Bento backs Lisbon to deliver

Posted Thursday, October 22, 2009 by PA

Sporting Lisbon coach Paulo Bento expects his side to maintain their winning form in the Europa League when they face FK Ventspils in Latvia.

The Portuguese giants have struggled in domestic competition, taking just one win in their last three league games to drop to fourth in the Liga standings, 10 points behind leaders Braga.

Their poor form at home has left coach Bento under pressure.

"We have to take it one step at a time," said Bento. "We have to continue to improve in the domestic front.

"But we are correcting our mistakes and we are on the right path."

Sporting have looked a different side in European competition, where Bento's men have shown no signs of weakness.

A 3-2 triumph at Heerenveen and a 1-0 victory over Hertha Berlin have left Sporting at the top of Group D, four points clear of second-placed Ventspils.

Bento is confident his team can maintain their positive run in Europe.

"We will try to bring home three points from Latvia," he said.

"A win in Riga would mean us taking a big step towards progressing to the next round."

Sporting will not take Ventspils lightly and for good reason. The Latvian champions have lost just one of their last six European matches.

Nunzio Zavettieri's side held Hertha Berlin to a 1-1 draw in Germany in their group opener before their goalless result against Heerenveen.

Ventspils striker Edgars Gauracs is eager to increase his goal tally in the Europa League having struck just once in the competition so far.

"I want to score more goals for my club and I feel really sorry for not scoring in the draw with Heerenveen, when I had a one-on-one opportunity," said the 21-year-old.

"We now face group favourites Sporting and we want to make our fans happy, and maybe I will be able to score."

The visitors will be without suspended midfielder Adrien Silva and injured trio Marco Caneira, Marat Izmailov and Yannick Djalo.