Porto consolidate lead at table top

Pacos de Ferreira 0-2 FC Porto

FC Porto won their sixth consecutive away match in the Liga Sagres with a 2-0 triumph over Pacos de Ferreira. A goal in each half from Hulk and Bruno Alves (penalty) earned the three points and allows the Dragons to sit back and watch the Lisbon derby tomorrow with a comfortable 4-point lead over second-placed Benfica.

Porto boss Jesualdo Ferreira opted to rest Lucho Gonzalez and Cristian Rodriguez ahead of the Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, with Tomas Costa and Farias handed places in the starting XI.  

After a lukewarm start to the match the visitors took the lead from their first shooting chance of the match. Hulk received a short pass inside the box and despite being at a tight angle released a fierce shot that flew into the top corner with the aid of a slight deflection off defender Ricardo.  

Denied by crossbar

The hosts were unlucky not to level the scores in the 27th minute when Rui Miguel hit a tremendous shot from 25 metres that beat Helton but crashed back into play off the bar.  

Andre Pinto, Pedrinha and Danielson all had decent efforts for Pacos from distance before the break, while Lisandro and Hulk threatened for Porto but the teams went into the interval with just one goal scored.

The start of the second half saw Ferreira for Pacos and Bruno Alves for Porto exchange near misses, and the lively hosts were refusing to lie down as they asked plenty of questions of the Porto rearguard, showing why they have one of the best attacks in the league.  

Clumsy challenge

However, the Portuguese champions got a killer second goal on 65 minutes. Ricardo sent Hulk crashing to the ground with a clumsy tackle in the box to give away an undisputable penalty. Portugal centre-back Bruno Alves dispatched the spot kick into the corner of the net.  

On 84 minutes Pacos had the ball in the net as substitute Carlos Carneiro deflected an Andre Pinto header past Helton, but the effort was ruled out as the forward had used his arm.  

Porto almost scored a third goal on three occasions in the closing minutes as Hulk twice and Lisandro came close to finding the net. All in all it was a satisfactory night for the Dragons and a timely confidence booster ahead of the resumption of their Champions League campaign.  

by Tom Kundert

Pacos de Ferreira:
Coelho, Danielson (Leandro Tatu), Ricardo, Kelly, Jorginho, Dede, Ferreira, Pedrinha, Rui Miguel, Edson (Carneiro, 71), Andre Pinto

Yellow Cards: Dede

FC Porto:
Helton, Sapunaru, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Cissokho, Fernando (Mariano, 82), Tomas Costa, Meireles (Lucho, 69), Lisandro Lopez, Hulk, Farias (Rodriguez, 62)

Yellow Cards: Sapunaru, Lucho

Goals:

[0-1] Hulk, 16

[0-2] Bruno Alves, 65 (pen)