The recipe is the same: add a splash of Marcano to the compensation period and victory is served. This Monday, FC Porto turned the game around against Rio Ave and won 2-1, with both goals scored very close to the final whistle.
Costinha opened the scoring in the second half from the penalty spot, but Galeno equalized near the end. In discounts, Marcano repeated doses from last week.
In Sérgio Conceição’s team (again in the stands serving punishment), there was only one change in relation to the game against Farense. After the suspension related to the expulsion in the Super Cup, Pepe made his debut in this edition of the League. The other news was on the bench, since Alan Varela was part of the elections for the first time. On the other side of the field, Leonardo Ruiz and Hernâni gave way to João Graça and Boateng.
The game was very divided in the first minutes, with the wind playing an important role in the movement of the ball, but it was Rio Ave who created the danger for the first time. Pepe made a risky pass in defense, Boateng took advantage and the ball fell to João Graça, who fired the first shot deflected past Diogo Costa’s goal.
In minute 12, the dragons insisted, Nico González made a great pass to isolate Taremi and the Iranian put the ball into Magrão’s goal. However, the refereeing team annulled it for offside.
Minutes later, Taremi recovered the ball in midfield and released Galeno down the left. The winger entered the area and served Pepê and the Brazilian, almost unbelievable, shot over the top.
The dragons seemed incapable of imposing their game, but they were still dangerous when they reached the Vilacondense area. In the 29th minute, Galeno crossed from the left and Marcano finished off with a header.
Sérgio Conceição’s team began to have more ball in the attacking midfield, but, paradoxically, they failed to create danger for Magrão’s goal.
Thus, the game remained goalless until half-time, with the Dragons tied at half-time for the fourth time in four games this season.
At the beginning of the second half, the great opportunity appeared for the score to move. Fábio Ronaldo shot from outside the area, the ball deflected and hit the post and, in an attempt to reload, Boateng discussed the play with Galeno and the referee awarded a penalty. In the conversion, Costinha shot hard and low on the left and opened the scoring.
After the goal, FC Porto began to get up on the ground, but that was still not a sign of danger for Magrão’s goal.
The dragons’ great scoring opportunity came in the 73rd minute. Nico González crossed from the right and Galeno, at the far post, headed the ball into the hands of Magrão. Shortly after, the Brazilian broke free through the center and served Namaso, but the shot hit the Vilacondense goalkeeper.
In the 88th minute, in a set piece play, Gonçalo Borges removed Costinha and fell into the area, the referee sanctioning a penalty. In the conversion, Galeno imitated Costinha and tied the game.
And the dragons even gave it a twist with the recipe from the last game. A new studied corner, André Franco crossed and Marcano (who else?) turned the game around.
The dragons controlled the remaining minutes until the end and managed to maintain their winning streak in the League, joining Vitória SC and Sporting in the championship leading group.
Eleven from Rio Ave: Magrão, Pantalon, Josué Sá, Aderllan Santos, Costinha, Joca, Guga, Amine, Fábio Ronaldo, João Graça and Boateng.
FC Porto XI: Diogo Costa, João Mário, Pepe, Marcano, Zaidu, Pepê, Nico González, Eustáquio, Galeno, Taremi and Toni Martínez.
Substitutes for Rio Ave: Lucas, Patrick, Hernâni, Vítor Gomes, Leonardo Ruiz, Ventura, Sávio, Ukra and Zé Manuel.
Substitutes for FC Porto: Cláudio Ramos, Fábio Cardoso, Marko Grujic, Wendell, Namaso, André Franco, Fran Navarro, Alna Varela and Gonçalo Borges.
Source: TSF
