead would all be Albion would take into the break.

Sporting's hopes of taking something from the game were dashed with an hour played when Alexandre Brito was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away after Albion were awarded a free-kick.

Alexandre Brito's red card saw Sporting reduced to ten men with 30 minutes still to play. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Peupion's strike from just inside the box was deflected wide, before Josh Robertson came on for the final 20 minutes.

Caylan Vickers couldn't quite believe his luck when he side-footed wide after a nice one-two with Marcus Ifill, but Robertson would put the game beyond doubt.

The former Sunderland man sat the Sporting keeper down as he rolled his foot over the ball before slotting into an empty net in style. His teammates were quick to congratulate the 19-year-old, who has had a tough run of injuries since his arrival in Sussex at the start of the year.

Josh Robertson was coolness personified for his goal. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Jacob Slater's lovely cross was nearly deflected in by a Sporting defender in stoppage time, but keeper Francisco Silva dived to his right to put it behind for a corner, with Albion then happy to take the ball to the corner to run the clock down.

Shannon Ruth's team have just over a fortnight until their next match now, when they face Burgess Hill in the Sussex Senior Cup.

The Albion team: Fisher, Tasker (Slater 84), McConville (Robertson 72), Penman (Simmonds 72), Samuels, Peupion, Albarus, Knight, Vickers, Mullins (Howell 12), Ifill (Flower 84).