Porto kept one hand on the Liga Portugal title after two late goals at Estádio do Dragão secured a 3-1 victory against Arouca.
Francesco Farioli’s side put the ball into the net after just 13 seconds when Oskar Pietuszewski converted Victor Froholdt’s cross. The teenager was initially ruled offside before the VAR decided he was 6cm onside.
Froholdt turned Alberto Costa’s cross against the post before Pietuszewski stung the hands of Ignacio de Arruabarrena, Deniz Gül unable to convert the rebound.
Porto continued to pile on the pressure and went close on the stroke of half-time. Pietuszewski’s cross to the back post found Pepê who looked certain to score before Bas Kuipers came up with a crucial block.
Javi Sánchez picked up an injury in the first half and didn’t return after half-time, the central defender replaced by Boris Popović.
Taichi Fukui rattled the bar less than 60 seconds after the restart but normal service was swiftly resumed, Gabri Veiga testing Arruabarrena and Gül firing over from close range.
Francisco Farioli made a triple switch on the hour mark when Veiga, Pietuszewski and Gül made way for Rodrigo Mora, William Gomes and Terem Moffi.
Porto couldn’t clear away and were pegged back in the 70th minute. Alfonso Trezza’s shot was blocked before Naïs Djouahra fired from outside the box and caught Diogo Costa flat footed.
Seko Fofana replaced Pablo Rosario before Gomes and Alberto Costa shot straight at Arruabarrena. Pepê made way for 18-year-old André Miranda who came on for his senior debut.
It was looking like Arouca would snatch a point before Fofana collided with Yellu Santiago in an attempt to shoot, referee Iancu Vasilica awarding a penalty that was eventually upheld by the VAR. Gomes converted the spot kick off the underside of the bar.
The Dragons wrapped it up deep into added time when Gomes’ cross was converted by Moffi.
There will be plenty of talk about the penalty decision that helped get Porto out of jail. Naïs Djouahra had his say in a brief flash interview: "There’s not much to say, everyone saw what happened. Things don’t change."
Tough road trips on the horizon
Porto have been below their best since February, losing at Casa Pia and allowing Sporting CP to score a late equaliser at Estádio do Dragão. The 1-0 win at Nacional was far from convincing.
The season ending injury to Samu Aghehowa has given the chasing pack hope that a capitulation could be on the cards, just as it happened with Francesco Farioli’s Ajax last season.
The Dragons now have to travel to Lisbon twice in the space of a week, to take on Sporting CP in the Taça de Portugal semi-final first leg and and Benfica in Liga Portugal.
Porto then go to Germany to face Stuttgart in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg. It’s a crucial two weeks that could make or break their season.
