The Portugal women’s football team bid farewell to Portuguese fans on Friday with a 2-0 victory over Ukraine, heading to New Zealand, with a Jéssica Silva festival and a record crowd at Estádio do Bessa in Porto.
The Benfica striker delighted the 20,123 spectators present – against the 11,055 in Guimarães, against Wales, on April 11 – with a series of moves with an artistic touch and, more importantly, two goals, at 19 and 45+2 minutes, for his first brace yourself for Portugal, in the 102nd game.
Victory, Jessica’s bracket and attendance record. View the goals here! #Navigators pic.twitter.com/DR54uAWJcM
-Portugal (@selecaoportugal) July 7, 2023
In a tactical scheme with three defenders, Portugal completely dominated the game and – in a game in which Patrícia Morais was a spectator – could have achieved a wider result, which again gives good indications for the 2023 World Cup.
16 days away from debut, with the runners-up the Netherlands, and six after a draw the English, Portugal arrive in Oceania with a ballast of nine wins, two draws and only one defeat after the closing stages of Euro2022.
Regarding the draw in the stronghold of European champions England, Francisco Neto made five changes, with Patrícia Morais, Lúcia Alves, Ana Seiça, Joana Marchão and Andreia Jacinto replacing Inês Pereira, Catarina Amado, Diana Gomes, Tatiana Pinto and Kika Nazareth.
The tactical system also changed, to 3-4-3, with Ana Borges, Carole Costa and Ana Seiça as central defenders, two senior wingers (Lúcia Alves and Joana Marchão), two more defensive midfielders (Dolores Silva, ranked 150) internationalization AA) and Andreia Jacinto and, further on, Andreia Norton on the back of attackers Jéssica Silva and Diana Silva.
The corner kick formation didn’t take long to take the lead and, after several failed attempts, gained the advantage in the 19th minute, through Jéssica Silva, who stole the ball from Apanashchenko and beat Bondarchuk, after losing a great chance, in the 16th minute.
The goal did not change the meaning of the game, with Portugal controlling events and threatening the second goal, which arrived almost at half-time, after 45+2 minutes, when Jéssica, after a sustained move, opportunely reached the unprecedented bis.
In the second half, the formation of corner kicks continued and had several chances to reach the third goal, but lacked effectiveness, namely Dina Silva (58 minutes), Jéssica (66) or Tatiana Pinto (83), launched after the break , as Diana Gomes, Catarina Amado, Telma Encarnação, Ana Capeta and Carolina Mendes.
Despite no more goals being scored, the party continued to the end in the stands and ended with the Portuguese paying tribute to the opponent, to the sound of “Olé Ukraine, olé”.
game sheet
Match at Estádio do Bessa, in Porto.
Referee: Ainara Acevedo Dudley (Spain).
Attendance: 20,123 spectators.
-Portugal: Patrícia Morais, Ana Borges, Carole Costa, Ana Seiça (Diana Gomes, 55), Lúcia Alves (Catarina Amado, 71), Dolores Silva (Tatiana Pinto, 55), Andreia Jacinto, Joana Marchão, Andreia Norton (Carolina Mendes, 77 ) ), Jéssica Silva (Ana Capeta, 77) and Diana Silva (Telma Encarnação, 77).
(Substitutes: Inês Pereira, Rute Costa, Catarina Amado, Sílvia Rebelo, Diana Gomes, Fátima Pinto, Tatiana Pinto, Ana Rute, Kika Nazareth, Ana Capeta, Telma Encarnação, Carolina Mendes, Maria Alagoa and Alicia Correia).
Selector: Francisco Neto.
– Ukraine: Daryna Bondarchuk, Iryna Podolska, Daria Apanashchenko, Liubov Shmatko, Kateryna Korsun, Natia Pantsulaia (Tetyana Kytayeva, 81), Anna Petryk (Daiana Semkiv, 71), Olha Ovdiycuk (Yana Malakhova, 71), Yana Kalinna (Iryna Kochnieva, 81 ) ), Nicole Kozlova (Nadia Kunina, 62) and Polina Yanchuk (Inna Hlushchenko, 71).
(Alternates: Marina Dudnik, Kateryna Samson, Inna Hlushchenko, Yana Derkach, Daiana Semkiv, Tetyana Kytayeva, Nadia Kunina, Khrystina Pereviznyk, Roksolana Kravchuk, Yana Malakhova, Iryna Kochnieva and Iryna Kotiash).
Selector: Lluis Cortes.
Goals: 1-0, Jessica Silva, 19 minutes; 2-0, Jessica Silva, 45+2.
Discipline: Yellow cards for Anna Petryk (60) and Inna Hlushchenko (80).
Source: DN
