This Saturday night, FC Porto Fidelidade tied 1-1 with Lodi, at the Palacastellotti, in Italy, for matchday 4 of Group C of the EuroLeague in Roller Hockey, and remains undefeated in the competition this season. The team led by Guillem Cabestany is in the lead, with three more points than Lodi and four more than Reus, with Saint Omer, from France, in the last position, with zero points.

The match started with intensity and goal situations on both ends, a balance that remained until the end of the first-half. Both Nélson Filipe and Valentin Grimalt were forced to strong saves and held on to the 0-0. On the blue and whites, Reinaldo García hit the post from distance, and Andrea Malagoli, for Lodi, came close to scoring just before the break.

The Dragons started the second-half better and, on minute 26, gained the advantage after a good play between Reinaldo García and Hélder Nunes, with the Argentinian making the pass for the blue and white captain to score. It was the 21st goal for Hélder Nunes this season. Lodi tied the match four minutes later. Poka tackled Domenico Illuzzi and gave a penalty that Portuguese player Luís Querido capitalized.

Malagoli again put Nélson Filipe to the test, 36 minutes in, but the Dragons had the best occasions to score until the end. First, Giulio Cocco, cheered before the match that signalled his return to the Palacastellotti, now as a Dragon, forced the opposing goalkeeper to a tight save, and then Rafa hit the post. In the last five minutes, Hélder Nunes had two powerful shots: one made the fans celebrate, even if it didn’t go in, and the other hit the side net.

After the match, Guillem Cabestany stated he had reasons to not feel happy and other reasons to feel happy: “We had more control and more opportunities. We were able to somewhat break their defence, while we remained solid in the back; we were playing on a difficult rink, against a great team, and this is positive, as it might allow us to qualify to the quarter-finals in the first position”, the Catalan coach stated. Hélder Nunes, MVP in the match, mentioned the “unfair result”. “I think we need enough to win. We are pleased with the performance, we are not conceding too many goals, we are defending well, and our confidence was boosted by the match, so we have to stay on this path, as we depend only of ourselves and, if we win the next match, we will win the group”, the blue and white captain stated. 

FC Porto Fidelidade returns to the Portuguese championship next Wednesday, January 23. Matchday 13 starts at 21h00, at the home of Turquel.

MATCH REPORT

WASKEN LODI-FC PORTO FIDELIDADE, 1-1
EuroLeague, matchday 4, Group C
January 19, 2019
Palacastellotti, Lodi, Italy

Referees: Ivan González and Oscar Valverde

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

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

At halftime: 0-0
Scorers: Hélder Nunes (26m), Luis Querido (30m)