FC Porto beat Benfica 3-1 and is in the final of the League Cup
FC Porto beat Benfica (3-1), at Estádio Municipal de Braga and is in the final of the 2018/19 League Cup. The Dragons will return to Minho next Saturday to face the winner of the other semi-final: Sporting or Sporting de Braga.
Yacine Brahimi (24m), Moussa Marega (35m) and Fernando Andrade (86m) scored the goals for the blue and whites, who are in the fight for the third title in less than nine months. FC Porto, led by Sérgio Conceição, became national champion on May 5, 2018, won the Supercup on August 4, 2018, and will be playing the final of the League Cup on January 26, 2019, starting at 19h45.
At Estádio Municipal de Braga, with a good audience on the stands and a strong presence of the Blue Sea, the classic started with high pace. Without setting periods of mutual study, Marega came close to opening the scoreboard on minute one. As Rúben Dias failed to clear Brahimi’s shot, Svilar prevented the Malian from scoring, despite the good position.
In a frantic start, setting the pace for the night at Minho, Vaná then responded with authority, shortly after. The goalkeeper, consistently used by Sérgio Conceição in the League Cup, showed his reflexes after a dangerous header from João Félix. FC Porto went in better and asked for a penalty, not signalled, after Rúben Dias tackled Jesús Corona in the area (9m).
André Pereira, the second news in the starting team, was the protagonist of another dangerous play on the red goal. 20 minutes in, after a good combination between Herrera and Brahimi, the Portuguese forward received the pass and shot for another good save for Svillar.
The high pressure on the opponent, one of the features of this version of FC Porto, would pay-off shortly after. Óliver got the ball and passed to Marega in the area. Benfica’s goalkeeper was able to save the shot from the Malian, but Brahimi was faster in the heart of the area and made it count (24m).
The team led by Bruno Lage replied 30 minutes in, thanks to Rafa, after Vaná saved Seferovic’s shot. After checking the VAR, Carlos Xistra decided that the Swiss forward didn’t control the ball with his arm before shooting for goal.
FC Porto reacted in the best way and scored again, ending the red celebration. On minute 35, Brahimi crossed on the left, Corona found the ball and did another assistance, his eighth this season. The great pass found Marega in finishing position for the 2-1. Before the break, in a clearly intense classic, the refereeing team saw an off-side when Seferovic passed the ball to Rafa, who then passed it to Pizzi.
The second-half was different. The intensity was there, but the goal opportunities decreased. Sérgio Conceição freshened the attack with Soares - André Pereira went out - and reorganized the team, switching Corona for Bruno Costa.
Marega moved to the right and that’s where he created danger again, in the last quarter-hour, with a run and a shot stopped by Svilar. Right after that, Fernando Andrade replaced Brahimi and the Brazilian was the one to kill any attempt at recovering the score, scoring from a counter-attack after the pass from Soares. After his goal in Chaves was given to Nuno André Coelho, Fernando Andrade made it 3-1, showing class after Svilar tried to get the ball. Blue and white celebration in the City of Priests.
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