Porto 3-1 (4-3 on agg.) AS Roma
There was bedlam in Portugal tonight as Porto overturned a first-leg deficit to beat Roma to take a quarter-final place in the Champions League.
The 50,000-capacity Estadio do Dragao erupted when Telles scored an extra-time penalty to send Porto through after dominating the 120 minutes. There were rumours circulating Italy that Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco could be sacked if his side went out of the tournament tonight, and the Giallorossi fought for their lives under relentless pressure from the Portuguese.
But it’s a great night for Sergio Conceicao’s Porto. His side hasn’t featured at the top end of the Champions League 2019 odds table, at three-figure odds before the match, but they are now only two more wins from a final.
Highlights of the game
Porto began the game at a high tempo, and Jesus Corona came close to scoring his fourth goal of the competition when his well-hit volley flew just over the corner of Robin Olsen’s goal. Corona was soon on the attack again, and when his shot deflected into the path of Telles, the wingback fired into the side netting when the passionate home crowd expected the net to bulge.
Aleksandar Kolarov saw red in Roma’s defeat to Lazio at the weekend, and Hector Herrera tried to rough him up, hitting him with a rather late challenge, and the Porto skipper picked up a yellow card for his efforts.
A second-half goal from Adrian Lopez in Rome put this tie in the balance, but Sergio Conceicao left him on the bench tonight, starting with Tiquinho and Moussa Marega up front. And that looked a good decision when they combined to give Porto the lead after a fast breakaway, Marega picking up the ball on the overlap and squared for his strike partner to convert from close range.
That was on 26 minutes, but Porto’s lead lasted just ten. When Diego Perotti jinked into the penalty area, Eder Militao put in a sloppy challenge and the referee pointed to the spot to no one’s surprise. Daniele De Rossi stepped up to slide the ball into the bottom corner to put Roma back in charge.
Herrera almost restored Porto’s lead just before the break, but Olsen did well to save his curling shot.
The hosts began the second half well, and Tiquinho almost restored their lead, getting on the end of a Militao cross but his diving header bounced down and over the bar. But the home crowd erupted again on 53 minutes when Marega bagged his sixth goal of the competition. Corona did brilliantly on the left before swinging over a cross for the unmarked Marega to poke the ball home. It was 2-1, and at 3-3 on aggregate, the tie was on a knife-edge.
Porto continued to press throughout the rest of normal time, and substitute Yacine Brahimi brought another good save from Olsen with a well-aimed volley. At the other end, Perotti curled a shot wide when Nicolo Zaniolo was in a better position, and so extra time beckoned.
The hosts carried on bossing the game in extra time, and Marega came close on 95 minutes, firing just wide of Olsen’s post. The Malian striker was still a livewire over 100 minutes into the game.
Edin Dzeko had a golden chance to win the game midway through the second period, but he blazed his shot over the bar with only Casillas to beat. And a minute later, Pepe cleared off the line after Dzeko had chipped Casillas.
Then came the late drama as Alessandro Florenzi grabbed hold of Fernando’s shirt, and VAR awarded a penalty. Alex Telles stepped forward and slammed the ball into the net to spark mayhem at the Estadio do Dragao.
Key Statistics
Roma have been wasteful in recent weeks and that has put Di Francesco under pressure, but they made the most of their chances in the first half while the Porto strikers struggled with their aim. The hosts had 11 shots but only had three on target as they dominated the half, and Roma scored with their only shot on target.
And that penalty was the last shot the visitors had on target until the second period of extra time. And in the end, it was their lack of ambition which cost the Giallorossi dearly.
At SBOBET odds of 2.06 on a home win, Porto were good value with 31 shots and nine to Porto’s two on target. With nine of the last ten games featuring these two teams yielding over 2.5 goals, that was a good bet too.
And a big shout out to Porto’s 37-year-old keeper Iker Casillas. The three-time Champions League winner made his record 175th appearance in the competition tonight.
What’s next?
Porto made it to the last eight of the Champions League, and the draw for the quarter-finals will be held on 15th March in Nyon, Switzerland; so keep it here for all the latest Champions League 2019 news as it happens.
In the meantime, it’s back to domestic matters and more pressure for Di Francesco.
Roma are at home to 17th-placed Empoli and need a win to keep up the chase for the fourth spot, currently held by Inter Milan some three points ahead.
Porto have dropped two points behind Benfica at the top of the Primeira Liga and have an away trip to Feirense on Sunday where they should pick up three points against the bottom side which has lost the last five.
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