Porto have cut the gap behind Benfica to four points after beating Santa Clara 2-1 at Estádio do Dragão.
Sérgio Conceição’s side were awarded two penalties in the opening 45 minutes, the first converted by Mateus Uribe and the second sent wide by Otávio.
The Dragons failed to press home their advantage in the second half until Danny Namaso extended their lead in the 80th minute.
Kyosuke Tagawa’s added time goal was too little to late for the Azoreans who remain rock bottom in the Primeira Liga.
Porto dominate the first half
Porto’s opening opportunity came in the 15th minute when Galeno headed Wilson Manafá’s cross to Mateus Uribe, the midfielder’s shot coming back off the bar and Toni Martínez hitting the post with the follow up.
Santa Clara started to struggle with the pace of the game, Costinha and Bruno Jordão booked in quick succession.
Stephen Eustáquio unleashed a fierce strike that forced a fine save from Gabriel Batista before the breakthrough came in the 34th minute. Toni Martínez was pulled down by Ygor Nogueira after Otávio's clever ball into the box, Mateus Uribe stepping up and making no mistake from the spot.
Porto were awarded another penalty before the break when Pierre Sagna hesitated on a clearance before fouling Martínez. Otávio put the ball on the spot and dragged the penalty wide with Batista diving in the opposite direction.
Second half shit show
The Dragons couldn’t press home their advantage in the second half which saw Conceição shake things up in the 56th minute, switching to a more attacking formation woith Evanlison coming on for Stephen Eustáquio.
Pepê Aquino went close but chances were proving hard to come by, most of the 40,708 spectators in attendance noticeably restless.
Bruno Jordão and Ricardinho tried their luck from distance before Conceição made two more changes in the 67th minute, Manafá and Martínez making way for André Franco and Danny Namaso.
The home crowd continued to express their displeasure as Nogueira headed a corner wide. Accioly sensed the opportunity, bringing on Filip Stevanovic and Diogo Calila for Sagna and Ricardinho.
Namaso extends the lead
Porto finally doubled their advantage in the 80th minute when Galeno got to the byline, his cross cleared by Matheus de Araújo straight to Namaso who side footed the ball into the net.
Kyosuke Tagawa replaced Babi in the 88th minute and scored in added time, but it was too little too late for the Azorean club who have now lost nine consecutive matches.
Title race is on
Porto supporters were partying in the streets after Benfica conceded deep into added time in a 1-0 defeat in Chaves.
The atmosphere on the way to Estádio do Dragão was electric and the feel-good factor continued at half time despite Otávio’s penalty miss.
The second half didn’t turn out as planned, but the three points were eventually secured which cut the lead at the top of the table to four points with six games remaining.
Sérgio Conceição’s speech in the team huddle after the final whistle had some extra spice attached to it, Porto sensing their chance to overtake a Benfica side who have now lost three straight matches in all competitions.
With the Eagles still to host Braga and face Sporting Clube de Portugal at Estádio José Alvalade, the title race is well and truly on.
Santa Clara on the fast train to nowhere
Santa Clara last won a game of football on 14 November, a 3-1 win against Estoril in Ponta Delgada. Since then they have gone 19 matches without a win in all competitions, a run that includes 16 defeats.
The Azoreans have now lost nine straight in the Primeira Liga where they are seven points behind Marítimo who occupy the relegation play-off position. Manager Mário Silva was sacked in January and Jorge Simão lasted just seven games in charge before Danildo Accioly took on the unenviable role.
Santa Clara host Chaves, Gil Vicente and Portimonense with trips to Estoril, Braga and Benfica on the horizon.
We have seen miracle escapes before, and they surely have to pick up nine points in Ponta Delgada to have any chance.
Even if they pull a rabbit out of a hat this season, their problems on the pitch are not isolated.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office recently announced that they had carried out searches in the Azores, Madeira and mainland Portugal for suspicion of alleged illegitimate use of money through transfers to administrators’ accounts.
The Public Ministry stated that: “At stake are facts likely to constitute the practice of crimes of money laundering, economic participation in business, embezzlement and abuse of trust.”
Santa Clara could be on a familiar path for clubs spending limited time in the top flight, namely taken to the cleaners by investors and/or the victims of bad management before falling rapidly down the divisions, never to return.
It would be a shame to say goodbye after five seasons in the Primeira Liga. Many Portuguese football supporters have travelled to São Miguel and use the occasion to see the beautiful island for the first time.
By Matthew Marshall at Estádio do Dragão
