26 August 2006, by Marco Pereira

Champions start Liga campaign with home win

FC Porto 2-1 Leiria

FC Porto kicked off the 2006/07 season with a 2-1 victory over Uniao de Leiria at the Estadio do Dragao. First-half goals from Adriano and Quaresma guaranteed the three points and the Dragons showed they have no intention of giving up their title.

A surprise start was given to Argentinean midfielder, Lucho Gonzalez. The player had been hurt since the World Cup and featured very little during the pre-season, but managed to recover for FC Porto’s curtain raiser in the Liga.

Brazilian striker Adriano inaugurated the season’s goal-scoring in the 20th minute. Moroccan winger Sektioui made a run down the left flank, passing Leiria defenders Paulo Machado and Eder, and crossing the ball into the six-yard box where Adriano met the ball before defender, Valdomiro, and made no mistake to put Porto ahead.

Quaresma magic

Ricardo Quaresma, recalled into the Portugal squad earlier this week, got his first goal of the year on the stroke of half-time. The winger used his impressive ball dribbling skills, outwitting defender Marcos Antonio, before firing a shot inside the far post for Porto’s second of the evening.

The game had been completely dominated by Porto in the first half, and to spark his team into life, Leiria coach and ex-Porto striker, Domingos Paciencia, made changes at the interval by bringing on Paulo Gomes and Cadu Silva for Harison and Paulo Cesar respectively.

The substitutions paid dividends as Leiria got on the scoreboard through an excellent 68th-minute Sougou goal. The striker lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper after beating central defender, Pepe.

The victory was welcomed by new coach Jesualdo Ferreira in his first match in charge. A radiant Ferreira took to the podium for his press conference satisfied with his team’s performance.

“First of all, I’d like to thank my players. It was not easy to have gone through the last three weeks that they have; very agitated. Players are not numb to their surroundings during a period of instability, but they have managed to win their last four games (friendlies against Portsmouth and Manchester City, the Super Cup against Setubal and tonight’s game).”

“A new set-up also brings some anxiety, but it is true that the squad showed quality and spirit, especially in the first half. It was a just victory in front of a stadium full of our supporters. It was important to win this game.”

His Leiria counterpart, Domingos Paciencia, was less cheerful when speaking about the match. “I don’t know what got into my team during the first half. We forgot the basics, how to pass and how to be assertive in our marking. To play against FC Porto is always difficult and when there are these problems, it makes it that much harder. In the second half we got better and I saw the Uniao de Leiria of pre-season.”

Domingos also spoke about his return to Porto after wearing the blue and white for 10 years. He said that he felt strong emotion when he re-entered the Estadio do Dragao, and wished Porto luck.

FC Porto:
Helton, Bosingwa, Pepe, Marek Cech, Paulo Assuncao, Luch Gonzalez (Lisandro Lopez, 79), Raul Meirless, Anderson (Jorginho, 65), Ricardo Quaresma (Vieirinha, 65), Adriano, Tarik Sektioui

Leiria:
Bruno Vale, Eder, Marcos Antonio, Valdomiro, Tixier, Faria,Paulo Machado, Harison (Paulo Gomes, 46), Sougou, Paulo Cesar (Cadu Silva, 46), Toure (Ivanildo, 70)

Goals:
[1-0] Adraino, 20
[2-0] Ricardo Quaresma, 45
[2-1] Sougou, 68