Having beaten Benfica 3-2 at the Estadio da Luz last Friday, all expectations were for a highly motivated Porto to go all out and build on their 3-point advantage at the top of the standings as the title race moves into the home straight. The fact that they were facing an Academica side that hadn’t won for two months (eight games) only added to the feeling this match was a ’home banker’.

It was therefore all the more mystifying to witness a turgid performance from the Portuguese champions in the opening 45 minutes, with a complete lack of aggressiveness, laboured movement and some atrocious passing. Porto were not helped by an injury picked up by Fernando, with the in-form midfielder replaced by Defour.

A well organised Academica team took advantage as Edinho headed in a Saulo cross in the 39th minute (his third goal in four games) to give the Students the lead going into the break.

Porto came out more positively in the second half, although the stylish football that marked the first and last twenty minutes of last week’s classico remained conspicuous by its absence. Twice the home supporters roared for a penalty as first Hulk then James went down in the box. On both occasions the referee responded by showing the yellow card to the Porto forwards for simulation.

An increasingly desperate Porto coach Vitor Pereira, who replaced Sapunaru with Djalma shortly after half time, added further to his side’s attacking options by throwing on striker Kleber for centre-back Rolando with 30 minutes remaining.

Moutinho denied by the bar

Joao Moutinho was unlucky not to score the equaliser on 67 minutes as for the second match running his well-struck free kick hit the crossbar. Despite the increased energy levels from the home side, Academica goalkeeper Peiser was largely untroubled.

Academica’s resistance was finally broken on the 90 minute mark as Pape Sow handled in the box for an obvious penalty and was promptly sent off for his troubles. Hulk blasted the spot kick into the net, and Porto almost grabbed an unlikely victory moments later as Peiser made a superb interception to prevent Hulk’s cross from allowing Janko what would have been a certain goal.

A disappointed Vitor Pereira admitted after the match that “Porto did not exist in the first half,” in an eerily similar gripe to his post-match interview after Academica had knocked Porto out of the Portuguese Cup in November.

With eight Liga matches remaining Porto know they will need a big improvement if their want to retain their title.

Porto:
Helton, Alvaro Pereira, Maicon, Sapunaru (Djalma, 53), Rolando (Kleber, 61), Fernando (Defour, 37), Lucho Gonzalez, Joao Moutinho, Janko, James Rodriguez

Goals:
[0-1] Edinho, 39
[1-1] Hulk, 90

Braga 2-1 Uniao de Leiria