Manchester United 2-2 FC Porto: player ratings

Fernando – thou shall not pass

Portuguese champions FC Porto put in a superb display at Old Trafford tonight to give themselves an excellent chance of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. (match report). PortuGOAL analyses the Dragons player by player:

Helton: It was a big test for the happy-go-lucky goalkeeper, who has let his side down on the big occasion more than once. A fine early diving stop from a Ronaldo header boosted the Brazilian’s confidence. Helton made two more good saves in the second half, dealt well with crosses and was not at fault for either goal. 7.5/10 

Sapunaru: Many feared the worst as the Romanian was charged with being Ronaldo’s direct opponent. But the defender showed more evidence of his much improved form of late, putting in a nerveless display and using his height to good effect to help deal with United’s dangerous aerial game. 7/10 

Cissokho: The French Senegalese right-back was singled out for praise (along with Fernando) by Jesualdo Ferreira after the match and the 21-year-old exhibited remarkable maturity in a vibrant show of purposeful running, dangerous crossing and secure defending. 8/10 

Rolando: Solid performance from the recently capped Portugal central defender, although he will be disappointed he allowed Tevez to beat him for the second United goal. 7/10 

Bruno Alves: One of Porto’s most consistent performers over the last two years, Alves will want to forget this match in a hurry. A horrible mistake led to the softest of equalisers, putting the brakes on Porto’s sensational start to the game, and another bad error in the second half led to a dangerous free-kick that was almost a penalty. Commanding in the air as usual. 5/10 

Fernando: A simply magnificent performance from the 21-year-old Brazilian. Time and time again the defensive midfielder was in the right place at the right time to make crucial interceptions. Nullified Ronaldo’s threat imperiously. This was the night that Fernando definitively made the Porto fans forget the loss of Paulo Assuncao. 9/10 

Raul Meireles: Another solid all-round display from the underrated Meireles. The tattooed torso of the Portugal international popped up when it was needed, doing much of the donkey work to allow Lucho and the front three to shine. 7.5/10 

Lucho Gonzalez: Sheer class. The Argentine is one of those players who always seems to have an extra second on the ball, using it productively, making sure Porto retained the initiative for much of the match and launching a series of piercing passes to his team-mates. 8/10 

Cristian Rodriguez: An expertly finished goal set Porto on their way and the Uruguayan was full of selfless running as usual, also threatening twice more with headers that kept Van der Sar alert. 7/10 

Lisandro Lopez: The Argentine is Porto’s top scorer in the competition with six goals so far, and he started with a bang by belting a superb effort towards the top corner in the opening exchanges. Forced Van der Sar into another good stop in the second half and showed superb awareness to set up compatriot Mariano for the late equaliser. 7.5/10 

Hulk: United had obviously been well versed in the threat posed by the exciting Brazilian talent, who was usually double or triple marked. Far less in evidence than in most games this season, Hulk was rarely able to free himself from the shackles of United’s defence, but still gave the English rearguard plenty to think about. 7/10 

Mariano Gonzalez: The substitute scored a dramatic equaliser, evoking memories of Costinha’s famous leveller that knocked United out of the competition in 2004 (scored at the same end) on Porto’s way to lifting the trophy. You can’t ask more for a 15-miute cameo. 7/10 

Tomas Costa: a little under 15 minutes on the pitch, most noteworthy for picking up a bloodied nose in stoppage time. 5/10 

Andres Madrid: Less than a minute of action.  

By Tom Kundert