Comeback takes FC Porto to brink of championship crown

Belenenses 1-2 FC Porto

For the second match running FC Porto came from a goal down to clock up a 2-1 victory as they march imperiously on towards a third consecutive Portuguese title.

Weldon put Belenenses in front in the 40th minute, but Lisandro Lopez equalised early in the second half and Lucho Gonzalez converted a last-minute penalty to give the Dragons all three points.

With six matches remaining Jesualdo Ferreira’s team now require just one more victory to make mathematically certain of the title.

Nevertheless, Porto had it far from all their own way against a Belenenses side that had already beaten Benfica and Sporting at the Restelo. The visitors were the better side in the first half, but Belenenses refused to be dominated and restricted Porto to few half-chances.

At the other end of the pitch the excellent Ze Pedro had already almost given the hosts the lead with a venomous long-range shot, before Weldon took advantage of some uncharacteristically sloppy defending to score the opening goal five minutes before the break.

With the Porto defence pushing out of the box and vainly claiming offside, Weldon controlled a fine cross and slotted the ball past Helton.

Porto came out firing on all cylinders in the second period, and it was no surprise when Lisandro continued his memorable season with another excellent goal, running across the edge of the box before hammering an unstoppable right-foot shot into the net.

From that moment onwards the champions elect hogged play and pushed hard for the winner, and with Belenenses looking dangerous on the counter-attack the sizeable crowd in the spring sunshine were treated to some fine attacking play, albeit without many clear-cut openings.

With the full-time whistle moments away Quaresma burst into the box and went to ground under the close attentions of two Belenenses defenders. The referee pointed straight to the spot and Lucho Gonzalez confidently dispatched the penalty past Julio Cesar to trigger chants of “campeoes, campeoes, nos somos campeoes” among the joyous travelling supporters.

Next Saturday, at home to Estrela da Amadora, the party will surely well and truly begin.

Belenenses:
Julio Cesar, Amaral (Fernando, 89), Rolando, Hugo Alcantara, Rodrigo Alvim, Ruben Amorim, Gabriel Gomez, Silas (Rafael Bastos, 84), Jose Pedro, Roncatto (Joao Paulo Oliveira, 79), Weldon
Yellow Cards: Hugo Alcantara

FC Porto:
Helton, Bosingwa, Pedro Emanuel, Bruno Alves, Fucile, Lucho, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Meireles (Kazmierczak, 87), Lisandro, Farias (Adriano, 67), Quaresma

Yellow Cards: Pedro Emanuel

Goals:
[1-0] Weldon, 40
[1-1] Lisandro, 48
[1-2] Lucho 90 (pen)