Many lost finals since 1990, when the last Roller Hockey Champions League came to the dragon museum. FC Porto beat Valongo 5-1 this Sunday and is European champion for the third time in history and 33 years after the last conquest.
In the José Natário pavilion, in Viana do Castelo, the dragons were superior to the people of Valongu. Carlo Di Benedetto scored twice, Rafa, Gonçalo Alves and Xavi Barroso scored the goals for the dragons. Valongo responded with a goal from Miguel Moura.
In this final to 8, the dragons beat Benfica (4-2) and Barcelona (4-3) to reach the final. Those from Valongo eliminated Sporting (3-2) and Oliveirense (6-4) to reach the decisive match.
The first dangerous move came from Facu Puente’s suit. The shot was first saved by Malián and then hit the crossbar of Porto’s goal.
Although Valongo started more dangerous, it was FC Porto that opened the scoring, in the eighth minute. In a counterattack of three to two, Carlo Di Benedetto served Rafa and the Portuguese international, with the famous picadinha, opened the scoring in the final.
The first foul came shortly after, with the teams remaining for almost nine minutes without committing fouls.
At 12′, Miguel Moura came out from behind Xavi Malián’s goal to score, but the play was annulled by the refereeing team, since the Valongo player touched the ball with his skate.
In the next minute, Miguel Moura attempted a similar play and this time launched a bomb into the corner of the FC Porto goal, without touching the ball with his skate.. Match tied in Viana do Castelo.
At minute 14 it was the turn of the dragons to cancel a goal. Gonçalo Alves made the pass to Xavi Barroso and deflected it towards the goal, but the refereeing duo considered that the touch was with the skate.
With 18 minutes played, another counterattack from the dragons. Di Benedetto advanced through the center of the defense, but this time he did not give the ball to a teammate and took advantage of Xano Edo’s shot into the back of the net. FC Porto again in advantage.
At 21′, Facu Navarro committed a foul in an attack by Valongo and the refereeing team showed a blue card. When converting the direct free kick to penalize the card, Gonçalo Alves shot hard under the body of Xano Edo and made it 3-1.
With a minute and a half to go in the first half, Facu Navarro stole the ball from Gonçalo Alves and finished off another good intervention by Malián. In the next play, it was Xano Edo who shone in the opposite goal, denying Rafa the goal.
The game went to halftime with FC Porto winning 3-1. As for fouls, the dragons had five, while Valongo had seven.
The second half began with the most common play of the first. Carlo Di Benedetto led a counterattack from right to left, knocked down two opponents and deceived Xano Edo to make it 4-1.
FC Porto were more bossy in the second half and created several scoring chances to close the match in Viana dos Castelo. When Valongo tried to reduce, Xavi Malián appeared to prevent that from happening.
Eight minutes from the end, Facu Puente entered the area and tried to score, but the opponent touched him with the stick. When converting the penalty, Facu Puente hit the crossbar and Xavi Malián saved the rebound.
With six minutes to go, FC Porto maintained their three-goal lead and both teams committed nine fouls. In the next minute, Valongo fouled a free kick. In the conversion, Gonçalo Alves hit the crossbar and, on the reload, tested the puncture, but Xano Edo defended him.
With a minute and a half to play, FC Porto closed the match. Xavi Barroso appeared facing Xano Edo and made it 5-1.
The game ended shortly after. It is the third time that the dragons have won the biggest competition in European roller hockey, after victories in 1986 and 1990.
Five from FC Porto: Xavi Malián, Telmo Pinto, Rafa, Di Benedetto and Gonçalo Alves.
Five from Valongo: Xano Edo, Rafael Bessa, Nuno Santos, Facu Navarro and Facu Puente.
Substitutes for FC Porto: Tiago Rodrigues, Ezequiel Mena, Xavi Barroso, Reinaldo García and Diogo Barata.
Valongo substitutes: Gonçalo Bento, Miguel Moura, Francisco Silva and Diogo Abreu.
Source: TSF
