Although he played ten minutes last Tuesday in the 2-1 victory against Porto, Ecuadorian winger Gonzalo Plata will surely be part of the Sporting CP squad that must play in the final of the Portuguese League Cup on Saturday, January 23.
The Lions will face SC Braga in Leiria (central Portugal) starting at 14:45 (Ecuador time).
Sporting CP advanced to the final after defeating Porto thanks to a brace from Jovane Cabral (86 min, 90+4 min), while Braga eliminated Benfica on Wednesday with the same result, with goals from Abel Ruiz (28 min) and Vítor Tormena (59 min).
In a press conference on Friday, Sporting coach Rúben Amorim said that both teams "know each other well because they have already faced each other."
"There may be a difference in the central defenders of SC Braga, but the teams' ideas have not changed according to the players (...). It will be a very competitive game, like the one at Alvalade Stadium."
Regarding the match against Porto on Tuesday, Amorim highlighted that the credit for the victory goes to the players "because they believe until the last moment, even when the referee blows the final whistle."
"We always aim to win," Amorim said.
Ecuadorian Plata participated in the 2-1 victory against Porto by being present in the Lisbon team, as Amorim decided to bring him in at 86 minutes and Jovane Cabral's saving goals came shortly after the appearance of the Ecuadorian player. (D)
-- 86' -- Substitution at #SportingCP:
⬅ @vitorinoantun3s
➡ @Gonzalo_Plata20 #SCPFCP | 0-1 | #AllianzCup #DiaDeSporting pic.twitter.com/HFMM3ldoch— Sporting Clube de Portugal (@Sporting_CP) January 19, 2021
-- 86' GOAL!!! JOVANE!!! LET'S GO SPORTING!!!#SCPFCP | 1-1 | #AllianzCup #DiaDeSporting pic.twitter.com/WWkn0536yl
— Sporting Clube de Portugal (@Sporting_CP) January 19, 2021
-- 94' GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S A GOAL!!!!!!!! JOVANE!!!!!!!! LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! --#SCPFCP | 2-1 | #AllianzCup #DiaDeSporting pic.twitter.com/SGhUvRDLJL
— Sporting Clube de Portugal (@Sporting_CP) January 19, 2021