Trotters crash out in Lisbon

Portuguese outfit Sporting were an unremarkable team, and it will be a major surprise if they go on to win the competition in May.

But against a Bolton side shorn of several stars - with Premier League survival the focus - Sporting clinched their quarter-final place via Bruno Pereirinha's 85th-minute strike to give them a 2-1 win aggregate victory.

There was no Kevin Nolan, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Kevin Davies, Matt Taylor, El Hadji Diouf, Andy O'Brien, Ricardo Gardner, Ivan Campo or Gavin McCann for this clash at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Megson's focus is firmly on Sunday's clash with relegation rivals Wigan at the JJB Stadium, and understandably so with the club now back in the bottom three.

After 66 seconds, when Ali Al Habsi turned aside a 25-yard left-foot free-kick from last week's goalscorer Simon Vukcevic, Lisbon suggested they would dominate this leg.

Sporting enjoyed the majority of the play, creating one fine opportunity in the 31st minute. With Jlloyd Samuel the weak link in Bolton's defence, Pereirinha delivered a cross that was flicked on by Vukcevic to the far post where a full-stretch Marat Izmailov steered the ball over the crossbar.

A stray Samuel pass earlier in the half had allowed leading scorer Liedson to tee up Vukcevic, but his drive from the edge of the area was a yard wide.

Bolton had one effort from Portugal Under-21 international Ricardo Vaz Te that struck the sidenetting, while Danny Guthrie forced Rui Patricio into a fine, low save at his near post.

After Liedson sidefooted one chance that was parried by Al Habsi, the Oman international was then beaten soon after courtesy of a superb curled left-foot strike into the top right-hand corner. Al Habsi then denied Joao Moutinho a minute later as Bolton were a spent force at that stage, with their efforts in vain.