Everything is the same on the front, four days after the end of the League. With a penalty kick unlocking a rather uninspiring performance, FC Porto managed to beat Boavista in the Invicta derby to stay four points behind leaders Benfica and two points ahead of Sp. Braga. Diogo Costa eventually kept the win with a great save in the final phase, when the team was already playing with ten due to the exclusion of Iván Marcano.
Still without João Mário, Sérgio Conceição, after making some saves in the Cup at Famalicão, opted for Manafá on the right side of defence, with Eustáquio joining Uribe in midfield and Pepê on the left wing, relegating Galeno to the bench . Up front, Taremi teamed up with Evamilson again. On the other hand, with guaranteed maintenance and in a quiet 12th place at the start of this match, Petit bet on the same eleven that defeated Rio Ave in the final round.
In a Dragão in a festive environment, it was soon realized that FC Porto, pressured by the triumphs of direct rivals, would have no facilities. Within minutes, Otávio was feuding with Salvador Agra and Seba Pérez, reflecting the initial nervousness with which the team took the field against an opponent well closed in midfield. Still, the Portuguese-Brazilian midfielder was close to opening the score at 14”, after Bracalli had blocked Pepê’s dangerous cross as best he could.
Boavista also responded with a header, but Makouta’s deflection after a free kick did not frighten Diogo Costa. Soon after, Cannon prevented Porto’s goal after the first corner, ahead of Marcano. From then on, the clash between Invicta’s neighbors took on the appearance of some kind of condominium meeting: some arguments, a lot of discussion but no one made a decision to solve the 0-0 problem.
Pepê still tried to present proposals, but they kept bumping into the majority of Boavista in their area, and the best chance until the break landed with the visitors, more because of Diogo Costa’s distraction than because of the idea that the vote was presented: a wide cross from Agra, a ball to the edge of the penalty area and a curled shot from Pérez that let the blue and white keeper slip out of his hands. Oddly enough, that one would end up flush with the post on the other side (34″).
short and long sleeves
Dissatisfied with what he saw, Conceição didn’t settle for less and made three changes for the second half, launching Galeno, Toni Martínez and André Franco in the places of Manafá, Evanilson and Eustáquio – forcing Pepê to return to the right side, which didn’t stop him from being man of the match. Yet FC Porto did not start off better, on the contrary. The team felt the tension of not being able to fail and Boavista, calm, took the opportunity to go out on the field more often.
Until, at 58″, and when nothing would let him predict it, Ricardo rolled up his sleeves and was too frank in approaching a ball chasing André, knocking him down in the penalty area. stadium (59″).
The afternoon, however, was not one of rest. It wasn’t long before Marcano missed a catch and left Ricardo isolated. Without hesitation, he pulled it up by the sleeves and saw, without a hint of protest, the direct red. Nothing came of the free kick and the FC Porto coach sacrificed Toni Martínez to put Fábio Cardoso next to Pepe.
Until the end, the game revolved around the panthers, who showed their claws several times. Bozenik (81″), Yussufa (82″) and again Bozenik (87″, to a great save from Diogo Costa) were close to reaching the draw they even justified, but in the end FC Porto held on to a hard-fought for the win and even lost Uribe to Arouca in the next round.
Source: DN
