This Thursday, FC Porto beat Casa Pia (3-0), away, for matchday two of Group D the League Cup. The blue and white superiority was clear from start to finish, with the Dragons controlling the ball possession and being more efficient in the second-half, in spite of the defensive efficiency in the first-half for the home team.

Sérgio Conceição made ten changes in the squad, with Manafá remaining as the only one to remain in the starting team, but the players gave a good response. The first dangerous situation came four minutes in, but the bicycle kick Soares attempted went over the bar. Nakajima (11m), Sérgio Oliveira (22m) and Soares again (31m) tried, but still couldn’t score.

The blue and white pressure was suffocating and the Dragons continued to control the match, holding the ball in the opposing midfield. Still, Casa Pia was able to keep FC Porto away, and, despite not bothering Diogo Costa, keep the scoreboard tied at zero, even if Bruno Costa tried to score from just outside the area (40m).

A defensive efficiency FC Porto was able to break 50 minutes in. Running to the back of the defence, Saravia got the long pass from Sérgio Oliveira and scored his first goal as a professional, in a header. A moment celebrated by all the players, who continued the assault. 68 minutes in, another opportunity and another goal, this time by Luis Díaz, who received the pass from Uribe and put the ball in from the bottom right corner. It was a return to goals for the Colombian international, his seventh goal in blue and white.

Before the end, another goal for FC Porto. The offensive move started on the right, with Saravia trying to find space behind the opposing defence. The ball got to Soares (72m), who controlled the ball and made it count for his 50th goal as a Dragon. The last celebration came 75 minutes in, with the debut for the main team of Tomás Esteves, right fullback, national and European Under19 champion last season, who wears the mythical number 2 shirt of the Dragons.

Nakajima hit the post (89m), but couldn’t change the scoreboard. A fair victory for FC Porto, who has one more obstacle before reaching the final four of the League Cup. The away match against Chaves, for matchday three of Group D, is scheduled for December 22, but the Dragons are focused only on the match against Belenenses, at Estádio do Jamor, scheduled for this Sunday (20h00), for matchday 13 of the championship.