Dominant Porto sail into last sixteen

FC Porto 2-0 Besiktas

FC Porto qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League as winners of Group A following a comfortable home win over Turkish outfit Besiktas.

Goals from Lucho Gonzalez and Ricardo Quaresma gave the Portuguese champions a well-deserved victory against a durable visiting side, who saw their hopes of progression ended at the Dragao.

As had been promised by manager Jesualdo Ferreira, Porto were positive throughout the match, but after some early pressure struggled to create many clear-cut chances during the majority of the first period, with Besiktas composed but offering little goal threat despite needing a win to stay in the competition.

Quaresma, who was frustrated by a hugely unjust booking early on for diving, came closest to breaking the deadlock in the early stages when he skipped past his marker on the right and floated a deep cross to the back post, which almost dropped in as Besiktas goalkeeper Rustu scrambled back towards his goal line.

Disallowed goal

As well as feeling hard-done-by with Quaresma’s yellow card, Porto were also denied a seemingly legitimate opening goal when Lisandro Lopez headed in Bosingwa’s cross, only to be ruled offside by the linesman.

Porto remained patient and began to turn the screw towards the end of the half, starting with Bosingwa’s mazy run in the 40th minute that resulted in a good reaction save from Rustu. Shortly afterwards, the Turkish keeper was again called into action, pushing Tarik Sektioui’s 20-metre effort round the post.

The opening goal did arrive before the break, however, with captain Lucho putting the hosts ahead. Raul Meireles hammered the ball into the penalty area and, seemingly adjudging that two Porto players were offside, Rustu made a half-hearted effort at claiming the ball, allowing Tarik to cushion possession into the path of Lucho, who fired into an empty net from close range.

The Turks were furious with the decision, but replays showed that the linesman had made the correct call in keeping his flag down. Despite their grievance, which saw Rustu booked, Besiktas emerged from the break a more dangerous proposition and Helton was called into action to deny Serdar Özkan, before Cisse pulled a shot wide from the resulting corner.

However, Besiktas’ willingness to throw more men forward played into Porto’s hands, with Sektioui and Paulo Assuncao both threatening to double their side’s advantage as the Portuguese began to look dangerous on the counter-attack.

Cool Quaresma finish

The second goal came in the 62nd minute, giving Porto the cushion they needed to fend off a spirited but ineffectual Besiktas side. Lisandro Lopez again showed his value in this season’s competition, playing a ball through to put Quaresma in on goal, resulting in the winger calmly sliding his finish wide of Rustu and into the back of the net.

There were further chances for Sektioui and Lopez for Porto, while Toraman went close with a header for the Turkcell Süper Lig team, but the Portuguese cruised towards the final whistle to secure their spot in the next round, with their position as group winners earning them a place in the more favourable half of the draw for the last sixteen.

Porto:
Helton, Bosingwa, Fucile (Cech, 75), Alves, Pedro Emanuel, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Meireles, Lucho Gonzalez (Bolatti, 81), Sektioui (Postiga, 74), Ricardo Quaresma, Lisandro Lopez
Yellow Cards: Quaresma (23)

Besiktas:
Rustu, Tandogan, Uzulm, Toraman, Mercimek, Cisse, Tello (Higuain, 84), Ozkan, Yilmaz (Akin, 45), Delgado, Bobo
Yellow Cards: Rustu (44), Bobo (64), Akin (87)

Goals:
[1-0] Lucho Gonzalez, 44
[2-0] Ricardo Quaresma, 62