Team news

Sa Pinto set for management bow Ricardo Sa Pinto faces a whirlwind introduction to life as Sporting Lisbon coach as he prepares the team for Thursday's Europa League clash with Legia Warsaw.

Sa Pinto was this week named as the successor to Domingos Paciencia, who was sacked after less than a year in office with Sporting languishing fourth in the domestic Liga, 16 points behind leaders Benfica.

The former Sporting and Portugal striker made the step up from coaching the club's under-19 team and told sporting.pt: "It is a challenge with great responsibility, which I accepted with great pride and honour.

"I am prepared to represent Sporting as head coach, I have confidence I can do this job and I hope to be happy and successful in this new stage in my life.

"I have an eternal connection to Sporting. It is my club." He will have little time to acclimatise to the role before leading his new charges into action in Poland, and Sa Pinto added: "I was not expecting this opportunity at this time.

"I know it is a difficult situation in terms of timing. We go now to Warsaw and it will be an unreal 24 hours where I am trying to familiarise myself with everything.

"The targets? At this point, the game in the Europa League. It's my first goal, the immediate goal and I'm focused on that." Winger Diego Capel - 24 on the day of the game - is a doubt for Sa Pinto's first match in charge.

Miroslav Radovic misses out with a rib injury for Legia in the first leg of the last-32 encounter but Danijel Ljuboja returns, while Ivica Vrdoljak and Jakub Rzezniczak are also up to full speed in training.

The latter pair, along with Janusz Gol, are the likeliest candidates for the midfield place vacated by Ariel Borysiuk's departure, though coach Maciej Skorza also took time to praise teenager Rafal Wolski.

"This guy has tremendous skill and even if Rado was healthy, I would find him a place in the starting line-up," Skorza told the club's website.

Legia Warsaw vs Sporting

Last modified 20:17 16/02/12

Santos snatches draw for Sporting Andre Bernardes Santos came off the bench to score a late leveller for Sporting Lisbon to get new coach Ricardo Sa Pinto's reign off to an impressive start as the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie at Legia Warsaw ended 2-2.

Santos fired home the visitors' second away goal of the match as the Poles twice threw the lead away to leave Sporting in pole position to progress.

Daniel Carrico cancelled out Jakub Wawrzyniak's first-half opener only for Janusz Gol to put the hosts back in front 11 minutes from time.

But they could not hold out as substitute Santos gave the club's former striker Sa Pinto, appointed earlier this week as the successor to Domingos Paciencia, reason for cheer in his first game in charge.

The visitors started brighter and Ricky van Wolfswinkel tested goalkeeper Dusan Kuciak with a shot from just outside the area before Matias Fernandez and Andre Carrillo both fired wide.

Legia almost went in front in the 24th minute, though, as Michal Zyro's left-footed effort from the centre of the area was tipped round the post by Rui Patricio.

And they did take the lead in the 37th minute as Michal Zewlakow laid the ball across for Wawrzyniak to tap home.

The hosts had their tails up and only another smart stop from Rui Patricio prevented them from doubling their lead three minutes into the second half, the keeper blocking Danijel Ljuboja's shot.

Fernandez had another effort from distance comfortably held by Kuciak, but were struggling to really test the Legia keeper.

Fernandez, though, created the equaliser on the hour mark.

Maciej Rybus' foul on Emiliano Insua gave the visitors a free-kick on the left which Fernandez swung in and Daniel Carrico headed low into the net.

Legia restored their lead in the 79th minute when Gol shot home from Rafal Wolski's pass from the right.