Football. Porto suffer first defeat in 54 league games
With only one win in six, question marks have been raised over the
future of coach Paulo Fonseca after Fernando Alexandre scored
Academica's winner and Danilo missed a penaltyThe champions, who had last lost a league
game in January 2012, have now gone three Primeira Liga matches without a
win after succumbing to an Academica side who had won only three times
in the top flight going into the game, and had not beaten Porto at home
in 43 years.
Fernando Alexandre was the hosts' hero, registering
his second goal of the season on the stroke of half-time to set his side
on the way to a major shock - although they had to survive a
second-half penalty scare.
The midfielder stole in at the far post and kept his cool to angle an
effort into the roof of the net from close range after a delivery from
the right was not cleared by the Porto defence.
Porto piled on the pressure in the second half but wasted a golden
opportunity to restore parity when Ricardo saved a late Danilo penalty
after Jackson Martinez went down in the area.
Paulo Fonseca's men threw everything at Academica, sending goalkeeper
Helton forward for a series of corners in the dying stages, but it was
to no avail as the hosts made it three wins from their last four league
matches.
Porto have now won only one of their last six games in all
competitions ahead of their league clash with Sporting Braga on
Saturday, with question marks over the future of Fonseca beginning to be
raised following their meek Champions League draw with Austria Vienna
in midweek.
Both Benfica and Sporting Lisbon have the chance to leapfrog the
champions at the top of the Primeira Liga table on Sunday when they
tackle Rio Ave and Pacos Ferreira respectively.
No comments:
Post a Comment