In the Champions League you can’t make it easy until the final whistle. After a game in which they were clearly superior before losing Taremi (81″) to yellow cards, FC Porto in the Spanish capital were beaten ingloriously 2-1, with the winning goal coming in the last move of the match, in the following corner that just pushed Griezmann in. In addition to losing to his main rival in the battle for first place, Sérgio Conceição also saw Otávio get out injured on a stretcher.
The Blues and Whites start in third place in Group B, as Club Brugge surprised Bayer Leverkusen with 1-0 (Sylla, 42″) in the other match.
With more than two thousand blue and white fans supporting the team, and already after the tribute to the Portuguese Paulo Futre – who successfully represented both clubs and was deeply moved when he received a standing ovation throughout the stadium – Sérgio Conceição made a team almost similar to the one Gil Vicente defeated in the League, with Pepê on the right and Eustáquio in midfield, changing only the left (Zaidu instead of Wendel), and one of the forwards (Toni Martínez returned to the bench, Evanilson to the eleven).
The “dragons” started the game with the calm of someone accustomed to the demands of the Champions League, without nervousness and of course controlling an opponent who, recognizing the value of the northerners, also started a cautious tune. Uribe’s foul on Félix provided a good free kick for the Madrid players (7″), but Ferreira Carrasco’s shot went over the post. As well as the Portuguese champion’s two reactions, by Otávio (13″) and Uribe (23″). ), executed in forward kicks but far from goal. In the middle, Pepe showed his whole category, in a transition that forced him to make two consecutive cuts.
FC Porto threatened again in the 29th minute, when Taremi won an aerial duel and sent the ball to the far post, where Evanilson, already cornerless, only managed to avert it to Oblak’s body. Diogo Costa, on the other hand, had to wait until the 37th minute to get into action: it all started with a move from Carrasco’s left, with Eustáquio bouncing the ball to the edge of the field, where Koke, unmarked, didn’t ask. The shot came powerfully but towards the Porto goalkeeper, who grabbed the ball without much effort.
On the other hand, FC Porto came very close to opening the score after Taremi escaped Giménez. Already on top of the goal, the attacker sent a low cross, but behind Evanilson, who was already preparing to touch.
end of crazy
Dissatisfied with the course of the match, “Cholo” Simeone (who saw his son score the first goal in the Champions League with Napoli) made two changes for the second half, betting on Rodrigo de Paul to try to end the fight in midfield. win and Lemar to better control Galen. And the truth is that Atlético started much better and even managed to score in a bid very similar to the first half (Koke shot at the edge of the area), but an offside turned the host’s party into a serious warning to Conceição’s team. The warning was heard and once FC Porto were able to free themselves from the initial pressure, they could even have taken the advantage, in a great shot from Eustáquio to which Oblak responded with an extraordinary save (55″).
As happened, Simeone launched at 61″ Griezmann; on the other hand, the yellowed Pepê gave the spot to João Mário. Another shot from Eustáquio startled Oblak (64″) and in the next minute threatened the goal, isolated by Taremi. Shortly after another chance, Conceição had two bad news, when Otávio had to leave on a stretcher after kneeling in the ribs (he was surrendered by Bruno Costa and Taremi after seeing the second yellow card for simulating a penalty.
Now without João Félix on the pitch, and in a frenzied final, FC Porto ingloriously let the points at stake slip away as compensation. They got it 1-0 in a lucky shot from Hermoso that turned into a hat after a rebound in Eustáquio (90″+2), tied with a penalty transformed by Uribe after the hand of the author of the goal colchonero (90″+5 ) and was eventually defeated in the last move (90″+11), after a corner that Witsel deflected for Griezmann to finish easily from close range on Pepe’s only mistake.
Source: DN
