FC Porto 3-0 Vitória
FC Porto have failed in their defence of the Primeira Liga title after Benfica’s home win versus Santa Clara secured the championship, this Saturday, despite the Dragons’ 3-0 triumph at home to Vitória.
Sérgio Conceição’s men were in need of a huge favour from bottom-of-the-table Santa Clara in order to leapfrog Benfica at the top of the table, as Vitória came to town.
Porto held up their end of the bargain with a 3-0 victory, complete with goals from Mehdi Taremi, Otávio and Evanilson, but an equally-proficient night in front of goal for the Eagles meant the Blue & Whites were kept at bay, trailing top-spot by two points on the final day of the season.
Conceição pulled up no surprises with his XI at the Estádio do Dragão, filled to the brim with hopefuls roaring their team on to a potential back-to-back conquest of the Primeira Liga title. Things began to look very favourable for the Northern giants after their regional heavyweights Vitória found themselves reduced to ten men just two minutes in, following Tomás Händel’s red card for a poor challenge on Matheus Uribe.
Just five minutes later, an incredible run on the counter from Pepê enabled the Brazilian to set Taremi up for the opener, with the Iranian requiring little more than a side-foot towards goal to break the deadlock.
Unfortunately for the Dragons, the Eagles had also taken the lead via Gonçalo Ramos before doubling their advantage through Rafa Silva, just as Otávio’s strike across goal landed a second blow to Vitória in the 32nd minute.
In the 39th minute, Evanilson made it 3-0 with a classy finish on the half-volley, adding comfort to the scoreline before the half-time interval.
For the second half, the protagonists were the same but the intensity wasn’t quite at the levels demonstrated in the first period, with Vitória holding back Porto’s waning forcefulness and appetite.
The Primeira Liga’s top scorer Taremi neared a brace in the 67th minute with a chipped attempt on Bruno Varela, stopped by the ex-Benfica man before Ibrahima Bamba’s risqué clearance off the line, using his shoulder.
Porto left it a 3-0 - a score matched by Benfica at the Estádio da Luz - as the Dragons bowed out to a second-placed finish behind their bitter rivals, lifting the title for the first time in four years.
By Patrick Ribeiro
FC Porto XI: Diogo Costa - Wendell (Danny Namaso, 82’), Ivan Marcano, Pepe, Pepê (Rodrigo Conceição, 63’) - Galeno (Gabriel Veron, 63’), Matheus Uribe, Stephen Eustáquio, Otávio (André Franco, 74’) - Mehdi Taremi, Evanilson (Toni Martínez, 63’)
Vitória XI: Bruno Varela - André Amaro, Ibrahima Bamba, Mamadou Tounkara - Afonso (Hélder Sá, 45’), Tomás Händel, Dani Silva (Matheus Índio, 59’), Maga - Jota (Tiago Silva, 22’), André Silva (Anderson, 75’), Mikey Johnston (Zé Carlos, 22’)
Goals
1-0 - Mehdi Taremi (8’)
2-0 - Otávio (32’)
3-0 - Evanilson (39’)