Antonio’s verdict on Sporting CP: “We will continue to work on all aspects”

Antonio Conte couldn’t hide his disappointment after our late, late 2-0 loss in Lisbon against Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening.

We’d edged an even game that looked to be heading to a goalless draw when two substitutes struck for the home side. First, Paulinho broke the deadlock with a glancing header from a corner in the 90th minute before Arthur Gomes wrapped it up two minutes later.

The statistics of 12 efforts at goal each illustrates the parity of the game, but we’d created more at the midway point of the second half, and before Sporting’s late flurry. Antonio Adan denied Emerson Royal and Richarlison, who also fired narrowly wide and then headed just wide from Dejan Kulusevski’s cross.

Hugo Lloris made point-blank saves to deny former Spur Marcus Edwards at the end of the first half, and then looked to have maintained the clean sheet and a point by clawing away Pedro Porro’s shot in the 90th minute. However, Paulinho headed home from that corner and Gomes rubbed salt into the wounds minutes later.

That marked our first loss this season and ended an unbeaten run of 14 matches in all competitions stretching back to April.

Speaking to SPURSPLAY at Jose Alvalade Stadium, Antonio said: “The game in the first half was in the balance. In the second half, we tried to push and we had good chances to score. Then, in the end, we are talking about a loss.

“We conceded a goal from a corner and, for sure, we can do much better, Then we conceded another goal two minutes later. We have to work on all of these aspects because the level of the Champions League is an important level, and we have to try to improve because every game is very difficult. The game against Marseille was difficult. The same today. For sure, at the end, we didn’t deserve to win, but at the same time, we didn’t deserve to lose.

“We played against a team that is used to playing in this competition. It’s important… to play in this competition means you are able to manage all these situations. We will continue to work, to have a good reflection about the game, take the positive situations and work on the negative situations.”