Porto lived up to their billing as favourites against
Sevilla with a deserved 1-0 win in their UEFA Europa League quarter-final first
leg.
Coach Luis Castro said in the build-up that Porto's
status as favourites in almost every game they play has hampered them this
season - the reigning Primeira Liga champions sit third in their domestic
division, 15 points adrift of leaders Benfica - but they put in a commanding
display at Estadio do Dragao on Thursday.
After dominating the early stages, Porto finally took the
lead just after the half-hour mark as captain Eliaquim Mangala powered a diving
header in from an audacious Ricardo Quaresma cross.
Castro's side almost went into the break with a two-goal
lead, but Steven Defour's effort from distance was nudged on to the post by
former Porto keeper Beto to keep Sevilla in the game.
The away side should have levelled late on as Kevin
Gameiro skewed wide from close range, and although Porto will be without
Fernando following his late dismissal for a second bookable offence, they take
a narrow advantage to Seville for next week's second leg.
With Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Nacional typifying Porto's
faltering domestic campaign, Sevilla - who had won six league games in a row
before Saturday's 1-0 loss at Celta Vigo - arrived in Portugal looking to
compound their misery in the Europa League.
The hosts enjoyed an encouraging start, however, keeping
Sevilla camped in their own penalty area for long periods, but the Spaniards'
defence stood firm despite a flurry of Porto corners.
Unai Emery's team weathered the storm and almost broke
the deadlock with their first chance in the 27th minute as Vicente Iborra
flicked on Ivan Rakitic's left-wing free-kick, only for home keeper Fabiano to
block the header.
The visitors were made to rue that miss four minutes
later, though.
Quaresma - who scored in Porto’s 3-2 aggregate win over
Napoli in the last round - delivered a brilliant cross with the outside of his
right foot and Mangala directed it into the goal with a ferocious diving
header.
Beto did well to deny the hosts a second in the 45th
minute, as he acrobatically tipped Defour's long-range effort on to his left
post.
Sevilla appeared more willing to venture forward in the
second half and they nearly capitalised on an error by Mangala in the 49th
minute, as Coke charged down his clearance before seeing a shot deflected wide
from an acute angle.
Goalscoring chances were more infrequent than the first
half, but Porto striker Jackson Martinez did go close with just over an hour
gone with a half-volley that flashed over the bar from close range.
And with 15 minutes to go, Sevilla substitute Gameiro
missed a massive chance to equalise as he pounced on a rebound, only to scuff
his effort and miss the target.
Porto's position was put in jeopardy in the 87th minute
as Fernando picked up his second yellow card for a foul on Gameiro, but
Queresma almost extended their lead in injury time as he struck a half-volley
onto the post after his initial free-kick had been blocked by the wall.
Culled from Soccerway
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