Helder Postiga warns slack Sporting to stop leaking 'silly goals'

HELDER Postiga last night warned his Sporting Lisbon team-mates they will be punished by Rangers if they keep giving away 'silly goals.'

Sporting will travel to Glasgow today ahead of Thursday's Europa League first leg at Ibrox on a low after a season of misery. Last week they lost a lead and could only draw 3-3 at home to bottom club Naval and on Saturday, they chucked away a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 with Olhanense, despite Postiga's well-taken double.

That's in addition to a series of off-the-field problems with manager Paulo Sergio being sent to the stand after charging on to the pitch at the weekend to confront the referee. Postiga has assumed the responsibility of being Sporting's main man after the shock sale of star striker Liedson last week. It's a role he is relishing, judging by his weekend performance, but he has warned his team mates they must stop being so generous at the back.

Postiga said: "If we give the kind of goals away as we have being doing on Thursday against Rangers, we will be punished and we are going out of Europe. No team can expect to progress by losing the amount of goals we have, especially silly goals like the ones we have lost. But this is a message to the whole team, not just the defenders.

"Losing goals has become a problem for us and we need to defend well in Scotland or it will all be over. But we are all looking forward to this game - it gives us a chance to relax outside the pressure of playing in our league."

And Postiga, 28, is happy to take on Liedson's talismatic role for Sporting. He said: "There is no avoiding that Liedson was a great player for us for many years. He was Sporting, almost. But I believe we have the players here who can replace him."