FC Porto restored their 4-point buffer at the top the table with a 1-0 home victory over Rio Ave tonight. Danish midfielder Victor Froholdt scored the all-important goal midway through the first half, after good work by Polish teenager Oskar Pietuszewski.
Porto were expected to easily roll over Rio Ave, the Vila do Conde team struggling badly in recent weeks following the sale of their two star players, Clayton and André Luiz, in the January transfer window.
The visitors put in a spirited performance, however, especially from an attacking perspective with the away team mustering six attempts at goal throughout the 90 minutes.
But Porto always carried a greater threat, and with better finishing and a touch more luck the Dragons could have constructed a thrashing.
Woodwork denies Dragons
Three times the hosts were denied by the woodwork, Gabri Veiga, Victor Froholdt and Rodrigo Mora seeing their efforts bounce back off the frame of the goal.
Striker Deniz Gül has been chosen to lead the attacking line as Samu’s replacement since the Spaniard’s season-ending ACL injury, and the Turk twice came close to finding the net either side of half time.
He seemed certain to score 39th minute but fell as he was shooting under a challenge from Tamás Nikitscher. The referee waved away the loud shouts for a penalty.
Gül did have the ball in the net in the 49th minute, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for an offside in the buildup.
It mattered not as Porto collected their 20th win in 23 Primeira Liga matches to remain in pole position to win the Portuguese title for the first time in four years.
