Quaresma strike edges Porto towards title triumph

FC Porto 1-0 Academica

After a draining night and glorious failure in the Champions League against Schalke in midweek, Academica were the perfect opponents for an understandably tired FC Porto at the Estadio do Dragao last night.

In a poor game of football Ricardo Quaresma’s first-half strike proved enough to earn the three points against an inoffensive Academica, who did not force Helton into a single save all match.

The Dragons have now gone 18 hours of football without conceding a goal in front of their supporters, and only once in the Liga has their net been violated when playing at home all season.

Wing wizard Quaresma showed no lack of confidence despite missing that golden chance against Schalke in extra time, skipping past his marker and firing an unstoppable cross-shot into the net in typically flamboyant fashion on 31 minutes.

Without ever getting out of first gear, Porto could easily have increased their advantage as Sektioui, Meireles, Lisandro, Lucho and Farias all came close to hitting the net.

But the destiny of the three points was never in doubt, even when late Porto substiute Mariano Gonzalez was shown a red card in the dying minutes.

FC Porto:
Helton, Fucile, Pedro Emanuel, Bruno Alves, Cech, Lucho, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Meireles (Lino, 90), Sektioui (Farias, 72), Lisandro, Quaresma (Mariano, 80)
Yellow Cards: Quaresma, Paulo Assuncao
Red Card: Mariano (90)

Academica:
Pedro Roma, Pedro Costa, Orlando, Kaka, Cleber (Lito, 76), Paulo Sergio, Tiero (Ivanildo, 46), Luis Aguiar, Nuno Piloto, Paulo Sergio, Cris (Miguel Pedro, 46), Joeano
Yellow Cards: Lito

Goals:
[1-0] Quaresma, 31