FC Porto Fidelidade took another step in the fight for the qualification to the Round of 16 of the EuroLeague. This Saturday afternoon, captain Hélder Nunes and Giulio Cocco scored two and helped build the 8-3 beating to Lodi, which allows the blue and whites to reach nine points and take the lead of Group C, after three matchdays.

In the match that opposed the only two teams in the group that had only victories, the blue and whites started the match with high pace and started scoring early: first it was Reinaldo García, following a pass from Hélder Nunes; shortly after, the roles were reversed and the Argentinian passed to the captain, for his first goal in this edition of the EuroLeague.

The Italian two times champion in a row reacted and tried to score, but Carles Grau was inspired: with a hand full of good saves, the Catalan goalkeeper held on to the advantage that would double before the break. The 3-0 was scored by one of the biggest promises of the sport: Hugo Santos, who returned home this season, was calm enough to beat Grimalt in a 2x3 situation, scoring his first goal in European matches at the age of 18; the 4-0 came just before the break by Gonçalo Alves.

Despite the comfortable lead, FC Porto went back in looking for more goals and they quickly appeared. Giulio Cocco, in a “special match”, scored two almost consecutively, pushing the team he played for in the last two seasons further down. Lordi scored three goals in the second-half and made it significantly different, but they were never truly capable of threatening the Dragons, as they also ended up scoring two more, by Rafa and Hélder Nunes, for the 8-3.

“It was a well-played match against a team that had yet to lose this season, and they are hard to beat. We were coming from an emotionally difficult week, with hard matches, and there was a chance that we would lower our intensity. But the players were able to excel themselves, with great intensity, and made everything easier”, Cabestany stated after the match, getting ready for the next match, against HC Braga, for the championship, scheduled for Wednesday, at Dragão Caixa (20h30, Porto Canal).

MATCH REPORT

FC PORTO FIDELIDADE-LODI, 8-3

EuroLeague, Group C, matchday 3
December 1, 2018
Dragão Caixa

Referees: Raul Burgos and Josep Ribò (Spain)

FC PORTO FIDELIDADE: Carles Grau (g.k.), Reinaldo García, Hélder Nunes (cap.), Gonçalo Alves and Giulio Cocco.
Substitutes: Nélson Filipe (g.k.), Telmo Pinto, Rafa, Hugo Santos and Poka.
Coach: Guillem Cabestany

LODI: Valentin Grimalt (g.k.), Andre Malagoli, Alessandro Verona, Luís Querido and Francesco Compagno
Substitutes: Rubens Gilli (g.k.), Domenico Illuzzi (cap.), Mattia Gori, Juan Fariza, Franceso De Rinaldis.
Coach: Nuno Resende

At halftime: 4-0
Scorers: Giulio Cocco (2), Hélder Nunes (2), Reinaldo García, Hugo Santos, Gonçalo Alves, Domenico Illuzi, Rafa, Andrea Malagoli and Alessandro Verona