FC PORTO 2 – 0 ATLETICO MADRID
I’m Joseph Southan and I’ll be covering the action at Estadio do Dragao tonight. Potential for an interesting evening of Champions League football in Group B today, if Atletico manage to better Leverkusen’s result they will enter the Europa league for the knockout stages and vice versa. Club Brugge and Porto will be keeping an eye on each other’s score line, as Porto can win the group if they win and Club Brugge falter.
1′ – Atletico Madrid get us underway here as they look to salvage a Europa league spot after their disappointing group stage
2′ – Diego Costa claims a high cross by Joao Felix as he looks to pick out a salmon shirt
3′ – Marcano clears after Correa’s failed cross and its out for a Atletico Corner
4′ – Porto regain possession after a poor corner but Taremi’s shot is underwhelming for want of a better word…
5′ – GOAAAALLLLLL! – Taremi pokes home at the back post after Evanilson flashes a shot across Oblak’s box, a massive dent in Atletico Madrid’s Europa league hopes as they’re now level on points with Bayer Leverkusen! FC PORTO 1 – 0 ATLETICO MADRID
Embed from Getty Images10′ – Ball is out of play as Pepe is down by the touchline after a clash with Joao Felix
12′ – Pepe is back on his feet and play will resume
13′ – Porto are cutting through this Atletico defence with ease! A big chance for Galeno is kept out by the feet of Jan Oblak.
16′ – Told you Leverkusen will be watching:
18′ – Correa and Molina linking up well on the right, and Atletico are now looking a bit more comfortable in possession.
19′ – Nearly a case of live blogger’s curse as Savic is nearly dispossessed at the back…
21′ – Simeone looks a bit on edge which I suppose is fair enough
23′ – A lot better from Atletico, they play all the way through Porto’s half with quick passes and flicks, but Renildo’s cross is poor
24′ – GOAAAAAAALL! – Great from Galeno as he takes a touch past Savic at pace and drags back to Eustaquio and the Canadian finishes with aplomb, Oblak was never saving that! Porto needed that, as Atletico were beginning to grow into the game, but Eustaquio has probably stamped out any progress for the time being. FC PORTO 2 – 0 ATLETICO MADRID
Embed from Getty Images27′ – As it stands Porto will win the group and Leverkusen will qualify for the Europa league, but we’ve a long way to go this evening.
29′ – Eustaquio’s corner is snatched by Oblak and he tries to get his team going again.
31′ – A serious lack of urgency from Atleti tonight, but they have shown flashes which will give the Spaniard’s a glimmer of hope.
32′ – Correa goes down in the box after a bit of contact from a Porto defender, but nothing is given.
34′ – Porto will be hoping to make it three before the break, and then it’s up to Leverkusen get something this evening in order to secure Porto the top spot.
37′ – Galeno finds Taremi with a back heel and its work on the ball from the Porto striker as he picks out Evanilson arriving late into the box who tests Oblak. Great play!
39′ – Grujic sees yellow after he catches Correa with a loose arm, The Argentine made a meal of the touch and so the ex-Liverpool man goes into the referee’s book.
42′ – Grujic blasts over the bar from 18 yards, but again its good work by Porto as Evanilson set him up with a back-heel
42′ – Renildo gets a yellow for an earlier foul, but he acknowledges the foul and gives the referee a crisp high-five. Nice.
45′ – Rodrigo De Paul and Conceicao are arguing by the technical area but nothing exciting comes of it.
HALF TIME FC PORTO 2 – 0 ATLETICO MADRID – a great half from FC Porto sits them first in group B as its goalless in Germany. Atletico Madrid are playing like a pub league team and I’m sure they’ll be told off by Simeone in the dressing room, and rightly so – given it nearly worked the other day against Cadiz, even though they eventually lost, it proves they are more than capable of coming back from adversity, so I won’t rule them out yet.
Embed from Getty Images46′ – Back underway here and Atletico will be looking to strike early in this half to initiate a comeback.
47′ – Saul Niguez latches on to a cross to the back post but he can’t contact properly and fails to hit the target
48′ – Another name goes into the referee’s book as Savic gets a yellow for his cynical trip on Sanusi… they clashed knees and Sanusi came off worse.
