Penalty gives the gas to the pressure of the Dragon

You need to be back by the third matchday in mid-August 2022 to see Porto get so close to the top of the league. A very difficult victory this Saturday in Pacos de Ferreira allowed the blue and whites to reduce the difference with Benfica to one point, which will play only Estoril this Sunday.

It was a super offensive dragon, the same one that appeared in Mata Real. Otavio joined Uribe in the center of the field, leaving the flanks of Pepe and Galeno. Ahead is the duet that Sergio Conceição uses most often: Taremi and Evanilson.

Undoubtedly, it was Pasos who entered the game better and from the very beginning gave Diogo Costa goosebumps. After that, Porto picked up the game, but slowness and few attacking ideas almost never bothered Vekic in the first half. With no speed on the flanks, the blue and whites tried head-on passes, which the central defenders from Paso almost always annulled. Without great opportunities and without great attacking qualities, the atmosphere heated up in the 33rd minute when Pepe fell in the Pasos zone in the application with Antunes. Verissimo scored a penalty but ended up overturning the decision in the face of protests from the Blue and Whites.
Nearly closing the first half, Pasos played one short after a childish deed by Hoslegrove, who committed two fouls in 56 seconds, which saw a double yellow and then a red.

Difficulties for Porto began after the break with chance after missed chance. Taremi missed two egg whites and Pepe missed another. The game and Porto’s goal would have been from the penalty spot in the end. The Iranian striker, who had previously been a spender, did not hesitate.

Until the end, the blue and whites naturally extended the score with the help of Tony Martinez from Namaso’s pass. This Sunday, ahead of the Copa del Portugal clash with Famalicao, Porto are keeping a close eye on what Benfica will do in Luz.

Positive
there have been changes
Sergio Conceição, after a weak first half, moved forward in the second half and knew how to escalate the situation. Andre Franco converted the penalty, while Tony Martinez and Namaso made it 2-0.

Negative
unrestrained Scot
Scot Holsgrove even showed good results. But two yellow cards and the red card that followed in 56 seconds destroyed all intentions of Pazos to score points.

referee
Valuable help from VAR
In the 33rd minute, Verissimo awards a penalty. VAR asked the referee to watch the move, but eventually reversed the decision. Fixed expulsion from Holsgrove (double yellow). Penalty, giving 1-0, accepted.

“In the second half, we deftly and patiently looked for a goal”
“Early in the game, we had isolated errors that allowed Pasos to get closer to our goal. Then we dominated the game. Pasos played well defensively. He was aggressive, and if he always played like that, he would hardly have been relegated,” said Sergio Conceição. The coach admitted that the game in the first half was not easy, despite some opportunities: “Taremi in the application, where there are probably penalties, in vain. In the second half with another one, not that it became easier, as it was in the game with Casa Pia, we deftly and patiently searched for a goal. We missed four, five, six clear points. We could have ended the game more rested,” stressed the manager, who downplayed the fact that he spent at least one day behind leaders Benfica: “It doesn’t change anything, we want to have one point more than the opposition in May. “

“We fought a lot.”
“We fought a lot from the very beginning. The way we behaved in the game was decisive. In my opinion, the referee could award two more penalties in our favor. the team won,” he said. Taremi, who scored his 15th league goal this Saturday.

Peixoto attacks Sergio
“We are aggressive not only with Porto. We are with everyone. Let Sergio worry about his team,” said coach Pacos de Ferreira.

Eustace on behalf of mother
Taremi scored Porto’s first goal from a penalty kick and, during the celebration, ran to his team bench, where Eustaquio was, whom he hugged. The Luso-Canadian midfielder recently lost his mother, and when he took the field in the final part of the match, he wore the name of his mother, Esmeralda, on his back.