Bologna didn’t look like a side already eliminated from this season’s UCL in a promising start to this contest, with defender Sam Beukema rattling the crossbar after just four minutes with a powerful header from Lewis Ferguson’s corner.
Sporting took their time to grow into this one, but Conrad Harder was a source of inspiration as he took the direct route in search of an opener, bursting past Goncalo Inacio and into Bologna’s penalty area before firing straight at Franco Israel.
However, Bologna continued to cause havoc from set-pieces and Sporting failed to deal with dangerman Beukema as he flicked a Ferguson corner into the path of Tommaso Pobega, who diverted the ball into the net for his first UCL goal since September 2022.
In an end-to-end first period, Sporting nearly levelled before half-time after Maximiliano Araujo went one-on-one with Federico Ravaglia, but the Bologna goalkeeper bravely lunged at the defender’s feet, preventing him from firing a shot on goal.
Pobega almost stunned the Estadio Jose Alvalade again after the break with a powerful swerving strike that forced Israel into a full-stretch save.
Sporting struggled to muster any kind of response to find a way through the Rossoblu defence, with Ivan Fresneda summing up the Lions’ desperation on the hour-mark with an audacious attempted lob from 30 yards that Ravaglia parried to safety.
Just as Sporting appeared to be heading out of the UCL, Harder reacted first to Joao Simoes’ cross and tucked past Ravaglia to restore parity.
That strike not only helped Sporting avoid a fourth consecutive UCL loss - a feat they last succumbed to in 2016 - but helped them through to the knockout play-off round as an unseeded side. Bologna put in a spirited display, despite having nothing other than pride to play for, with Vincenzo Italiano’s men ending their UCL campaign unbeaten in three games.