The first leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-finals were played this midweek.
Porto beat Sporting 2-1 at Alvalade on Wednesday night, while on Thursday Tondela all but booked their place at Jamor thanks to a 3-0 victory over Mafra.
PortuGOAL rounds up the action with video highlights.
Sporting 1-2 Porto
With memories of the fiery Primeira Liga encounter between the two sides still fresh in the mind, a big crowd was in attendance at Alvalade as Sporting and Porto resumed hostilities. Both teams gave little away in a cagey first half, Matheus Nunes coming closest to breaking the deadlock for the hosts with a fierce shot from outside the area that whistled just wide.
Sporting took the lead at the start of the second half through a wonderful Pablo Sarabia goal. A free kick on the right flank from Pedro Porro had initially seen the Spanish right-back force Marchesín into a flying save with a direct strike for goal, but the referee ordered it to be retaken as flares had been thrown onto the pitch by the Sporting fans. Porro this time opted to pass square to his compatriot, with Sarabia producing a sumptuous side-footed finish from 20 yards that arrowed into the roof of the net.
Sporting 1-2 Porto highlights
Porto responded immediately to the setback, with only a superb Neto interception denying a certain goal. The pressure from the Dragons paid off as Porro and Evanilson clashed and fell in the box with the referee pointing to the penalty spot. Mehdi Taremi made no mistake to equalise.
Just five minutes later and Porto had turned it around as the Dragons cut through the Sporting defence with a magnificent breakaway team goal. João Mário, Pepê and Taremi were all involved as the ball was swiftly worked from defence to attack, with Evanilson producing the finish from Taremi’s outstanding backheel assist.
Sporting coach Rúben Amorim responded by throwing on Islam Slimani, but it was Porto who were bossing the game, creating several chances to extend their lead, the best of which Otávio spurned by dinking by ball over Adán but just past the post. Sporting almost grabbed a late equaliser as Coates’ header was well saved by Marchesín.
Tondela 3-0 Mafra
Both teams had made history reaching this far in the Portuguese Cup, with Mafra’s run particularly noteworthy given the second-division side had knocked out two top-flight sides (Moreirense and Portimonense) to reach the last four.
Tondela made their theoretical superiority count, however, as goals by Tiago Dantas, Manu Hernando and Neto Borges put Pako Ayestarán’s team in commanding position ahead of the second leg.
Tondela 3-0 Mafra highlights
by Tom Kundert