51′ Savic clears with his head from the resulting free kick.
Embed from Getty Images51′ Taremi is on fire and has another go at goal after bursting into the box
52′ SUBSTITUTION – Sanusi is forced to come off as he’s still struggling after Savic’s challenge, and Wendell has to take his place.
55′ – Atletico still struggling for inspiration in front of goal. They don’t look like themselves and as it stands they won’t be playing European football after this evening.
Embed from Getty Images57′ – Porto could definitely score more tonight, they’re looking sharp as ever and Taremi especially looks hungry for goals.
59′ – Joao Felix receives the ball outside the box and has a go at Costa, it’s easy for the keeper who is frustrated as Felix is clearly offside.
60′ SUSTITUTION –
62′ – Taremi plays in Evanilson but the Brazilian blasts over the bar, he had more time than he thought to pick a corner and the chance goes to waste.
66′ – It’s getting exciting! Taremi pinches the ball off Gimenez but can’t find a pass to a Porto man, in a flash Atletico break and Cunha’s first shot of the evening is blocked.
68′ NO GOAL – Griezmann blasts into the top corner but the referee had already blown the whistle for a foul by De Paul, it’s lucky for Porto, as it looks like just a 50/50 challenge. The decision passes a VAR check and despite it being harsh to Atletico, the goal wont stand.
68′ – The referee brandishes two yellow cards, one for Fabio Cardoso and one for Rodrigo De Paul, after they argued over the supposed foul.
Embed from Getty Images71′ – Carrasco is everywhere, trying to spark a comeback. He appears to be fouled but nothing is given and Porto break, and Evanilson wins a corner.
72′ – Renildo clears and it will be another corner for Porto.
73′ Evanilson has a free header but Oblak manages to make the save look easy. The Porto man really should’ve done better.
76′- Still Nil Nil in Germany by the way, so as it Stands Porto will win the group and Leverkusen will play in the Europa League.
77′ – Carrasco breaks but his shot is saved, the assistant had flagged anyway despite being clearly onside.
79′ – Correa fouls Cardoso and its clearly on purpose, but he manages to escape a yellow card somehow.
80′ – Pepe dispossesses Carrasco with ease, and receives a cheer from the home fans
81′ – Deja vu, Pepe dispossesses Carrasco with ease, and receives a cheer from the home fans.
81′ SUBSTITUTION –
83′ – Porto are really in a groove and repeatedly test Oblak, the crowd are in dreamland and huge chants of OLEEEEEEE are echoing round the ground.
86′ – Wendell beats his man and drags the ball back across the box, but he can’t find a team mate.
87′ Griezmann has another go, but it isn’t quite as good as his last and Costa Saves.
89′ SUBSTITUTION –
90′ – There will be a minimum of 5 minutes of added time.
90+1′ – Carrasco is played in behind again and fails to score, again.
90+2′ – Atletico have woken up, it only took them 92 minutes, and unless they pull off a miracle they are out of Europe. Its finished 0-0 between Leverkusen and Club Brugge.
GOALLLLLLLL! – They couldn’t, could they? Marcano deflects into his own net. FC PORTO 2 – 1 ATLETICO MADRID
FULL TIME FC PORTO 2 – 1 ATLETICO MADRID – Thanks for joining us for this evening’s early Champions League blog. Porto dominated Atletico with goals from Taremi and Eustaquio seeing them beat Simeone’s men in Salmon. Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen drew 0-0 and that means that Porto win Group B, and Atletico crash out fourth.
Player Ratings –
FC Porto: COSTA – 7, SANUSI – 6, MARCANO – 5, CARDOSO- 7, PEPE- 8 , EUSTAQUIO -8, GRUJIC – 7, OTAVIO – 7, GALENO -7, TAREMI – 9, EVANILSON 7
Atletico Madrid: OBLAK – 6, SAVIC – 5, GIMINEZ – 5, REINILDO – 5, MOLINA – 5, DE PAUL – 6, WITSEL – 6, NIGUEZ – 4, FELIX – 4, GRIEZMANN – 7, CORREA 6
